Engine 850: B5234T/2.3/20v/T5: - It never rains....it pours

cyclogenesis · Apr 5th, 2007, 11:43

Here is my sorry tale.

Felt really chuffed with myself yesterday. Replaced both Wishbones and the drop link. Only the track rod ends and CV gaiters to go. Tried to start the engine to take for a road test and no power in the battery. Note to self: do not leave the doors open with the radio on and engine off.

No problem, wife comes home, jump leads out, engine turns over but does not run. Oh thinks I! that will probably be the imobiliser. Trawl this website, try removing the fuses, cycling the sitch etc. No joy. Cannot find spare key.

You can see where this is going.

Get up this morning, try again. Phone Volvo Garage who suggest disconnecting and re-connecting the battery. No joy. Phone RAC.

Very nice RAC man comes out. No power getting to the fuel pump, check relay, no power to the relay. Jury rigs between two fuses to get car running. Car runs for 15 mins. Right thinks I, get down to the garage to sort out imobiliser/fuel pump power. RAC drives away, I pull away of fthe drive and ........nothing, car totally dead.

I jump out, run up the road to catch RAC man, who has stopped to phone base.

RAC returns. Battery is toast and a smell of electrical burning is evident.

Some diagnostics later, appears that alternator is toast and shorting out the circuits.

Car hooked up to van and being towed to Volvo garage.

This is going to be a great Easter..........NOT

I can see it now:

New Alternator
New Battery
Probably some new wiring

labour, then to cap it all, next week is the MOT and I know that the car needs new CV boots!

Really depressed now, we had done so well this month in not spending on the credit card. Saved some money on the suspension (which was shot by the way) but now..all because I left the radio on.......extra expense.

Wife keeps talking about getting another car. But, we both love our "red car" and the kids love her too. We have spent a fortune on getting various repairs done including the AC evap and rear mounts. I keep telling her that it is 10 years old and these things will happen and if we got another car, things would go wrong with that as well.

Oh well, at least it is HOT outside, off to do some gardening. Keep posting everyone, although you don't get many replies or thanks, there are a whole host of people out there who read your advice and experiences and they have certainly saved me money in the past.

Happy easter

Peter

dooby · Apr 5th, 2007, 12:44

Sorry to hear the bad news, fingers crossed it's not too much for the repairs...

Cheers, Pete

Volgrrr · Apr 5th, 2007, 13:39

Sorry to hear you are having these problems.

Is there any possibility the RAC may have inadvertently jumped the wrong fuses?

I'm like you, I love these vehicles (mines a T5) and I have been very lucky so far - apart from normal maintenance, just a couple of hoses.

Best of luck.

V70seeker · Apr 5th, 2007, 14:21

Sorry to hear this mate. Good luck sorting it all out.
I've recently had sheer hell with mine for 2 months!! More the mechanics that looked at the car than the car itself though really....

I symathise with you.
Happy Easter.

cyclogenesis · Apr 5th, 2007, 15:09

No prognosis from Volvo yet. The odd thing was, the car was running fine for 15 minutes until the point when I revved to pull away. It is almost as though the extra amps from the alternator were too much.

Very odd.

The RAC guy has put "Member attempted jump start-suspect alternator diodes blown due incorrect procedure" down on the report. I must have done something to it last night. I noticed that RAC also connected jump leads directly to the battery as opposed to one earth on the body/chassis. Maybe this was the problem.

Fingers crossed.

PNuT · Apr 5th, 2007, 18:05

did you connect directly to battery?

cyclogenesis · Apr 5th, 2007, 20:49

No not first time. Negative to engine block as per instructions. No joy.

Googled jump start and one site states that one of the reasons for flat batteries is the breakdown of the diode bridge. This may have been the root cause of the problem.

Once I started increasing the revs, I think It must have toasted the alternator and probably every fuse as well. RAC should have just towed me to the garage!

Phoned Volvo tonight, they said it was " a deep problem" nothing specific, unlikely to get car back before mid next week.

Gonna be expensive I think.

PNuT · Apr 5th, 2007, 20:53

ive done it hundreds of times both ways..... i know they say dont use the battery terminals but..... ive never had a problem!

cyclogenesis · Apr 7th, 2007, 11:45

Oh dear,

not looking good. Volvo unable to communicate with any of the vehicle control units. I think they may all be fried!

Great Easter this one!

Oli · Apr 7th, 2007, 12:15

Arghhh! what a mare.

Sounds to me like the RAC man may have been a bit too inventive with both the fault finding (jumping fuses) and the written description. Make sure you discuss with dealer.

Also, I typically jump start directly to the battery, but have heard that it can spike/surge the electrics with expensive results.

I use the same logic about keeping our 11 year old 850 going - still think it costs less to keep going than splashing out on a younger model.

Good luck for a cheap fix

Oli

Apr 5th, 2007, 11:43	#1
cyclogenesis Senior Member Last Online: May 17th, 2024 14:25 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Portsmouth	It never rains....it pours Here is my sorry tale. Felt really chuffed with myself yesterday. Replaced both Wishbones and the drop link. Only the track rod ends and CV gaiters to go. Tried to start the engine to take for a road test and no power in the battery. Note to self: do not leave the doors open with the radio on and engine off. No problem, wife comes home, jump leads out, engine turns over but does not run. Oh thinks I! that will probably be the imobiliser. Trawl this website, try removing the fuses, cycling the sitch etc. No joy. Cannot find spare key. You can see where this is going. Get up this morning, try again. Phone Volvo Garage who suggest disconnecting and re-connecting the battery. No joy. Phone RAC. Very nice RAC man comes out. No power getting to the fuel pump, check relay, no power to the relay. Jury rigs between two fuses to get car running. Car runs for 15 mins. Right thinks I, get down to the garage to sort out imobiliser/fuel pump power. RAC drives away, I pull away of fthe drive and ........nothing, car totally dead. I jump out, run up the road to catch RAC man, who has stopped to phone base. RAC returns. Battery is toast and a smell of electrical burning is evident. Some diagnostics later, appears that alternator is toast and shorting out the circuits. Car hooked up to van and being towed to Volvo garage. This is going to be a great Easter..........NOT I can see it now: New Alternator New Battery Probably some new wiring labour, then to cap it all, next week is the MOT and I know that the car needs new CV boots! Really depressed now, we had done so well this month in not spending on the credit card. Saved some money on the suspension (which was shot by the way) but now..all because I left the radio on.......extra expense. Wife keeps talking about getting another car. But, we both love our "red car" and the kids love her too. We have spent a fortune on getting various repairs done including the AC evap and rear mounts. I keep telling her that it is 10 years old and these things will happen and if we got another car, things would go wrong with that as well. Oh well, at least it is HOT outside, off to do some gardening. Keep posting everyone, although you don't get many replies or thanks, there are a whole host of people out there who read your advice and experiences and they have certainly saved me money in the past. Happy easter Peter

Apr 5th, 2007, 12:44	#2
dooby Forum Support Team Last Online: Jul 5th, 2019 16:11 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cambridge View Photos By: dooby	Sorry to hear the bad news, fingers crossed it's not too much for the repairs... Cheers, Pete __________________ '97MY black 855R M56H + Quaife Porsche/S60R BBK + XP8s, TD04HL-19T, 17"x8J Pegasus, THS intercooler, custom intake & RIP, Samco coolant, Koni/Nivo H&R, S60R manifold, TT-USB, Simota, IPD turbo back, IPD anti-roll bars & droplinks, IPD HT, MSD coil, Innovate LC-1, dimming mirror, Goodridge hoses, DOT5.1, V70 rear lights & handles, poly top bush & A arms & tie bar, strut brace, clear repeaters, 6k HID, catch tank, 2x rear brace

Apr 5th, 2007, 18:05	#6
PNuT MaDMaN Last Online: Nov 26th, 2022 18:47 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Red Lodge	did you connect directly to battery? __________________

Apr 5th, 2007, 20:53	#8
PNuT MaDMaN Last Online: Nov 26th, 2022 18:47 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Red Lodge	ive done it hundreds of times both ways..... i know they say dont use the battery terminals but..... ive never had a problem! __________________

Apr 7th, 2007, 12:15	#10
Oli VOC Member Last Online: Mar 8th, 2016 14:28 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sevenoaks View Photos By: Oli	Arghhh! what a mare. Sounds to me like the RAC man may have been a bit too inventive with both the fault finding (jumping fuses) and the written description. Make sure you discuss with dealer. Also, I typically jump start directly to the battery, but have heard that it can spike/surge the electrics with expensive results. I use the same logic about keeping our 11 year old 850 going - still think it costs less to keep going than splashing out on a younger model. Good luck for a cheap fix Oli __________________ V70R AWD Phase III (pure and simple, but now with OEM Strutbrace!) - Sadly broken. Needed replacement engine (B5244T2) - Almost fixed :-)! 850 2.5 10v CD (home for lost toys - brilliant and trusty car) XC90 T6 AWD - boy it was fun in the snow...

Apr 5th, 2007, 13:39	#3
Volgrrr Volgrrr Last Online: Jul 18th, 2011 02:55 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Warrak	Sorry to hear you are having these problems. Is there any possibility the RAC may have inadvertently jumped the wrong fuses? I'm like you, I love these vehicles (mines a T5) and I have been very lucky so far - apart from normal maintenance, just a couple of hoses. Best of luck.

Apr 5th, 2007, 14:21	#4
V70seeker Member Last Online: Apr 4th, 2014 19:44 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Farnham, Surrey	Sorry to hear this mate. Good luck sorting it all out. I've recently had sheer hell with mine for 2 months!! More the mechanics that looked at the car than the car itself though really.... I symathise with you. Happy Easter.

Apr 5th, 2007, 20:49	#7
cyclogenesis Senior Member Last Online: May 17th, 2024 14:25 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Portsmouth	No not first time. Negative to engine block as per instructions. No joy. Googled jump start and one site states that one of the reasons for flat batteries is the breakdown of the diode bridge. This may have been the root cause of the problem. Once I started increasing the revs, I think It must have toasted the alternator and probably every fuse as well. RAC should have just towed me to the garage! Phoned Volvo tonight, they said it was " a deep problem" nothing specific, unlikely to get car back before mid next week. Gonna be expensive I think.

Apr 7th, 2007, 11:45	#9
cyclogenesis Senior Member Last Online: May 17th, 2024 14:25 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Portsmouth	Oh dear, not looking good. Volvo unable to communicate with any of the vehicle control units. I think they may all be fried! Great Easter this one!

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