98 940 2.3lpt auto stalling, not starting

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by zchael6

Ok well I’m relieved the meths probs isn’t doing anything bad. Yes i bought all the meths the village shop had an bunged it in, thinking it was better than nothing.

Also relieved to hear the splashing of fluid isn’t likely to do anything!

I have located the sensor, I’m quite tall so i can reach the bolt that attaches it to the bell housing quite easily. There is indeed a nick in the outer black rubber sheath near where it plugs in bellow the scuttle panel meaning i can see the two cables inside.

The car started this morning. I just repositioned it on the drive. It seems that it is a problem which takes over when the engine bay gets to a certain temp?

Have an aftermarket sensor coming tomorrow so will remove old one and install new one then. Thanks for the time to reply to my post!

With the meths, you need the right concentration or it's just extra combustible fluid in the tank.

When you change the sensor, remove the bolt and put it somewhere safe. Don't go near the hole with the bolt until the new sensor is in. If you want to clean out the threads in the bolt hole, turn the sensor slightly to reveal the bolt hole, squirt penetrating oil into it and on the bolt then run the bolt in and out a few times.

Remove the old and insert the new sensor, aligning it with the bolt hole as needed before trying to fit the bolt.

You do know you can raise the bonnet completely vertical to help with getting in there?

[zchael6]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

With the meths, you need the right concentration or it's just extra combustible fluid in the tank.

When you change the sensor, remove the bolt and put it somewhere safe. Don't go near the hole with the bolt until the new sensor is in. If you want to clean out the threads in the bolt hole, turn the sensor slightly to reveal the bolt hole, squirt penetrating oil into it and on the bolt then run the bolt in and out a few times.

Remove the old and insert the new sensor, aligning it with the bolt hole as needed before trying to fit the bolt.

You do know you can raise the bonnet completely vertical to help with getting in there?

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I’ve been working with the bonnet completely vertical and loving it. Ok so what i gather from what your saying is dont drop the bolt down the hole that the sensor goes in? And therefore dont go near the area with bolt in finger tips without the sensor being in place on the bell housing?

Thanks

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by zchael6

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I’ve been working with the bonnet completely vertical and loving it. Ok so what i gather from what your saying is dont drop the bolt down the hole that the sensor goes in? And therefore dont go near the area with bolt in finger tips without the sensor being in place on the bell housing?

Thanks

Spot on, yes! If you do, it's gone. A bolt can be replaced if you lose one but dropping it down that hole will cause a world of pain as at best it will rattle around the outside of the torque converter/inside of the bellhousing, possibly jam the starter motor and could cause other damage. Only way of removing it will be to remove the gearbox and/or engine unless you're very lucky and fit it when you remove the cover plate.

Either way it's not something i'd like to contemplate just for the sake of being a bit careful!

[zchael6]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Spot on, yes! If you do, it's gone. A bolt can be replaced if you lose one but dropping it down that hole will cause a world of pain as at best it will rattle around the outside of the torque converter/inside of the bellhousing, possibly jam the starter motor and could cause other damage. Only way of removing it will be to remove the gearbox and/or engine unless you're very lucky and fit it when you remove the cover plate.

Either way it's not something i'd like to contemplate just for the sake of being a bit careful!

Right ok you’ve saved me from myself there. So thanks. Once the Volvo is going ill have to do a supply drop as we are both in Suffolk and you said milk is in short supply in your neck of the woods?

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by zchael6

Right ok you’ve saved me from myself there. So thanks. Once the Volvo is going ill have to do a supply drop as we are both in Suffolk and you said milk is in short supply in your neck of the woods?

I've managed to get milk so far but thanks anyway, was just a case of looking outside my usual list of suspects to buy it from. Thanks for the thought though!

[TonyS9]

I though you said all the electrics where dieing? Do you mean all the dash lights go out even though the key is still in the run position?

[zchael6]

Originally Posted by TonyS9

I though you said all the electrics where dieing? Do you mean all the dash lights go out even though the key is still in the run position?

Yeah everything just cuts out. Doesn’t matter if the key is in position number III, for the first few mins after it stalls, nothing happens when you turn the key, then if you wait a bit longer it might come back to life (all warning lights come on) in position II and the starter goes when you twist the key to position III, it then might just fail to start or it might start misfiring or if i was lucky it would whirl into action and I’d get a bit further down the road only for it to cut out again. Once i was about 100m away from home it just wasnt starting no matter how much i waited so i pushed it the remaining bit home.

This morning it started first time when it was cold and i repositioned it on the drive a bit. But I’m not driving it again for a bit because i dont want to break down while we are meant to be staying at home.

I have ordered a radio suppression relay and a new fuel pump relay after reading that if either of them fail you can get very similar symptoms. Looking at the amount of greasy dust on mine compared to other bits in the engine bay I’d say they are original and the car is at 154k


Thanks for the reply

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by TonyS9

I though you said all the electrics where dieing? Do you mean all the dash lights go out even though the key is still in the run position?

Damatian Tony - well spotted!
Have to confess, i didn't make the connection - no pun intended!

Originally Posted by zchael6

Yeah everything just cuts out. Doesn’t matter if the key is in position number III, for the first few mins after it stalls, nothing happens when you turn the key, then if you wait a bit longer it might come back to life (all warning lights come on) in position II and the starter goes when you twist the key to position III, it then might just fail to start or it might start misfiring or if i was lucky it would whirl into action and I’d get a bit further down the road only for it to cut out again. Once i was about 100m away from home it just wasnt starting no matter how much i waited so i pushed it the remaining bit home.

This morning it started first time when it was cold and i repositioned it on the drive a bit. But I’m not driving it again for a bit because i dont want to break down while we are meant to be staying at home.

I have ordered a radio suppression relay and a new fuel pump relay after reading that if either of them fail you can get very similar symptoms. Looking at the amount of greasy dust on mine compared to other bits in the engine bay I’d say they are original and the car is at 154k


Thanks for the reply

Don't fit the relays you've ordered yet, it's not those causing the dash lights to dim and/or go out and the engine to cut out. Prime suspect for that is the igniton switch or as Volvo call it, the starter switch.

Whatever you do, don't rush out (metaphorically speaking) and buy one as they are all different. You need to check the part number first!

I have here (getting in the way of my typing) a late 940 starter switch, the part numbers are 1324628 and 828120 - both apply and both will bring results on the Volvopartswebstore and other sites.

The switch part is held on to the back of the ignition barrel by two screws with slotted heads. I'm not 100% sure on the late 940s but i believe you can get to it from underneath by removing the trim panel under the dash and using a torch. I'm sort of wondering on a hunch if somehow the plug on the back of the switch has been pulled loose, perhaps if the instrument cluster has been out at some point?

https://www.volvopartswebstore.com/p...5/9447805.html

Part number has been updated to 9447805 ^^^^^.



Gives you an idea exactly where it is. Once you know the part number, we can confirm or refute fitment of the one i have. While you're removing it to find the part number, you may find my hunch is correct that the plug is partially off - if so refit it and try it before anything else.

[zchael6]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Damatian Tony - well spotted!
Have to confess, i didn't make the connection - no pun intended!





Don't fit the relays you've ordered yet, it's not those causing the dash lights to dim and/or go out and the engine to cut out. Prime suspect for that is the igniton switch or as Volvo call it, the starter switch.

Whatever you do, don't rush out (metaphorically speaking) and buy one as they are all different. You need to check the part number first!

I have here (getting in the way of my typing) a late 940 starter switch, the part numbers are 1324628 and 828120 - both apply and both will bring results on the Volvopartswebstore and other sites.

The switch part is held on to the back of the ignition barrel by two screws with slotted heads. I'm not 100% sure on the late 940s but i believe you can get to it from underneath by removing the trim panel under the dash and using a torch. I'm sort of wondering on a hunch if somehow the plug on the back of the switch has been pulled loose, perhaps if the instrument cluster has been out at some point?

https://www.volvopartswebstore.com/p...5/9447805.html

Part number has been updated to 9447805 ^^^^^.



Gives you an idea exactly where it is. Once you know the part number, we can confirm or refute fitment of the one i have. While you're removing it to find the part number, you may find my hunch is correct that the plug is partially off - if so refit it and try it before anything else.

Ok so perhaps the issue is caused by the ignition switch? Would this be explained by the problem being associated with engine bay temperature? It seems to start cold fine. I can try and get to it this afternoon

[Laird Scooby]

It's a possibility but you've also said it's often cut out when it's cold too. Worth checking this if only to eliminate it from the process.

If it's engine bay temperature it's more likely to be the ignition amplifier module as i think Ash mentioned when he was talking about the CPS further up.

The amp module is on an aluminium heatsink plate on the left hand inner wing behind the headlamp.

To help eliminate that from the proceedings, certainly on the hot problem, undo the two screws that secure the module to the heatsink and using a non-abrasive cleaner, clean the back of the module and the heatsink where the module mates to it and polsih them up as smooth as possible - don't use sandpaper or similar!

Once clean, add a smear of heatsink compound to the back of the module, as you refit it on the heatsink, give it a wiggle to spread the compound more evenly. Same procedure if you fit a new one.

Thing is, your warning lights only get their feed from one place and that's the ignition switch, although it does go through the fusebox to the instrument cluster/warning lights.
However the only thing that adds up if you lose the ignition and fuel as well as all dash lights/instruments is the ignition switch as it's the only common part.