Greetings!
My car crapped out as I was getting on the Brooklyn Bridge at rush hour this past Wednesday about an hour into evening rush (every bit as enjoyable as you might imagine... right where two ramps meet). No indications of abnormality before shutdown other than flicker of oil light. A week ago, I put in an oil conditioner to slow leakage and make cold starts less severe on engine wear. A few days later, the oil light started to glow intermittently for a few moments then it went back off and stayed off. I checked and topped off oil later in the week and engine should have sufficient oil (I'm going to check as soon as I post this). As the engine would turn over when it first died, and I changed wires, dist. cap & rotor, and ignition coil in the fall, I suspected the fuel pump. Since the car has been towed home, I've checked a few things out. The fuel injector relay is fine and clicks when key is first turned on. The main fuel pump runs for a second when that happens. I couldn't determine if it is pumping when the engine is turning over though.
I've changed the flywheel sensor (rpm sensor?) within the past 10K miles.
There is spark at the coil but not to the plugs. there is no motion when I look into the valve cover with oil cap removed and turn over engine. Fan and pulleys rotate, engine sounds very odd... strong vacuum-like, steady, scratchy rotation sound instead of pulsing pistons raising and lowering sounds. I am completely unfamilair with cam shaft or seized engines. Is the rotor not spinning or could there pleasepleaseplease be another reason why the spark isn't being distributed.
While I'm asking,
I noticed as I was checking out the pump and filter that there is a cable which runs along side of the drive shaft and goes up into the car next to the ... coupling? (universal joint type thingie part of the drive shaft... I hate to get all tecknickle on ya). On my car that cable's kinda broke and hanging sorta... the levers and such which go into the side of the oil pan and further up by the transmission appear to not be able to be actuated by that cable any more. Any ideas what the heck I'm talking about (because I sure don't!).
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Wayne

I think you have a broken timing belt. The B230F and B230FT engines do not damage anything when the belt breaks. All you need to do is replace it. See the 700/900 FAQ. The aftermarket timing belts cost less than $15.
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john

Thanks John,
I checked the timing belt... it's a bit more slacked than I remember but it's in one piece. Any other ideas?
Thanks, w.

if you pull the oil cap off, have someone crank the motor while you look inside. if the cam doesn't move, the belt is stripped, it doesn't have to break. the belt also runs the dist. no belt, no cam, no dist, no start. good luck, chuck.

Thanks Chuck.
I'll check it out first thing in the morning.
Now that you mention it, that's what it sounds like... those gears rubbing against the belt... Perhpas the oil conditioner maade it too gummy and wore an old belt out completely. I'll also check out the specifics for the job but do you know offhand if I'll be able to install the new one without having to do the timing? The engine has been cranked much since.
Thanks,
w

if it leaks oil, that's what got the belt, conditioner or not. replace the seals and spin the tensioner. if it's noisy, replace it. a tired tensioner will be under more stress with a new belt.

everything has to be set up again, but volvo marks the belts and the pulleys, so it's virtually idiot proof-no offense. just be very careful pulling the crank pulley and the stuff behind it. go slow and stack it behind you as you pull it off. don't flip anything over, straight off and over. the crank gear and guides will go on wrong without too much effort. and you may not find out it's wrong until you start it and it comes apart. use blue loctite on the big bolt and the cam gear bolts. if you get a book, and you should get a bentley, make sure you read the b230 section, the earlier cars are different on the crank. good luck, chuck.