Come on yous Volvo Guys, I need help. I am helping a very elderly gentleman and I am just elderly. I've had only two responses to my plea of 29 June.
Again: 86 Volvo 240 GL SW. The timing belt broke at 120K. Yes, we checked compression to all clinders and they were all to spec. The belt was replaced but the markings for alignment were not as clear as on prior models. Black plastic belt housing as opposed to the aluminum. Finally, got it right, but it would not start with no spark. Finally, resolved problem by a change in the fuel pump relay. We were able to get it started and timed to 12+/- 2 TDC with timing light. It purrs at idle. So to the road but upon accleration beyond 5 miles per hour, it dies.
Have checked and cleaned both intank pump as well as main pump. New fuel filter. Have checked pressure at the rail and it is to spec. Have checked the injectors with ohm meter an all is well. Have pulled plug wires individually from spark plugs and no change inthe idle. Finally, I cleaned the throttle body throughly as well as taped all holes in the hoses leading from the Air Flow meter. It will die at idle if I disconnect, so assume it is ok. We then changed the fuel pressure regulator, new one, and no real change.

Question: If it times out perfectly with timing light, can I still be off by a notch in the timing? Or is this strictly a computer chip problem or a fuel problem. I tried all 42 pages of the FAQ, but no real help.

Who can lead two old blind men out of their morass? Also, what is the web site for the Sweden connection experts? I can't find it.

I have worn out my Hayes manuel plus the Mitchel. I do not have access to a Volvo Shop Manuel. Local Dealer is multiple car rep and service manager can not be too helpful over the phone. Were too poor to take it in for a diagnostic run.

Thanks again, if not for advise but the reading of the missle.
Please note, I didn't have time to Spell Check..RockyDoc

RockyDoc,

First off, what in the world do you mean by:

"Have pulled plug wires individually from spark plugs and no change in the idle." Earlier you said it "purrs" .... This does not compute. To me, if it purrs it is smooth and you would certainly notice unplugging a spark plug wire...

Anyway, my '86 had a similar problem with idling ok, but when I stepped on the accelerator, it would die. Turned out to be an AMM problem.

With the ignition *off* (like Don Foster indicated), unplug the AMM, start the engine and see if you can drive it in the limp home mode. If so, it points to a bad AMM. You might try cleaning the contacts to the AMM to see if that helps.

Also, the '86 is known for its rotting engine harness, so you may have some problems there.

Good Luck!

TomD
'86 240
'93 240

OK I've read the others responses and have a couple more "tricks" to add to gthe group think.

1. When trying to line up the intermediate shaft it is very easy to not get it right on. I use a mirror on one of those little extensions, light source from above, and from underneath the car I make sure that the intermediate shaft is lined up right on the timing mark. I use the same technique just as a cross check for the cranshaft timing mark. Obviously the mark on the top is straight forward and does not require any special manuevering.

2. I'd sure make sure that you don't have any clogged fuel lines. Disconnect the main line at the fuel pump and then at the rail. Put something over the line and blow on it. Pretty straight forward from there.

3. Do you have an "in-line" aftermarket filter? If so, I'd replace it too.

4. What about the air filter. I'd suggest throwing out whatever is in the car and replacing it with a K&N filter.....I've noticed a real improvement in both performance and gas mileage when I did this.

5. Check the straight forward things. I like to start simple and move the complicated. Is the distributor cap on right? not 180 out? Is the distributor line completely plugged in? Are the fuel pumps running? Are there any blown fuses?


Hope is works out for you....good luck.

Chris Herrin

First NEVER NEVER NEVER plug or unplug the AMM with the ignition on. You should turn the key off and wait about 60 seconds before diddling the AMM connector.

The symptom you described sounds just like the "limp home" mode, which is when you drive the car with the AMM unplugged. You may have damaged the AMM, you may have left the AMM unplugged, or you may not have replugged the AMM properly.

The symptom also sounds somewhat like a badly plugged catalytic converter, even though that problem generally occurs over a long time and gets slowly worse with time. I bought my '82 turbo wagon unable to drive above 10 mph or rev above 1500. After I emptied the cat, it went like the wind.

Also, a mis-timed camshaft can result in good idle and reasonable low speed driving, but severe loss of power above 20 mph, more or less (happend to me).

"If it times out perfectly with timing light, can I still be off by a notch in the timing?"

Sure. You can have the I-shaft, which drives the distributor, properly timed to the crank but have the cam off a tooth or two or three.

The best solution is to completely reinstall the belt. First, align the crank, intermediate shaft, and cam shaft to their respective timing marks (on the block and plastic cover).

Then install the new belt, assuring that the painted marks on the belt align with the marks in the three sprockets. This acts as a double-check that you have all aligned properly.

The mark at the crank sprocket is goofy because the timing dimple in the sprocket faces upward so the belt (paint mark) does NOT contact it when it's properly timed. I like to place the belt (paint mark) into the sprocket and then wrap the belt around the sprocket. Then the teeth are in their proper places even though the paint mark is now on the stretched-straight portion of the belt.

Sorry for the confusion -- it's far easier to do than to describe.
--
Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

Don Foster: Thanks for the info on the 86 240Dl SW. We two very elderly gentleman again took down the timing belt cover and all its accroutments and very meticiously aligned the sprockets first to the marks on the belt cover then to the crank shaft mark. However, when we attempted to align the marks on the belt proper, there wa no way that the sprocket marks would align to the cover marks. I could have one or the other but not both together, In other words, to keep the sprockets aligned to the cover alignment marks, the belt mark had to be one notch off...period. I got the engine to start with one or the other, so I then opted to accept the sprocket to cover alignment and disregarded the belt marks. The car started and idled very well. Upon road testing we could acclerate to 35-50 and it ran smoothly, then it would die. The AMM is ok, but the throtle position sensor is ?, as is the antiknock sensor. The oxygen sensor is good, the fuel pump relay is new asis the fuel pressure regulator. We have been on this problem now for three weeks and are almost ready to apply a 357 magnum enema to the engine block.

Thanks again for you past and future help recommendations.. Rocky Doc

"...very meticiously aligned the sprockets first to the marks on the belt cover then to the crank shaft mark. However, when we attempted to align the marks on the belt proper, there wa no way that the sprocket marks would align to the cover marks. I could have one or the other but not both together..."

Let me say the obvious without trying to be a wiseass here: Something's wrong. (I know that's not very helpful to you.)

I remember struggling with that problem, but unfortunately do not remember exactly how I solved it. The engine timing marks and the belt marks WILL line up when you've solved the puzzle. The marks are not symetrical on the belt. Thus, if you flip the belt over, nothing aligns. Also, you must be sure the double paint marks align to the timing mark on the crank sprocket.

Remember, with the belt installed the painted marks "touch" the cam and I-shafts, but do not touch the alignment tooth at the crank sprocket. Thus, you must fit the painted tooth into the proper sprocket groove, then wrap the belt down 'n under the sprocket by hand (to maintain the alignment), and then allow the belt and double mark to back away from the sprocket as the belt stretches up towards the tensioner.

This is a long shot, but...... be sure you have the right belt for the Volvo B21/23/230. I was comparing a Volvo belt to the belt for the little VW 1.8 engine, and... boy, are they close. Could someone have swapped belts on you? Right box with the wrong belt in it?

"... the belt mark had to be one notch off..."

This could very easily account for crummy highway driving.

"...but the throtle position sensor is ?...."

If by this you mean the throttle switch, relax (for the moment). The only function of the throttle switch is to control the CIS motor, or the "idle air valve" circuit. This tells the FI ecu to automatically control the idle speed.
--
Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

Is the air mass meter connected? When it is disconnected the car with still idle, but when any load is put on the engine, it dies. Also check the connection to the AMM, sometimes it can corrode.

kevin
--
1980 244DL, 1982 245GL, 1987 744GLE, 1991 245SE, 1996 855GLT, 2001 V70