Sorry about the blank post inintially.

I have an '83 Volvo 245 M46 non-turbo.

Today I thought I would try to move the cig lighter to the right of the panel. So I removed the center console and fiddled with the switches and found that first I couldn't easily remove the cig lighter from it's place on the left and there wasn't a double wide place to put it other that the air con. control which is happily living on the right end.

Put it together, thought everything was fine. Then went to start the car hours later and won't start. I have spark at the coil. The exhaust is not very gassy smelling and I noticed that I don't hear my fuel pump cycling on. I am guessing I knocked the wrong wire loose. Can't locate the fuel pump relay. Any ideas on what to look for?

I hope to leave for Las Vegas tomorrow morning, it's a 15 hour drive. I still have preparations besides the car. And I'm getting a little nervous about getting out on time. Gotta trade show to attend.

Best Regards,

Mark.

The pump relay is next to the system relay above the passenger's feet. But these (if you have an 83 not an 82) are not troublesome unless you have a water leak.

The fuel injection system in 83 and 84 NA cars is powered through the 25 amp blade fuse under the hood which is a troublesome item - the holder and its wiring, not the fuse itself. Work in the console might have taken out fuse 12, which is also necessary for fuel injection.

It is probably best to make sure the fuel system has power before suspecting bad parts. I can't offhand think of anything on that switch panel directly related to a fuel system trouble, excepting the possibility fuse 12 opened.

And, btw, the pumps don't run except while spark is present.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Thanks for the help.

Before I read Art's post, I jiggled a brown wire that comes off an black relay under the center vents and goes to ground. No idea if it had anything to do with anything. Now the car starts. Who knows? (retorical)

Best Regards,

Mark.
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Mark Mueller, '82 Volvo 245 - Ugly but straight, works good, B21F, Strut brace, electric radiator fan, A cam, and aluminum wheels. 2-7/8' stainless exhaust tip adds 20 hp.

Hope it stays that way. Disregard everything in my post as it is based on thinking you had an 83 - B23F with LH2.0.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Art,

I drove it over 1700 miles this week. Ran fine except in high heat situations at low speeds large throttle openings it would momentarily cut out. It is a K jet, B21F. The overdrive unit which I just replaced all the O rings and rear seal worked great in particular.

Thanks again,

Mark.
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Mark Mueller, '82 Volvo 245 - Ugly but straight, works good, B21F, Strut brace, electric radiator fan, A cam, and aluminum wheels. 2-7/8' stainless exhaust tip adds 20 hp.

I'm sure that relay with the brown wire is some kind of clue, but I can't seem to figure it out. The only things behind the center vents that I can recall having brown wires are the power window and A/C relays. Neither is much of a reason I can think of for a no-start.

Did you have sluggish engagement on your OD? A leak at the tailshaft? That is work I have to look forward to, at least with respect to the actuator seals.

Low speed and large throttle opening - that mean low end of the tach too, like shortly after shifting into second and trying to keep up with the SUV in front of you?
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Art,

The problem reared its ugly head again today. Luckily in our driveway after a nearly 2000 mile trip of no real problems. Under normal conditions I can hear a little motor cycle on and of twice if I crank the engine over but stop before it starts firing. Now as before when it wouldn't start there is no little electric motor sound.

I have had problems with my overdrive unit being finicky about engaging and then finally not engaging. I replaced all the 'O' rings within, not just the actuator 'O' rings, and the rear seal and put it back together. The actuator 'O' rings were clearly loose the pistons fell out of the unit when I tilted them down hill. They are supposed to give you a fight.

The od works great now. I both borrowed a friend's Volvo manual for the overdrive unit and used some instructions I found on this message board. Both were very helpful.

I noticed some of the low rpm, large throttle opening cut out while in Las Vegas during some hot weather. That was the worst thing that happened. The hesitation hasn't cropped up since then.

My friend and I are going to look at the wiring some more this evening after I get the kids to bed.

Best Regards,

Mark.

I've been hunting and pecking under the hood. There are three relays near the battery on the left fender: the high beam relay, the radiator fan relay (which I recently added), and a relay that operates the cold start injector. Would this relay that operates the cold start relay also operate the fuel pump? It's night and the ambient sound level is down. I can hear a relay click quietly a few seconds after I crank the engine over, leaving the ingnition on run.

I guess I'll get under the car and see if I can find a way to check power to the main fuel pump.

Best Regards,

Mark.

...and a relay that operates the cold start injector.

I believe that "cube" relay is for the Lambda (O2 sensor) control circuitry. I know of no relay for the CS injector, which all diagrams show as being powered from directly from the starter while the solenoid is being energized.

Would this relay that operates the cold start relay also operate the fuel pump?

The pumps are powered when voltage is applied to Fuse 5 HOT side (left contact). At that point, the power goes two ways — straight to the Main pump, and thru fuse 5 to the Tank pump.

The voltage to fuse 5 comes from the Fuel Relay, over by the driver's left knee. In the pic below, the wire "coming from the tach" is not a stock color. Also, your relay may be a different color than shown. Power IN to the Fuel relay comes thru Fuse #7 (check contacts for corrosion and good tension).
(NOTE that the Input/Left contacts for fuses 6 thru 10 are always HOT.)

The Fuel relay is switched ON by Key ON voltage from Fuse 13 (again, check for good contact) — AND Ignition pulses from the negative Coil terminal #1.

A quick test of the pumps is to jumper +12V from the LEFT side of Fuse 7 to the LEFT side of Fuse 5. This does what the Fuel relay should do, if all is well. The jumper will bypass Fuse 7 and the Fuel relay. Both "known suspects".

The jumper should run the pumps immediately, and may allow the engine to start. If so, the car may be driven with caution. The jumper is carrying over 10 Amps.
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

Lucid,

Thanks for the clear description of the fuel pump relay location. The car is running now. It started working on its own. So I won't be able to do the jumper test. I opened up the fuel pump relay and it looks like someone beat me to the resolder fix. One of the points had white crust from years of switching. The other had black build up on it. So I cleaned both points with an Exacto knife and put it back in. It is working now. I'll know what to check if I have any further problems.

Best Regards,

Mark.
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Mark Mueller, '82 Volvo 245 - Ugly but straight, works good, B21F, Strut brace, electric radiator fan, A cam, and aluminum wheels. 2-7/8' stainless exhaust tip adds 20 hp.

Just a quick 2 cents - someone may have already mentioned this - Something like this just happened to my 1989 240 sedan, the fuel pump relay was corroded and died at the same time that my in tank fuel pump stopped working, all of a sudden my car wouldn't start. I was told that often a bad relay is caused by a failing/failed fuel pump, so if there are more problems that may be somewhere to look. I hope that all goes well with your trip and that your car is fine :)
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Thanks everyone! Matt in Maine 88 240 wagon, and 89 240 sedan (85 240 wagon for parts)