My 1993 240 with maybe 130K miles(who knows) is acting up when warm. It died twice yesterday but would restart after it cooled and it starts right up for me in the morning when I moved out to work on it. I thought it was time for a new crank sensor anyway but after I put in the new one, the car wouldn't start at all. I checked both old and new sensors (duh... after the fact) and I get about 170K resistance and they both are putting out about .18 volts when cranking. I can hear the fuel pumps humming away but no spark.. Just now I swapped the coil from my 940 turbo and now it runs.

What did I do and why did the new sensor screw up the old coil?

BTW has anyone ever just bypassed this collection of Volvo PITA in tank pumps, ceramic fuse blocks, relays etc and put in a modern high performance (read: dependable) stand alone fuel cell/ fuel pump and and ignition system? Seems like a couple of hundred and you would have a more dependable system with added safety.