Since I received those damn long awaited high mileage badges the car has been trapped in the shop. Thought it would be all set tonight with the kick-down cable install (throttle body replaced Friday) but a last minute call from my mechanic has the sled in limbo.

Tells me the car is still running with a super high idle, thinks it's a computor prob of sorts (??). Gotta understand, this guy is like a secret agent man when it comes to getting info before he does a full diagnosis. Can see why, but, it drives me crazy trying to figure the expected cost of repair. He is fair, but moves at his own pace (slow....).

I've read on the FAQ some stuff that may apply (turbo intake manifold gasket. idle control valve thingy, temp. sensor, RPM sensor etc..)

Now I'm confused......

Any ideas to help with my further stress would be appreciated.

Thanks

Mike

Thanks guys for you input & ideas, always greatly appreciated!

It appears that my mechanic who is holding my car hostage for the past five days has narrowed things down to a temp sensor. Seems the readings on his testing show the device sensing the engine as "cold" when it is in fact warmed up, so to speak. Hard to argue, since that would explain the continued high idle after the throttle body & kick down cable replace.

They have fully checked all hoses for leaks etc..& states that he does not want to spend time on anything else until the temp sensor is replaced given the readings he discovered.

I've read the FAQ over & over and I suppose it is better than other probs that could be the cause. Nevertheless, we are not out of the woods yet. As it is a "Turbo" the sensor is not on the shelf local & must be shipped in from Volvo. He also says he thinks the car was "married" with another (oh oh!) since the wiring was hard to trace (I can see more problems on the horizen!). Oh, well I'm taking it in stride (what can you do) although my better half is starting to refer to the sled in unkind terms...

Since I'm the brain whiz that bought the car & THEN did my research, I can only kick myself. Not yet, not giving up. Have hope that I can stabilize this emerging beast & drive her for another 100K (at least that was the original plan).

Thanks again guys for your help, will keep you posted.

Regards,

Mike

OK, the saga continues, today I took the afternoon off and went & played golf, gave me something else to think about besides how I extract my car from the present hostage situation(with the meter running as they say in taxi land).

Seems that the temp sensor replace did not solve the problem. Although the sensor was out of range on the "hot" side, the new one did not solve the super high idle prob. According to my "Dali Lama" mechanic, he checked out the idle control motor & all related vacuum hoses. When I asked what's left, he stated that "cars are strange things", no sh##!

I very calmly informed him that we are going on 7 days & that the "shuttle" act of getting my wife & myself to work & back was beginning to wear thin & that my wife's love for my car was quickly heading south.

He thought it was pretty good that I was not yelling & screaming like others before me. Why bother? Not his fault that I was a dumb a## & bought a car (turbo all of things) without having someone of knowledge check it out. Live & learn once again.

With that said, the "major dude" said he may try & fly back to the shop tonight when things are quiet & run a full diog on the ECU. I think he is getting sick of my car taking up valued space at his shop.

At least one more day & a prayer that it is something stupid & cheap. I doubt it given my luck so far!! Into it for, throttle body replace, kick down cable & temp sensor. The only thing left that would cause me to consider "General P" like activity would be a fried ECU @ a cost of who knows what!!

Peace & Happy Motoring for those with a car that runs.

Regards,

Mike

Even a DIY'er should be able to tell within half an hour if it a computer problem.

The Bently manual contains an electronic test which is done at the ECU harness inside the passenger compartment.

That's how I discovered my fried ECU which caused chronic fast idel (2500 RPM!) for which none of the other standard methods located, nor corrected.

Whatever you do, don't let that man sell you a new one for $$$$

Junkyards around here sell them for about $10-15

Mikey: Man, you are having a time of it, aren't you? So solly, cholly. :<( I noticed that one of the responses to your posted woes suggested turning the 'idle adjustment screw' under the throttle body. I remember a long-ago post from someone stating that a TINY turn is suggested, rather than half- or full-revolution turns. This, of course, may take some time time to resolve, if it is the problem, if that screw is way-out-of-whack to begin with. BTW, are you locked into this mechanic, is he the only one around, etc., etc. Most of the indies I know are fair, as in business dealings, and open to discussing your car and its problems; and most charge for the work that they do, by the hour, but recognize the fact that if they work slowly on relatively everyday items, that the lower fee they charge, compared to the dealer's hourly rate, will disappear if they take too long, so they generally wind up 'adjusting' downward their time, which seems eminently fair. The most successful of the bunch previously work/trained at dealers, and are excellent diagnosticians, which is better (usually/hopefully) than the plug-and-play (and -pay) of 'the regular guys'. IMHO, substituting parts willy-nilly is no substitute for being a good detective under the hood. Add in the variables of falling-apart wiring, bad grounds, quirky engineering, etc., ad infinitum, ad nauseam, and you will count yourself to be among the blessed if/when you find a good indie...and among the cursed-and-damned if you don't. Sure hope all this works out for you...I hope YOU don't wind up telling Volvo where THEY can put their badges!!! Good Luck. (Have you thought about getting some of the VoVo green manuals and becoming a "Swedish" Sherlock Holmes?) Hang in there, amigo.----PD

If you have a super high idle, it is possible the throttle plate is not ajdusted properly. Also, pinch off the hose from the idle speed motor. If your idle drops, you may have a stuck or bad idle speed motor. Those two are really your only sources of air which give a high idle, unless you have some bad vacuum hoses. Check the two things suggested----that is what it has been in my experience.

dick

Theres an idle adjustment knob on on the bottom of the throttle body..

the rpm sensor might throw things off too tho. Play with the adjustment screw and see if that doesn't fix the problem. That way, if it works it saves you time and money, and if it doesn't, its only a few minutes lost.

Good luck!