Volvo Owners Club Forum - View Single Post

Dec 27th, 2005, 10:40

We seem to be having the same problem with cold starting.

Forget the clever electronics and go back to diesel basics. When you turn a diesel on and the glo plugs come on they use a lot of power. Generally the surrounding dash warning lights light dip slightly. When the orange light goes off the other lights - interior, dash warning etc brighten up slightly. If this doesn't happen chances are your glo plugs are not working. The next stage is to check that 12V is getting to the glo plugs. On my S80 although the orange light comes on there is no power going to the plugs - I've checked with a meter. wiring diagrams are scarce but on a heavy load like this you usually switch via a relay. My understanding is that the affected relay is in the engine bay LHS and is on the bottom layer of relays . Earlier posts have suggested that this relay disintintgrates. 60 to 80A DC is a terrible electrical load especially on a relay that probably costs Volvo thick end of a fiver!

This is crude but I'm sticking with basics. With the acoustic top of the engine removed pour hot water from the tap on and around the injectors. I'm talking a few litres. (fan heater is an alternative) Give the car a little time for the heat to get through and you will find your car will start. (next stage with the old trucks was a small fire under them - probably not so good!)

If the engine starts smoothly and runs smoothly I reckon you can discount injectors. My understanding is that the injectors switch between operations - the swirl pattern changes to reduce diesel knock.

although not a recall Volvo do realise they have an injector problem on a few cars and are contributing towards the cost. My issue is that the main dealer wants a £100 notes just to tell me the glow plugs don't work - still wants to change the injectors and wants to relieve me of copious amounts of cash.

One of the suggestions was that I shouldn't have traded my old Citroen in and with the Volvo dead on the drive I'm beginning to think this would have been good advice. Most mechanics seem scared of the S80 (and probably S60)

Dec 27th, 2005, 10:40	#22
silverfox2 Guest Location:	S80 cold starting We seem to be having the same problem with cold starting. Forget the clever electronics and go back to diesel basics. When you turn a diesel on and the glo plugs come on they use a lot of power. Generally the surrounding dash warning lights light dip slightly. When the orange light goes off the other lights - interior, dash warning etc brighten up slightly. If this doesn't happen chances are your glo plugs are not working. The next stage is to check that 12V is getting to the glo plugs. On my S80 although the orange light comes on there is no power going to the plugs - I've checked with a meter. wiring diagrams are scarce but on a heavy load like this you usually switch via a relay. My understanding is that the affected relay is in the engine bay LHS and is on the bottom layer of relays . Earlier posts have suggested that this relay disintintgrates. 60 to 80A DC is a terrible electrical load especially on a relay that probably costs Volvo thick end of a fiver! This is crude but I'm sticking with basics. With the acoustic top of the engine removed pour hot water from the tap on and around the injectors. I'm talking a few litres. (fan heater is an alternative) Give the car a little time for the heat to get through and you will find your car will start. (next stage with the old trucks was a small fire under them - probably not so good!) If the engine starts smoothly and runs smoothly I reckon you can discount injectors. My understanding is that the injectors switch between operations - the swirl pattern changes to reduce diesel knock. although not a recall Volvo do realise they have an injector problem on a few cars and are contributing towards the cost. My issue is that the main dealer wants a £100 notes just to tell me the glow plugs don't work - still wants to change the injectors and wants to relieve me of copious amounts of cash. One of the suggestions was that I shouldn't have traded my old Citroen in and with the Volvo dead on the drive I'm beginning to think this would have been good advice. Most mechanics seem scared of the S80 (and probably S60)