Hi folks,

I hope you can help me. The engine codes I pulled were: P1310 & P0305



http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/volvo-r…

Above is the website I used to try and figure out what the codes meant but to no avail.

I have a 1996 Volvo 850 Turbo that I am very much in love with. I recently have started having problems with it.

It stalls when I brake very hard, If I only brake harder than average(not very hard) it almost feels like the car is in neutral when I accelerate again ..because it just revvs..and only then is there a rough jolt forward. I also am able to get these symptoms when I am turning into a parking lot or making a turn onto a road at which I must yield to oncoming cars(if I don't hit my brakes and don't yield or even accelerate I will not have this problem.

There also feels like there is a delay when I go from reverse to drive many times...especially when the car is cold in the morning(15 degrees Celsius or 70 degrees Fahrenheit.


2)I have also begun to have when the air conditioner is on the car seems to want to sputter and die when I first take off at low speeds.

3) I feel very unsafe in passing a car in the passing lane because it sputters now and almost makes you feel like its about to die or stall.

4) Recently on hot and steamy days the blower motor starts all by itself and blows very high while the car keys are not even in the ignition and the car is completely locked. I do not know if it turns off by itself but I am only able to turn it off by inserting the car key into the ignition and turning towards on.

I appreciate your kind help very much!

305 is misfire in #3 cylinder. 1310 is Ignition 3 Primary Feedback Circuit/Manufacturer COntrol Iginition System or Misfire.

My problem is very sporadic, but it only happens with the AC on. Try driving with the AC off, and see what happens when you let off the gas. Then try it with the AC on. You will probably induce a stall.

Here's a link to all the 850 codes:

Volvoforums.uk.org/showthread.php?t=42231
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'96 855 Wagon, 200k (and formerly 97 850, 120k)

Hi Adub,

These Volvos(850s espescially) have brought us all together, haha!

I do believe I have resolved those problems.

I replaced my spark plugs with Bougicord ones(Original Volvo OEM..but BOSCH copper are better..wish I had got those) and filled my tranny fluid..oh wow..man (it was empty due to a serious leak at the front of the car ...a cheap like 10 cent valve was all it needed)

Now I have no misfires, NO stalling that I can induce, and a little better fuel economy.

Do you have these problems or have you fixed them?


Cheers!

305 is a misfire in cylinder 5 - could be caused by lots of things. check the spark gap - .028 (thanks to Klaus for an easy fix on mine this week!).

1310 is Ignition System or Misfire (duh)

I recently got 303 and 304 with the 1310. The gap being off apparently caused the misfire.

If you want all the codes, go to this link:

volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=42231

the Brits are good for two things now (this and beer...:o)
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'96 855 Wagon, 200k (and formerly 97 850, 120k)

Hold up. I would suggest it could be three other problems, which I would consider before going to the dealer. I don't know about the 96 but earlier models have a idle control valve right on the top of the engine nearest the air intake. Its usually under a housing with a torx bolt. The unit itself is about four inches long and has a hose going into the top and the bottom. There is also an electic connetion on the back of this unit. This tends to get build up from oil trapped in the recyled air off the engine. If you take it out and spray it with intake cleaner, black junk will probably come out. I also clean it with a q-tip. Shake it and the control in there should move back and forth smoothly. I have to do this 1 or 2 times a year to keep the idle even. This is free and easy. When its really gunked up any sudden accel, braking or even sitting down in the car at idle causes a weird flutter in the engine.

Then there is the old throttle control valve. I have posted on this thing before. It breaks about every 3 years. This is the little elecrical control, only about 1.5 inches across that actuates the butterfly on your throttle-body. When this thing goes out, the card sutters at weird times particullarly under load. The morning idle is likely to surge and lope and the car won't respond quickly.

Lastly, if the car stalls at odd times and all the lights come on, that is a sign that it could be the transmition position sensor.

I took my volvo to both the dealer and a european car guy with a similar problem and they couldn't find it. $150 later someone on this site suggested the throttle control valve and I fixed it in about 30 minutes with a $40 part.

Good luck

Yoou should have gotten more codes than that! The P0305 is a misfire in cyl #5. I look up codes here : http://www.actron.com/code_lookup.php

The P1nnn and P2nnn are not known to generic scanners, they are volvo specific.

There is a vacuum line that runs from the intake manifold to the brake booster drum. Along that line is a check valve to keep the vacuum in the drum. The check valve is probably no longer working and needs to be replaced. That will affect your engine vacuum when you push on the brake pedal, and really mess things up.
You might also want to inspect the other vacuum lines for leaks.

You need to flush your tranny fluid as soon as possible to eliminate tranny problems. Regardless of mileage on the car, flush it.

The blower problem is a good one. Has the electrical portion of the ignition switch been replaced, ever? One of the electrical contacts may have formed a tit and contact is still being maintained.

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?

Hi Klaus,
Thanks for your quick reply.

I have no idea about the check valve, but will investigate it today or tomorrow.
How would I go about inspecting the other vacuum lines ?

I took my car to a mechanic recently and he 'flushed' the transmission by draining the old transmission fluid and refilling with a new one and running the car for a minute. He did this 3 times. Would you say this is OK(he didn't deisconnect the radiator hose or shift through any of the gears)? This was done 5,000-7,000 kms ago.(It is an auto transmission)


I don't believe the electrical component of the ignition switch has ever been replaced. Do you think it is worth replacing and could it potentially drain my battery by running long enough?

Amazingly I only got 2 engine codes when I did the OBDII test. The lambda light is on by the way. But it is the only light that is on.

Your mechanic wasted about 6 of those liters of ATF.
After you find the check valve that goes with the brake booster cannister and replace the vacuum hose also, I suggest looking for a Volvo independent shop close to you. At least someone there will know what to look for and how to repair your car easily.

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?

Oh wow...how sad...

do you have any idea why the car sputters when accelerating hard and attempting to pass a slower car .....almost makes you feel like its about to die or stall.

It's probably running too rich, because of a vacuum leak, and the plugs are getting fouled up. If your mechanic replaced the plugs, they probably aren't copper core which makes matters worse.

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?

Hi Klaus,
I'm looking to get a lot of work done on my '96 850 with 220kms. The cost is around 1000 dollars for parts. Your Order edit
Product Name Part # Price Qty. Total Price
1994-1997 Volvo 850 Turbo Fuel Filter

71049 $15.71
(You Save $2.24) 1 $15.71
1994-1997 Volvo 850 Turbo New OEM Oil Filter Case of 10

W917-10 $34.96
(You Save $4.99) 1 $34.96
Volvo 850 V70 S70 Turbo Tune Up Kit Cap Rotor Plugs Wires

VOLTUNEUPKIT2 $148.75
(You Save $21.25) 1 $148.75
1994-1997 Volvo 850 Turbo Bilstein Heavy Duty Front Strut Assembly

VN3-4358 $139.99
(You Save $20.00) 2 $279.98
Volvo 850/S70/V70 Front Strut Mounts & Spring Seats Kit

MountSeatKit $96.25
(You Save $13.75) 1 $96.25
1993-1997 Volvo 850 Strut Lock Nut Kit

971099X4 $5.47
(You Save $0.78) 1 $5.47
1994-1997 Volvo 850 Turbo Strut Bolt

982845X4 $6.11
(You Save $0.87) 1 $6.11
1994-1997 Volvo 850 Turbo Strut Mount Lock Nut-3 Required Per Mount

948645 $1.08
(You Save $0.16) 2 $2.16
Volvo (850 Turbo) Timing Belt and Water Pump Kit

850TBKIT $287.87
(You Save $41.13) 1 $287.87

Grand Totals:
Shopping Cart sub-total: $877.26
Shipping: $83.00
Sales Tax: $0.00
Grand Total: $960.26





In your opinion would it be worth repairing the car if I can do most of the work myself? The car seems to be in pretty good shape(body,cosmetics, and mechanics) aside from the problems I described before. I've also notice it uses about 5 liters of oil disappears in less than 4000 kms. Gas consumption is excellent 650-680 Kms per tank.


What do you think? Should I consider selling this car, and getting another? Thanks alot!

First concentrate on your stalling/idle problems along with the tranny. If the idle changes with the brake pedal depressed, that vacuum line and check valve need to be checked out. You don't want to smack someone at a stop light.

When that is resolved, which is fairly cheap, replace the spark plugs with OEM or Champion copper plugs which are listed in the back of the owner's manual. The plug wires will last a very long time, much longer than the rotor/cap.

If you are considering replacing the struts/shocks - it is a sedan? - you need to do all 4 corners. You will need a spring compressor and new strut mounting bolts and a spring seat for the fronts. I suggest using the spring seat for an XC90, they fit well and last much longer. You will not need all of the other junk for the struts, normally.

Timing belt, but only water pump if it shows signs of leaking. Rollers, especially for the tensioner are reccomended.

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?

WOW!...I checked my oil level yesterday and to my disbelief I had no oil on the dipstick. I had to add 4.8 Liters of oil for it to finally register as full on the dipstick. After filling the oil the car doesn't seem to give me that stuttering/stalling feeling. I have driven about 100+kms post adding the oil and no stuttering. I last changed my oil + Filter(Fram) and added 5.3 liters of 10W30 about 3000kms ago. I am worried I may have done some damage to my engine. There is a ticking noise now and I have no clue what to do. Gas consumption(650kms a tank) and performance are still excellent.

What do you think? There is a small oil leak from the turbo, which I have never attended to. I am thinking that oil must be leaking while I am driving or something. In the mornings when I get into the car and pull out of my drive way there is no oil on the driveway.


I would find it really hard to believe that the engine is using 5 liters every 3000 kms. The flame tarp was done 35000kms ago. There are no weird fumes or smoke coming out of the exhaust.

What does the Volvo community think?

That is not good. Your ticking is probably a lifter. The oil "consumption" is probably the turbo oil return line which leaks onto the exhaust, only when the turbo is engaged and not at rest.

Also, clean out the PCT. That is the vacuum line that goes to the air intake just before the turbo. There is a brittle plastic holder that tends to get clogged with dried oils. Use carb cleaner and or a thin metal wire to clean it out. Be careful you don't break the plastic.
The PCT acts like the PCV on NA engines, without the little screen. If it gets clogged, the crankcase pressure will get too high causing oil consumption.

Once you have fixed the turbo return line and cleaned the PCT, I suggest a bottle of AutoRx added to your oil. Follow the directions, it will clean all of the sludge out of your engine and might even help the lifters.

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?

OK HERE'S IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED!

I found out that there was a leak in transmission fluid and I was driving on almost NO transmission fluid. The car was stuttering while accelerating because the tranny didn't have enough fluid to shift up( this also explains why the car would feel like it was about to stall and stutter while braking suddenly or making turns).I believe because it couldn't down shift. The leak was due to a small circular plastic piece(I would call it a washer but it isn't made of metal-I don't think). The leak was at the front from the hose(near the radiator). I don't have any more leaks after fixing that and adding about 3 bottles of ATF. Also the car no long sputters. I also replaced all my spark plugs(were in terrible shape)with original OEM Volvo spark plugs!That ticking noise I spoke of earlier Klaus is also completely gone.I will try AutoRx during the next oil change and update this forum,probably this same thread!! My Volvo 850 t5 drives amazing now!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED ME ESPECIALLY KLAUS!!!!, I really hope this info is of some help to others out there!!!!

Start a new thread when you are done with the AutoRx. Being 3 quarts low in the tranny is bad because that level introduces air into the pump. Which is the root cause of your shifting and stalling. But there are an additional 5 quarts or so left to lubricate things, so you might be alright.

The lifter noise is no big deal if it goes away as soon as the engine warms up. Use regular oil with the AutoRx, and then switch to synthetic after the AutoRx procedure.

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?

Ok will do...just wondering what would you say the best synthetic & non synthetic oils for the 850 t5 would be in terms of brand name and viscosity.How often should I change the oil for maximum longevity? What servicing would you say is really important for this car besides frequent oil changes?

Cheers!

There is mobile1 ATF for the tranny, which is quite good but expensive. I always used dec/mer II, as per the manual because it was cheap and I flushed at 50K intervals.

For engine oil, 5W30 synthetic will keep things cleaner longer. Change synthetic oil at 7500 miles, OR, change the filter at 5K, adding a quart and then at 10K do a filter+oil change.
Again, I used Mobile 1 engine oil. The brand name doesn't matter as long as it is full synthetic. Do not pay extra for "long life" or "high mileage" products, it is a waste of money.

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?

Awesome...I am thinking of replacing the fuel filter tonight...can you give me any advice to go about doing it. I have the VADIS software installed on my computer but it asks to drain the fuel system. Anythings I should watch out for while doing it??

If you haven't had the engine running for 30 minutes, the fuel pressure will be close to zero, so "draining" is not needed. A shop cloth to catch the dribbles.

I used a 15 or 17mm box wrench to pull back the connectors at the filter. Remember to first clean the connectors and remove any electrical tape. And the arrow on the filter points to the front of the car, LOL.

Are you done yet?

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?

Haha..Klaus..haven't even started..been busy all week with work. I'll do it tonight and report back tomorrow. However, I'm looking at getting another Volvo, an 850 TLA(platinum). It has about 165000 kms on it..3 owners...and timing belt was done in the last 30000KMS. Suspension looks alright. He told me he's been driving only about 10,000Kms a year for the past 6 years(his total ownership time). He has lost of service records.

My current Volvo is a sedan T5 1996 220HP and has just over 220kms! I need to get a second one for a family member


Price is $2600 CAD...what do you think?...your input Klaus is most persuasive and helpful to say the least!

His ad:
"
I have a 1996 850 Turbo wagon with less than 166,000 km for sale. I have owned it for 6 years and it has been perfectly reliable. Very clean - a great car.

* Regularly maintained - 3rd owner.
* Pearl paint with dark gray leather seats; walnut trim; top of the line car.
* Premium sound system with Alpine 6 disc changer
* Integrated child booster seat and fold-away rear bench seating
* A/C
* Cargo cover
* Recent Goodrich all-season tires "

Does TLA stand for Turbo,Luxury,Automatic? Sounds good, and price is OK. But do check the AC and make sure it is ice cold, the evaporators tend to crack.

If the service records show oil changes, check for synthetic. If regular oil, be prepared to clean out the PCT nipple next to the turbo.

Grab one of the sway bar end links behind the front tires and try to wiggle it. If it is loose, knock $200 off the price and order IPD links.

When you get it home, drive it like you hate it for a week :) That will clear out any carbon deposits and show you what needs to be done before you give it away?

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?

Klaus it's time for a crash course for you...TLA stands for platinum...If you go back and study the Scandinavian history you may finally understand...how TLA = Platinum...the physics &mathematics are amazing......I'm seriously joking...shall I continue with oxymorons and irony..I think not..lol...


We tested the AC and it seems Ice cold! I'll be sure to grab the sway bar linkages today. I don't think he'll knock anything off the price...He was intially asking $3400 CAD


By the way do you think I could fit adults in the back 3rd seat???(the one facing the rear)...Hahah...Else they go on the rook racks...I'll tie them very securely..

Cheers!

The rear facing seat is for children 50-80lbs ONLY. Tie the extra adults to the roof rack or get a trailer.

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?

I have just learned that the car I will buy in 2 hours only had regular motor oil and not synthetic. I'd like to change to synthetic but a Volvo mechanic told me that it wouldn't be advisable at 165kms. He said the oil might from a hardening or jelly around the seals(I believe he said engine seals).He advised me to stick to Castrol GTX 10W30(even during the winter (-20 Celsius in Canada...talk about tying passengers to the roof). Klaus what is your say ? Also ABS module is out on my prospective vehicle. Should I get it rebuilt,buy a rebuilt one,or buy one from FCP GROTON)

Many thanks in advance!

I am not sure what CDN customs say about shipping your ABS module back and forth to the USA, but get a used/rebuild from a reputable company. There is an East cost outfit and of course Victor in California.

Not switch to synthetic? 165,000Km is not a lot for these engines and I would get 5W30 synthetic for year round use. Yes, the old American V8s, which thrived at low rpms, built up sludge around the seals and the seals would dry up. Cleaning off the sludge caused the seals to leak, because they were worn from lack of oil. Not so with your car. Switch immediately, and then change the oil at 8-12,000Km intervals depending on stop and go Vs highway.

Remember to check the PCT for cleanliness, and all of the vacuum lines around the intake manifold - especially the one under Cyl #1 on the passenger side - for cracks. Any leaks will cause an O2 sensor malfunction.

Have fun with the car,

Klaus
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The more I learn, the more I forget. So why learn?