Volvo RWD 200 Forum

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Erratic starting 200

posted by someone claiming to be john D on Sun Jul 19 19:55 CST 2015 [RELATED]

88 245. If the car sits for a day. Go out and it miigghhttt start. When you first turn it over it will almost start. Somtimes you can try it again and it will stumble to a start. And..somtimes she'll start right up and run great. This is a problem that just recently started ( no pun intended!) When I'm trying to start it I get no fuel smell, like if it is getting too much gas. What say the Volvo Gods that are upon this board??

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Erratic starting 200

posted by Trev29 on Mon Jul 20 06:09 CST 2015
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last visit: Fri Oct 17 05:56 CST 2014

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To me it sounds like you've lost fuel pressure, which has to be built back up before the car can start.

Maybe the fuel is draining back into the tank? Fuel Pressure Regulator?
--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb, M46 trans, 3:31 dif, in Brampton, Ont.

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Erratic starting 200

posted by machine man on Sun Jul 19 21:56 CST 2015
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last visit: Wed Oct 22 15:40 CST 2014

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So your claim is, it runs fine after it gets over its hard to start sequences. No starting at all or on to stumbles, shakes and clacks to a start.

Sometimes it's completely gone but the longer it sits the worse it gets?

Are there any variances in the speeds of the cranking over of the engine as it turns over from day to day? What's the age of the battery?

Does it rev up past its normal idle speed and drop back quickily to an idle speed when it starts up correctly? That is what it suppose to do, unless you have an Idle Air Control problem.

Does the fuel level in the tank have an influence. Like in harder to start, if below one-third full?

Phil

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Erratic starting 200

posted by someone claiming to be john D on Mon Jul 20 06:36 CST 2015 [RELATED]

When it does crank it runs fine. No idle issues. AS to the gas tank level can't really say. Bought the car a few months ago for my son who is about to get his license. I filled it up when I bought it and it still has 3/4 tank in it.
Actually its easier, or more likely to start when it has set up, just recently. Battery is good. Thanks for your questions

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Erratic starting 200

posted by machine man on Mon Jul 20 08:59 CST 2015
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last visit: Wed Oct 22 15:40 CST 2014

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Hi there!

Sounds like you found a car that just needs some massaging with some TLC.

Trev29 has brought up the most likely componet to cause your issue.

A little bit of old gas or trash from the tank may have affected that or the check valve just off the main pump.

The reason I asked about the gas tank level has more to do with the in-tank fuel pump and the rubber hose that connects it to the outlet line inside the tank.

I'm a little confuse or lack more information, about your statement from the first post.

"When I'm trying to start it I get no fuel smell, like if it is getting too much gas."

You don't smell gas but you think it's flooding? Is that from the long cranking or the shaking from what you perceive as having to burn off excess fuel?

It might be more like what Trev29 says, lean as in it's getting spurts of fuel. Low fuel pressure at the rail and not atomizing properly. This becomes a bigger issue if the weather get colder.

Can you tell us the ballpark mileage on the engine?
A quarter tank of gas is just limbering up an engines systems, if the car sat for a lengthy time.

Keep in touch as it's nice to hear you are keeping another 240 on the road. Excellent car to learn about driving and the mechanics of cars. At least it's easy to maintain without dragging, towing, to a fancy diagnostics center!

Saver than the one motorcycle that I started out on. It was eight years later before I sprung for four wheels!
I got married and have been adding on ever since! (:-) up to about 36 counting the riding lawnmower and two bicycles.
Whew!

Phil

Have you owned 240's before? You know not to step on the pedal while starting it right?

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Erratic starting 200

posted by someone claiming to be john D on Mon Jul 20 12:04 CST 2015 [RELATED]

I use to have a number of 240's and a 960, many years ago. With regards to cranking and smelling no gas. I'm not sure that I'm getting any or enough gas. I'll try a regulator. I was not aware that the wagon has an intank pump. I know it has an external pump/Filter assembly mounted under the car. Its got 300K on it but has been maintained well by the previous owners. When I bought it I filled it up and drove about 20 miles home and ran great. Afterwards would go out and start it every week and no problems and just recently this problem has started.

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Erratic starting 200

posted by machine man on Mon Jul 20 16:08 CST 2015
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last visit: Wed Oct 22 15:40 CST 2014

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Thanks for the information.

You might want to go out to Cleanflametrap.com and look into a post by Art on jumping one or both of the two pumps, for your year car, prior to starting the car first thing.

This will pre-prime the fuel rail and you can listen for either pump to run, before firing up the engine.
Some BB's listen for the tank pump through the gas filler neck. A piece of garden hose works or you will have to lay under the cars tank.

If this makes it work better, you will have narrowed down the area to look into next.
If it starts better several times or days, try squeezing shut the return line to the tank over night after its daily run.
If it starts up the same, as jumping the pumps, then you have found out that the FPR is leaking down overnight from its valve seat. Another common problem that happens.

You can also check the FPR for any leakage out of the vacuum hose connection side.

Good luck with the TLC!

Phil

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