Our 1993 volvo has a mind of its own. It will start then it won't but will turn over and croak a billion times, then the next time we "try" it will start right up. What in the heck would cause this? We're constently getting stranded until it decides to just fire right up and run like it should.

Did you check the fuses to make sure they are snug enough and making good contact? They are cheap enough on EBAY to proactively put in new ones. Was the white relay changed the fuel or transmission overdrive relay? The fuel relay is another inexpensive item that are known to sometimes go bad.

a good rule of thumb is to differentiate between electrical problems and fuel problems.

1. anytime an engine is running however badly and stops instantly...this is normally electrical in nature...like throwing a light switch

2. anytime an engine is running however badly and sputters and act to try and keep running running but eventually dies look for fuel problem

you decide which is more applicable to your situation

that said if door number 1 fits your symptoms i would inspect closely as best as can the crank sensor

1. is it being bent in its journey up the firewall by the transmission kickdown cable?
2. when the engine is running if you wiggle the sensor cable will the engine cutout and die?
3. some lower priced sensor cables and or old ones have a weakness for vibration where the cable enters the molded housing at the base of the cable where it bolts the bellhousing. solid signal can be lost or interrupted over time and a good wiggle while running can determine this to be the case

Hi Kate.
First of all we need some background.
We don't know what tune up condition the car is in or how long you have maintained it or any previous owners neglect.
How many miles are on the car?

When it runs is it doing it smoothly with ample and steady power?
Croaking is dying to us. Coughing and spluttering are things are not getting its act together.
A crank position sensor or bad ignition system parts!

Has it had any recent work done or has any been recommended to you?
Moving wires can cause problems to arise.
A crank position sensor is a common issue as its wire gets frail.

Do you have any check engine lights?
It may point to a device or at least an area to suspect.

Starting with normal things to look into or change out is going to be based on a couple variables.

Stranded can be the difference of a slight inconvenience of not leaving right away or dead enough to be needing a jump start from a weakening battery?

Does it always or most likely scaring you in failing to start after sitting a short time or overnight?
Holding fuel pressure or volume up to the engine is needed for cold morning starts.

Has it quit while going down the road, out of the blue? Ever had any towing no starts?

Have any fuel pumps ever been changed?
They wear out at high mileages of around 200,000.

Have you ever heard, read anything about a System Relay or know if one of them has ever been replaced on this car?
They can fail but the Crank Position Sensor can drop it into off and the car dies. Can be hard to start from either and will fire right back up. CPS starts up many things.

I can keep on throwing suggestions as these are the common cheap fixes. Almost all the time it's something small.
Neglected maintenance over great amounts of time with the worn parts that come with that scenario.

Get back to us with more information as you are our eyes and ears!

Phil

We've owned the car for 10 years.

It sputters like its trying to start. turns over rumble and dies. Yes it did just quit on me last week after backing out of a parking spot. Just up and quit out of the blue.

In the last 5 years we have replaced the fuel filter, fuel pumps, air mass meter, idle air control valve, crank position sensor, coil, ignition control module. Battery was just checked and its brand new . Alternator is new.

No check engine lights are on.

The white relay under the dash has been replaced.

What else is in the ignition system other then the part the key goes into? Where should we look? That's the only thing I can think of at this point other then something to do with the starter.

We will be seeing if we can pull any codes tomorrow in the daylight but for now just fishing for ideas.

I'm kind of leaning to it being something to do with the starter wire as we had some sort of critter in there having a party recently and my husband noticed the starter wire being loose when I couldn't get it started. But he fixed that or so he thinks he did.

What doesn't make sense is it will start and idle just fine and run like a champ and other times you can't get it to go past the turnover point of spark trying to start stuff. I almost wish I could post a video of the sound so you all understand what I mean.

The good is we do have another 93 we can swap parts to find out what it could be. The bad news is the car will start just fine 10 times or so in a row then pull the no start stuff. So it's random and untrustworthy.

Kate, if someone else hasn't said it, I'11 put $20 on it being the fuel pump relay. It is behind the glove box, relay is whiteish in color. Normally the PCB breaks inside the relay and you can solder it back together. That being said, always carry a spare fuel pump relay in the glove box. That comes from having an 89 and 90 244 and a 92 245, they all had the exact same erratic shutdowns.

jorrell

Hi Kate,

If the car turns over a billion times without starting, the fault does not lie in the the starter motor. That would probably be clearer to you if it was more precisely named the 'turn over motor'. That's all it does. Starting is accomplished by having a strong spark and a proper fuel/air mixture meeting inside the cylinders.

I don't see any mention of spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor, or plug wires in your list of replacement parts over the last 5 years. These are all involved in producing a strong spark.

A weak spark will often express itself at start up before it becomes noticeable on a running engine. My first Volvo, an 84 240, behaved pretty much the same as you are describing. The cause turned out to be spark plugs with .075 inch gaps where they should have been about .030. This is not to say that this is your problem, but it could be something as simple as his.

Good luck,
Peter

Hi Kate,

You have done an excellent job of dragging up the facts needed to help us think on our past experiences.
The part about the little animal will surely rattle the bones of people who live on the East side of our country. Most likely the questions they are going to ask.... Where did you find the party left overs and damage?

I will ask about the area of the starter some more. Which wires were loose? The big one from the battery or a small one?
If it was a big one, he had better look at the negative cables too! The engine block gets one, plus there is another one, that makes up the car's body ground system.
Check all four ends of those major cables for corrosion. Look back up under the insulation from where the terminals are crimped.
After these many years, removing them for a good inspection might be even wiser!

The small one comes from the gadget you put the key into. You called it out correctly, the ignition switch. It is only a starter switch for a short time. (:-)
The switches rarely fail but it was just used and they get used a lot.
The backing out and it turning off scenario is a very helpful fact but unfortunately not definitive. Even though You had just used the switch.
I have read that if you carry a lot of key weight it affects the tumblers. Turning across the contacts down below can wear.
The more details the better.
Keep or put it on a list but way closer to the bottom!

You have received two good responses, of which, are definitely leaning into an electrical issue.
Fuses feed that switch and many things so it's a good one.
The CPS testing procedure is very good as it is absolutely needed to turn on lots of important things.

Like a car, you need to stay tuned! (:-)

Phil

Hi Kate

While looking back over my past post and thinking about how its been your car for ten years, I studied to see its parts history.
There was one item that you did not mention unless I'm mistaken in what you are calling an "ignition module."
To me the is a Ignition Control Unit. This is a Computer and is mounted inside the car above the passengers side foot well. It's up on the fire wall up behind a black felt panel. It's a black box with a fairly large connector. Very rare to go bad.

The Electronic Control Unit. This Computer is a larger silver box located behind a kick panel in the same area but on the right. Very rare to go bad.

In that general area of the ICU is where you found the White Fuel System Relay you listed as replaced. I suspect this was for a similar reason of not starting or quitting.
They can have a respectable failure rate due to a fuel pump current load and it is two relay's built into one. It provides a power circuit to the fuel injectors too. It's an accident safety component to shut down the engine two ways.

This brings me to telling you about another "relay" in the car.
As relays go this one is an Electronic ignition relay or module. It has a lot better track record of performance. This is where you also found and replaced the white fuel system relay.

You will notice that I said a "module" instead of computer or unit.
In my book, if I ever wrote one, module means, it is smaller. It also has fewer functions or capabilities than a computer unit does.
In a bigger scheme of mechanical things, it takes components to make unit and several units can make a Machine or our cars!
A Machine Man is made up of several units as well! (:-)
There is a consensus or feeling, if you will, generating on the BB that a decent maintenance service interval, for this solid state module or unit, should be about every ten or plus years, depending on climate localities.

A simple removing or cleaning of its connector and ground wire point helps!
Since its is solid state and generates some heat of it on it requires thermal paste to be applied to its heat sink periodically. This is what several Internet sites and their posters chat about!

This module is located outside under the hood behind the battery.
It's actually mounted on the inner fender down in a dark hole like of a place in a heat and acid vapor environment. Out of sight, out of mind doesn't help either.
It is smaller and thinner than a package of cigarettes with a smaller connector with less circuits or wires.

This part is a "middle man" but nearer the end of the chain of all these other electronic gadgets.
It controls the final end of making ignition sparks from the ignition coil.

The CPS senses the engine turning and tells all the other gadgets to do their things to run the engine.
All those computer units tell this "ignition module" or relay, to give out an electrical spark to the engine. From the coil on, through good wires, its JUST electrical energy transferring to more energy to make things move.

Like everything else, If it quits playing in the relay game, it's the same as turning the key to off.
The outcomes of games can be considered random affairs!

Again, it Might be worth inspecting those connections with some TLC!

Phil