Volvo Owners Club Forum - View Single Post

ahal · Jun 10th, 2006, 01:40

Dear Mike,

I have the same problem with my 440. I could be setting myself up for an avalanche of contradictions, but here goes. On my car, a 1994 134,000 mile 1.8
440 xi ( which I've owned for 5 years ) this light comes on during long runs, especially if there's a strong ( against the front of car ) wind.

I do a 300 mile round trip once a week, and have been doing for 4 years in this car. Stopping off at a petrol station for a cup of coffee cures it: the 20 minutes or so break sorts it. This problem began about six months ago, and was a direct result of letting the car RUN OUT OF PETROL!!!

In my own case, I think the Catalytic converter - part of the exhaust system - is dead. Running the car completely out of juice can wreck this important ( and insanely expensive ) component. The catalytic converter is an encased ceramic honeycomb through which the exhaust fumes travel ... very delicate. It is supposed to 'trap' lead particles from the fumes before they leave the car. The Lambda sensor guages the pollutant level of exhaust fumes, and tells the engine what to do accordingly.

To the best of my knowledge ( and I'm not an expert, but I've asked a lot of q's and read up a lot on these things ) the lambda tells the engine to run leaner if the smoke coming out the exhaust is too thick, or to run less lean if the smoke is too 'thin'. The catalytic converter is supposed to have a purifying effect on the exhaust fumes, so if that is defective, the sensor light ( green thing which has an 'A' like symbol ) would stay on.

Don't be intimidated by terminology ... I remember feeling like an idiot asking people questions and being bombarded with stuff I didn't understand. It's really not rocket science at all. Basically the electronics tell the engine what to do, so if they go psycho, so does the engine.

The other member's suggestion about the fuel system sounds more accurate to your specific problem in ways, particularly the odd starting business, but I decided to add my bit as the symptoms are otherwise identical. Best of luck with your new car ( at 88k., it's only 'run in' in Volvo terms! )

Regards,

Anthony.

Jun 10th, 2006, 01:40	#7
ahal Master Member Last Online: May 30th, 2015 05:21 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wicklow	Lambda light on dash Dear Mike, I have the same problem with my 440. I could be setting myself up for an avalanche of contradictions, but here goes. On my car, a 1994 134,000 mile 1.8 440 xi ( which I've owned for 5 years ) this light comes on during long runs, especially if there's a strong ( against the front of car ) wind. I do a 300 mile round trip once a week, and have been doing for 4 years in this car. Stopping off at a petrol station for a cup of coffee cures it: the 20 minutes or so break sorts it. This problem began about six months ago, and was a direct result of letting the car RUN OUT OF PETROL!!! In my own case, I think the Catalytic converter - part of the exhaust system - is dead. Running the car completely out of juice can wreck this important ( and insanely expensive ) component. The catalytic converter is an encased ceramic honeycomb through which the exhaust fumes travel ... very delicate. It is supposed to 'trap' lead particles from the fumes before they leave the car. The Lambda sensor guages the pollutant level of exhaust fumes, and tells the engine what to do accordingly. To the best of my knowledge ( and I'm not an expert, but I've asked a lot of q's and read up a lot on these things ) the lambda tells the engine to run leaner if the smoke coming out the exhaust is too thick, or to run less lean if the smoke is too 'thin'. The catalytic converter is supposed to have a purifying effect on the exhaust fumes, so if that is defective, the sensor light ( green thing which has an 'A' like symbol ) would stay on. Don't be intimidated by terminology ... I remember feeling like an idiot asking people questions and being bombarded with stuff I didn't understand. It's really not rocket science at all. Basically the electronics tell the engine what to do, so if they go psycho, so does the engine. The other member's suggestion about the fuel system sounds more accurate to your specific problem in ways, particularly the odd starting business, but I decided to add my bit as the symptoms are otherwise identical. Best of luck with your new car ( at 88k., it's only 'run in' in Volvo terms! ) Regards, Anthony.