Good Afternoon

I drive a 1986 245 with an unknown mileage in excess of 214K, the odometer quit working 2 years ago. The car has been very reliable. This morning I drove my car in heavy rain. Latter 3 hours later it would not start.

I could not hear the main fuel pump running. So I started to troubleshoot with my Bentleys. I located the fuel pump relay and found that the rain had leaked into the car filled the relay with water. I blew out the water with compressed air and replaced the relay but the car would not start. The relay has two coils. One side moves and clicks loudly when the ignition switch is turned on. The other coil does make noise or move. That is the hot side of the relay with the heavy gauge red wire. I jumpered the relay and could get the fuel pump to run. I measured volume of gas flow at the engine by filling a standard sized campbell soup can in about 7 seconds. I believe the relay is the problem. It would be to much of a coincidence if were not. Still I am not sure. Spark is good and strong at the pulgs.

Please kick me the right direction.

Thanks

Dale

Congratulations on so quickly finding that the relay has been taking on water; it took me months to trace an intermittent fuel problem to that source.

You need for both sides of the relay to work, so you need a different one, unless that one starts to work properly after it thoroughly dries out -- or after you repair it. The white relay (Volvo P/N 3523608) works on '85-93 240s. Available on line.

Fix the leak and clip the relay to a support so its cap acts as a roof rather than as a reservoir.
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jds

Amen to this post. It's simple and cheap to replace ($20).
That's exactly what happened to my '89 240. The Relay also
controls the Injectors.
See the following thread: http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=1012308
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-Cool Volvo- 1982 240 4 Spd OD w/ 238K, 1989 240 5 Spd w/ 227K. Past proud owner of 1966 122, 1968 144, 1970 145, 1972 144, 1980 245

>replaced the relay but the car would not start.

Meaning you put the original water-damaged relay in place??