240 General: Runs then stops then runs then stops

[Molloy150]

Hi there,
I have a 92 240se 2.0 injection, fsh 160k.
Have just returned from holiday in the van, went to collect the car from my sister, had stopped using it a week ago as it stopped a couple of times and wouldnt start again.
It needed a jump to start but started first time as there may be an alt fault but not checked that yet as it is ok if you use it every day, drove for about ten minutes with the occaisional miss fire/hesitation.
Stopped for petrol, started fine, idled while i checked the tyres, couple of misses in the next five minute journey, then just as i got to a friends it was really lumpy, in both idle and higher revs.
Took many attempts to start, got 500m cut out, wouldnt start, then when it did, cut out everytime the throttle was touched, limped into a car park, tried many many more times struggled to idle, then idled fine but only if throttle not touched, then was perfect again, drove 100mtr conked out, pattern repeated about 6 times.
Eventually disconnected the injectors one by one, when the wire came off the 2nd from the front, the engine ran fine but a bit lumpy, and allowed me to get it home on three cylinders, struggled a wee bit but ran fine till three doors away.
Stopped then started again.
Does this sound like an injector prob or an ecu probem, or maybe an intermittant fuel blockage?
Havent checked it today, but disconnected the battery yesterday to see if its the ecu.
Bit miffed as i missed the car all holiday and was excited to get it back.
Hope someone may shed some light, g

[Paul240480]

I guess you could have one or more issues going on there, which you need to work through.
Start with plugs, dizzy, rotor and leads - check/replace as needed.
Do check that alternator is charging fully. If not check/replace the regulator.
Fuel injector seals, especially the 'thin' ones, they often 'turn to dust'!
Vacuum hose leak or 'blown off' ( not sure about the 'f's but had this once on my 'e').
Fuel filter maybe blocked.
Air leak around inlet manifold gasket.
PCV blocked.

Sure others will add to this list.
Hope it helps and

[John Halford]

I have just had these symptoms on my 1991 Torslanda (B200F, injection). For about two months, after years of fault-free driving (the car, that is, I'm sure I've had one or two myself!) it would start fine, run long enough to get half a mile and then die. It would immediately restart but die if I tried to rev it. I squirted WD40 on all the HT components and that seemed to work eventually (but not immediately). Then I replaced the distributor cap, rotor arm and HT leads (except for the coil to distributor lead as new one came with the weong ends). Still had the same problem.
This morning, when engine died after the usual half mile or so, I spotted a loose hose going to the pipework on the top of the engine. I believe this is what feeds the injectors. This hose pushes onto a ribbed black plastic pipe. I tried to pull the hose completely off, but it didn't want to even though it was very loose. I didn't want to break anything. Anyway ... I put a hose clip on (there was none there originally), tightened it up, and started the engine. All now seemed fine, so I drove the remaining mile (to where I am now in a meeting) and I will see how I get on driving home later.
Now is later - it sort of worked, but idling speed is not right. Engine stalled a couple of times when stopping for junctions etc. and, unlike my previous 240, there's no manual choke to keep the revs up.

[loki_the_glt]

I had something similar with my 240SE many years ago; it had been running perfectly well until one evening it decided that it had had enough of life. It would cough, splutter and finally catch but wouldn't rev willingly and idled as\if only 3 cylinders were functioning.

After twice having had someone run a diagnostic analysis and replacing the MAF without success I traded it in, leaving the dealer with the problem of a by now non-running Volvo.

With hindsight I could have run through a full analysis of the fault but I needed a reliable car for my commute.