Greeting:

Today I had my 945T wagon quit a mile from home after a 5 minute warmup. Efforts to restar about 50 times produced no results. After about 15 min sitting, the car started, but alternatly sputtered, barely running, then would run fine for a bit. Engine felt as if it starving for fuel. Pulled codes, got two: one indicated that the fule pressure was either too low or too high, or that the engine was too rich; the other indicated that there was no signal from the knock sensor. The car has 126K miles, ignition tuneup and fuel filter within the last six months, and has the Bosch system, not Regina. This happened once about 8 months ago, but the problem cleared and has been running great since. How can I proceed to evaluate the problem?
Thanks.

Steve C

I am not a diagnostic expert but I have received false or sympathetic codes after a stall. If your symptoms happened to me, again, I’d replace the FP relay, crank sensor, FI relay, all at once, just to rule out the common failures. $67 for all three, relatively cheap and easy. Can’t afford stalls and the risks. I have a spare set of these in three cars and two more, the kids, will get a set for Christmas.

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Tom F. Couple of Volvos Mods, RainX & cup holders.

Just for giggles, pull the connector off the AMM and see if the car will run. If it does (it is in "limp home" mode and won't run very well above a certain speed) the AMM is suspect, pricey but necessary, just changed out my mother-in-law's. Beyond that, try cleaning all the sensor connectors and check your fuel pressure (the OBD is right sometimes ;-). Has the rpm sensor ever been changed? (Mine is going on over 200k and I think I'm on borrowed time).

Speaking of which, to anyone out there with the knowledge, many of my sensors are original, never been changed (O-2, AMM, RPM, ECT, etc.), I've seen the FAQs that indicate the life expectancy of various sensors but some seem to be iffy on any hard and fast "replace this unit after xxxk miles". Are there any that absolutely should be changed out after 200k?
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Bob Kraushaar '94 945T, '88 240, '84 242Ti, '94 F-150, '88 300 TE, '89 560 SL, '68 Shelby GT-500 KR

Bob, I have had one FP relay and two crank sensors fail, 5 cars, 12 accumulate years. I think keeping a set of these in the car along with a FI relay is cheap insurance.

I keep detailed MPG records, which "could" indicate a failing O2. It’s a slooow death for these.
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Tom F. Couple of Volvos Mods, RainX & cup holders.