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My '88 240 sedan will barely idle! 200

posted by  Saab900TEC on  Sun Jan 16 21:59 CST 2005
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last visit: Mon May 21 17:20 CST 2012
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It's an '88 240 like I said. My wife was getting on the highway on Saturday, when it started to sputter under throttle load. So, she started to pull over when it died. When she tried to restart it, it would start, then die right away. I met her on the shoulder, sent her home in the other car, and then called the tow truck. When we got it to the house, I started to play with it a little. I would turn the key, it would start, then sputter and die. I contiunued to do this, over, and over. The condition finally began to improve. Everytime, it would run for a little bit longer. Finally, I had it idling smoothly. But, whenever you hit the throttle, it sputters and dies. I poured a bottle of isopropyl dry gas in it before I started playing with it. I thought maybe there was some water in the line. After I had it idling, I let it sit for about 45 minutes at idle to make sure there wasn't a frozen gas line under the hood. I bought a new fuel filter, and I'm going to put that on tonight. I figure there may be a clog in the filter. Any other ideas? It had 3/4 of a tank of fuel when it died, so I don't suspect the pre-pump. I can hear the main pump, so it's working fine. (At least it sounds like it is.) This car has done something similar to us twice before this. The first time was last winter. We were coming back from our daughter's docter's appointment. The car was driving fine, but if you tried to put the accelarator down anymore than half way, it would start to sputter. We could only go 40 all the way home, and when I got there, I turned it off, and let it sit for an hour. When I started it back up, I reved it a few time, put it in drive, and it was fine from that point on. The last time was this last Christmas Eve. I drove it around all day, and it was fine. Then, when we got in it to go to my parents house that night, (the temp had dropped to 5 by this time) it did the same thing as the doctors trip. But, when we got back in it to go home, it was fine. I'm sorry it's so long, but I want to explore all the options.

Thanks,
Courtney








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    My '88 240 sedan will barely idle! 200

    posted by  tbags on  Tue Jan 18 04:48 CST 2005
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    last visit: Sat Nov 15 06:35 CST 2008
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    Symptoms sound similar to my 85 and a faulty connection on the engine temp sensor located under the intake near the flame trap. It will probably be messy in that area so if you plan on reaching underneat have a way to clean it, compressed air electrical parts cleaner and a few rags. Let us know.








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    My '88 240 sedan will barely idle! 200

    posted by  R2 on  Mon Jan 17 09:54 CST 2005
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    last visit: Sat Feb 5 09:48 CST 2011
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    My '88 performs like that when the distributor cap cracks and allows moisture inside. For some reason mine is suseptible to cracking a cap every 18 months, so I change it every 12 mos. Take the cap off, if you haven't diagnosed a bad AMM, and see if there is condensation, better yet change it for $3.00 - $5.00.

    The other time it behaved it like that was when the negative wire to the coil become loose on the terminal. If not cap related make sure the connections to the coil are good. Perhaps start it in the black of night and see if you have electricity arcing from the coil to anywhere. Maybe a coil tower cracked.








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    My '88 240 sedan will barely idle! 200

    posted by  scorch on  Mon Jan 17 07:52 CST 2005
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    I think you're on the right track. Check out the AMM because it's easy. If that doesn't check out, change the fuel filter. A dying fuel pump would probably warn you first with the noise.








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    Another possibility -- dying (but not dead yet) fuel pump. 200

    posted by  someone claiming to be Ken C on  Mon Jan 17 01:57 CST 2005 [RELATED]

    another possibility (besides water contamination that's freezing up) -- it sounds like a dying fuel pump that I once had. You could get it to idle (with a little effort and luck), but it wouldn't run the car at speed, since it was only capable of outputting a fraction of the gas that would be needed. Just because it sounds like it's working doesn't mean that it's working adequately -- fuel pumps don't always just quit completely; sometimes they just "fade away", if you know what I mean.







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    My '88 240 sedan will barely idle! 200

    posted by  rhaire on  Mon Jan 17 00:39 CST 2005
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    last visit: Mon Aug 4 10:16 CST 2014
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    Unplug that air mass meter and then see if it idles normally. Diagnostic for a bad AMM, but you can't drive without it.








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      My '88 240 sedan will barely idle! 200

      posted by  interstition on  Mon Jan 17 02:57 CST 2005
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      last visit: Mon Apr 28 10:13 CST 2014
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      I agree with rhair that it sounds like a bad Air Mass Meter and the test is so simple. Two additional points.

      Never unplug or plug in the AMM with the car running or the key in the on position. Otherwise you might create a bad AMM when it was fine before.

      You can drive with the AMM unplugged if necessary. It will perform poorly, waste gas and in the long term be bad for the car, but if I had to get to work I would do it.
      --
      Andy in St. Paul. '89 244 147K mi, '91 745 Regina 202K, '87 245 lost to rust at 225K








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        My '88 240 sedan will barely idle! 200

        posted by  Saab900TEC on  Mon Jan 17 05:31 CST 2005
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        last visit: Mon May 21 17:20 CST 2012
        [RELATED]


        Sounds like a plan! It's much easier in single digit temps to play with an AMM, than change out a fuel filter! That's odd that the 240 will run without an AMM. I know for a fact that the Saab 900 won't. Thanks for the tip.

        Courtney








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          My '88 240 sedan will barely idle! 200

          posted by  pageda on  Mon Jan 17 10:26 CST 2005
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          last visit: Fri Oct 24 13:18 CST 2014
          [RELATED]

          It will idle fine with the AMM disconnected but driving is a different story. I did it once only to get me and my car home from work on a Friday. It was slow and nerve racking in city traffic, I did not dare go on the highways. If this is the problem park it until you get a new one. Dan







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