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Thanks for reading this post. It's a long one.
A couple of weeks ago my 740T (200K miles) occasionally started dying while running, usually right after a right turn or if I was in stop-and-go traffic. I could usually get it started right back up again, though sometimes I would have to wait a few minutes. After it started it ran fine.
I read several post on the board describing similar problems, but with a number of different solutions. I bought the car about a year and a half ago, have been very happy with it, and decided it was time for a major tune-up anyway. I started out with typical stuff:
plugs, wires, cap and rotor, fuel filter
Now it wouldn't start at all. I pulled the fuse and relay panel, checked for hot spots, pulled and reseated all the relays, checked the operation of the AMM but still no difference so I added
rpm sensor, fuel pressure regulator
Still wouldn't start. My trusted Volvo shop was booked for a couple of days, so I had it towed to a local Goodyear. He told me my distributor was blowing oil through the center seal and it would be $850 and 4 days to get it fixed. I told him to hold that thoght, rechecked with the experts here on the board, and then called Voluparts here in Atlanta. They sold me a rebuilt for $75, so I had it towed back to my house and installed the distributor (the distributor has a story all its own, but that's enough detail for now). Still wouldn't start.
By this time my Volvo mechanic had an opening, so I had it towed again (gotta love AAA). The mechanic there told me the plugs were absolutely wrong, replaced them, and also corrected the distributor that I had managed to install 180 degrees out of phase. He also said that at one point it appeared that my fuel pressure was out of whack, but when he checked again it was fine. It ran!
A couple of days go by, and it starts dying again. I figure I've touched just about everything electrical except the fuel relay, so I suspect fuel pressure. I replace the in-tank fuel pump, and it starts up (hooray, but...). When I press the gas there's a 1-2 second delay before the motor reacts to it, and sometimes it acts like it wants to flood out, though it never actually shuts off. It also jerks like its going to die when I shift gears.
I haven't checked the fuel pressure with a guage yet (gotta build one from the instructions someone else put on the posts) and I think my next step is the pre-pump, but it still leaves the possibility of oxygen, vacuum or electrical. Before I replace anything else, does anyone want to make a suggestion? Thanks.
By the way, even with all the work done, I'm still about $200 bucks ahead of the $850 Goodyear was going to charge me for something that would not have fixed the problem, everything I've replaced needed to be done anyway or would have soon, and I have learned a great deal about my car. Much of the credit goes to the people who take the time to contribute articles to this site and respond to these posts. Thanks to all of you.
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