Volvo RWD 700 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 4/2019 700 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

hard to start 740 when it's raining 700

Whenever the morning air is moist or it's raining I have to crank my 88 740T two or three times for it to start, and it idles low around 500-600 for the first ten minutes or so. When the weather is dry or warm it starts on the first key. It also never does "fast" idle when the engine is cold. What kinds of things should I check for the hard-start-on-rainy-mornings. I recently changed my spark plugs/wires and fuel filter (the one under the driver's side). Thanks.








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    hard to start ... When you hear hoofbeats think horses not zebras 700

    I would remove, inspect and clean the rotor and distributor cap. This is a very common damp start problem.

    I suspect that you may have two problems, take on the damp start first.

    I remove the cap and rotor and scrape any burnt material off the brass contacts in the distributor cap and on the tip of the rotor. True mechanics do this with the sharpened end of an ignition file. (In the 50s, one did this at least twice a year!) You can sand them smooth after scraping. I sometimes use an emery board.

    On the rotor, clean the top, use an eraser if it is not too bad, clean with solvent after that. Check to see if the carbon thingie in the center of the rotor still moves freely, and touch it a bit with sand paper to expose a fresh surface, do not wear it down. Look inside all the holes in the distributor cap to make sure they are not corroded.

    If your distributor cap has a black plastic splash guard on it, remomove it - it is composed of two pieces. After the dirt gets under this guard, it causes more trouble than it does good. Clean all the dirt off the outside of the cap and check carefully for cracks. Clean the oil from the inside. I use a clean rag and some WD 40 for this.

    Reinstall the parts (Make sure that the plug wires are in their keepers, and adjust them so that they are not touching the engine - if you can, keep them apart from each other as well) and wait for a rainy day. You might try to start your brick in the dark, on a damp night. Open your brick's hood and have an assistant watch for sparks on the ignition parts.
    --
    96 855R, 95 855,854, 90 744 Ti - 343,000 Volvo miles put on 7 bricks








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

    hard to start 740 when it's raining 700

    My guess is that the problem is your distributor cap. Change it and your rotor, and i bet your problem will be fixed.

    Good luck. And post back with the results.

    Jeff Pierce

    --
    '93 945 Turbo ( one kickass family car ! ), '92 Mercedes 190E (my daily driver), '53 Willys-Overland Pickup (my snow-plow truck/conversation piece -- sold to a loving home), '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      hard to start 740 when it's raining 700

      Which one would you all recommend as a replacement?

      GP Sorensen 225133
      OE Style; Distributor #0237502001
      1 Year Replacement Warranty Find in a store Ships in 1 day
      Weight: 0.5 lbs. $25.49

      Beck/Arnley 1746896
      Distributor Cap:
      Lifetime Limited Warranty Ships in 1 day
      Weight: 0.6 lbs. $54.28

      Borg Warner C653
      Distributor Cap: Electronic Dist.; w/ Bosch Dist.
      1 Year Limited Warranty Ships in 2 days
      Weight: 2 lbs. $51.99

      Niehoff Ignition WA499A
      Distributor Cap: Electronic Dist.; w/ Bosch Dist. Ships in 1 day
      Weight: 0.6 lbs. $37.99








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

        hard to start 740 when it's raining 700

        Personally, this is the one I got:

        http://www.fcpgroton.com/volvo700tuneup.htm

        Part #03215 ($32.50)

        It's a Bosch/original equipment product. And FCP Goton is a fantastic parts place with unmatched customer service... plus they're a sponsor of this site
        -- so they're helping to make this exhange of information possible.

        Jeff Pierce
        --
        '93 945 Turbo ( one kickass family car ! ), '92 Mercedes 190E (my daily driver), '53 Willys-Overland Pickup (my snow-plow truck/conversation piece -- sold to a loving home), '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      hard to start 740 when it's raining 700

      don't see how a bad distributor cap and rotor would effect low idle for 10 min until warm.
      given age of car bad harness to sensors may be a better area to look in.








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

        hard to start 740 when it's raining 700

        The problem only happens when it's been raining, right? Well, moisture in the distributor cap is hands-down the most common cause of a cold/wet-start problem. After the car's been running for a few minutes, the heat makes the moisture evaporate, and you're back to good.

        That having been said... diagnosis (particularly electrical diagnosis) can be elusive. So if the cap doesn't fix it, I agree that electrical connections would be a logical next step.

        Respectfully,

        Jeff Pierce
        --
        '93 945 Turbo ( one kickass family car ! ), '92 Mercedes 190E (my daily driver), '53 Willys-Overland Pickup (my snow-plow truck/conversation piece -- sold to a loving home), '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow








        •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

          hard to start 740 when it's raining 700

          I agree with Jeff. Replace the cap and rotor. Also replace the spark plug wires. Moisture will cause them to misfire or ground out.








          •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

            hard to start 740 when it's raining 700

            "I recently changed my spark plugs/wires "

            did you bother to comprhend what this person said?

            Please explain how a cap and rotor will cause low idle for 10 minutes and the car not idle high when started at any temp.








            •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

              hard to start 740 when it's raining 700

              Easy there, big guy! Lets not get our panties in a wad. Moisture under the distributor cap can cause the spark to misfire (go to the wrong contact or another point). When this happens, the affect is as if the timing is GROSSLY off -- causing the car to drastically stumble, creating a low idle. As I explained in my previous post, when the engine warms up, the moisture evaporates, and the symptom goes away (the same reason it would go away with your diagnosis of bad wire harness.)

              This has been a frequent problem for cars for the past 50 years... maybe more!

              Jeff Pierce
              --
              '93 945 Turbo ( one kickass family car ! ), '92 Mercedes 190E (my daily driver), '53 Willys-Overland Pickup (my snow-plow truck/conversation piece -- sold to a loving home), '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow







<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.