Dear Phil,
 
Thanks so much for your time and the good information related to our 850 woes.  I will check back when I have made some progress on this issue(s).  If we had a garage it would make it so much easier, especially in the winter.  By the way, my sister and I have owned several 240s.  I had to give up my 1991 240 in July 2019 and it was running better than ever except, the frame was gone.  It was very painful to let it go.  Like yourself, we still love the 240s!  Thanks again.
 
Best regards,
 
Pam
-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Jan 7, 2022 12:45 AM
To:
Subject: BRICKBOARD: Stalling issue
 
There is a new reply to your post on the Brickboard.
 
PERMALINK (new post): https://www.brickboard.com/AWD/volvo/1682876/850/stalling_issue.html
POSTED BY: machine man
PERMALINK (in reply to): https://www.brickboard.com/AWD/volvo/1682828/850/stalling_issue.html
 
Hi again Pam,
 
Taking the advice of getting the codes read can be very helpful!
Getting "all" of the codes pulled off the reader and having it reset afterwards may be beneficial to getting to the worse problem first.
The worst one or only one, will come back first.
Since you have a CEL ON it is most likely an emissions error.
There can be others that lead up to having the light on but the light is primarily for emissions purposes on these earlier cars.
As it was said, not a lot of bells and whistles!
 
You never responded back to why you let the engine run so long?
What does the cabin gauge show?
It uses a separate sensor and should reach half way up the operating range to be normal. Have you ever made a mental note where it stayed before the trouble started?
If is doing that, then there could still be a code for a sensor that talks to the computer! More data helps! The Brickboard is that data too!
 
By you Moving the throttle and it instantly wanting to die, is a clue to mixture issues I'm at a loss to where you are going to be "plugging" (:-) along, unless it's to go have its codes read at a parts store or a shop?
The plug they will be looking for should be around or under the steering column.
By law, it's suppose to be reachable from the drivers side opening, even if your kneeling to find it.
Hey, the OBDII tried to apply a standard, to the mess finally!
 
I had to look up BB's posted advice to see what a fuel controller was or how it does control fuel on an 850.
It looks to be a fuel pump relay, so he thinks that the fuel pump is shutting off prematurely, due to it itself, overheating?
That can be a problem on 240's. Those have a circuit board or solder trace issue or a magnetic coils inside quit until cool. It a good idea to consider as they age.
On our 240s it's a combined two system relay that also controls the fuel injection too.
One side or the other can open and shut down an engine or in most cases.
It can fail to start altogether eventually. So, if that's one of those, it will get worse as his must have!
 
IMHO, a failed relay shouldn't be able to flood the engine.
It shouldn't fail, open, just when you pushed on the gas pedal either.
For me, it's too much of a coincidence.
Now, If the engine were running too lean to begin with and you open the throttle then lean sounds more logical.
A colder running engine always needs more fuel so just how are the mileages on this car? Is the performance decent?
A vacuum leak behind the MAP sensor or a lean mixture reading from an oxygen sensor is a clue.
Have you looked for splits in any rubber hoses? They hide!
 
O2sensors need heat and a colder running engine over time can smut up an Oxygen sensor and hopefully would trip a nice little code for it. I won't hold my breath, but?
On later cars they went nuts putting those gadgets everywhere.
So many in fact they had to track them with even more computing power.
You could use a "data code" to point you in some direction for hunting purposes though!
If you have some cattle on a ranch and you have a creek on the south side, going off North won't get you there! (:) Just an analogy for fun! (:)
 
 
KlausC is right, we need more data!
When you hold the throttle wide open on any flooded engine, especially a carbureted one, you are circumventing the normal starting procedure. On older engines it does let more air through to the plugs and a carburetor loses its capability to suck gas out of jets.
If you are doing this on a fuel injected car you are messing with a computer program that is going to react in who knows what ways!
If I personally don't know what the sparking plugs, since your both plugging along, are getting in fuel or the shape they are in either?
We cannot forecast which way is the wind is going to blow from tomorrow? (:)
 
You can check for proper heating of the engine by letting the engine run long enough to get hot. Say, within Five to ten minutes maximum should be enough to show some heat out on the top hose of the radiator. It should and will get hot first.
It will be cold then more suddenly get more warmer to the touch but only after the thermostat opens.
Getting on up to warmer right away might mean it's stuck open. That is not what is supposed to happen.
It's Very common issue and the best way to have one fail, as overheating kills an engine.
These can also age like some relays and are about the same price, in case you're wondering. Changing one is out is not as easy as a relay but most people can learn.
It should eventually get healthy hot and on too you cannot hold your hand on the hose for any length of time. That's even before its fully warmed up.
 
The thermostat should stay closed, until the engine end of the hose, is reaching above 180 degrees.
You can tape a meat thermometer to the hose and observe when the change is happening more directly and to a numerical quantity, if you're a scientific type!(:-)
Getting the heat to the right amount, in the right place is as critical in candy making!
 
Same goes for gasoline combustion and especially on the emissions CELs.
This is probably too technical for both of us anyway! (:-)
I had better stop here with the guessing and yapping!
Good luck!
We will be wondering as we all like happy endings!
 
Phil