Engine 850: B5204S/2.0/20v: 850 Engine Cutting Out

[warthog]

Glad we were able to help. You would think that the Volvo dealers should be more switched on to common problems though!

[IC]

Originally Posted by warthog

Glad we were able to help. You would think that the Volvo dealers should be more switched on to common problems though!

I'll make this thread a sticky for a while as it's particularly valuable as an answer to a commonly asked question!

[Chris_Rogers]

Originally Posted by warthog

Glad we were able to help. You would think that the Volvo dealers should be more switched on to common problems though!

You would think so but;
How many people take 10 year old cars to the main dealer?
I would guess there are not many willing to spend £100 per hour to fix a car worth little momey.
Consequently they don't see the problems.

This type of forum becomes 'the database' for repair of the older car.

[V0lvo]

Originally Posted by Chris_Rogers

You would think so but;
How many people take 10 year old cars to the main dealer?
I would guess there are not many willing to spend £100 per hour to fix a car worth little momey.
Consequently they don't see the problems.

This type of forum becomes 'the database' for repair of the older car.

I do agree, but what if there are no real alternatives in local area. Unless you know of a reputable garage with diagnostic tools and experience in Volvo, you can get stung my cheap parts and so-so work quality.
Labour at my local dealer costs £57 an hour, plus I get discounts on parts used, as I am member of this superb Volvo Owners Club;
And to replace a Volvo with a like for like car surely justifies spending this kind of money! For me, there is absolutely no excuse for main dealers not having common knowledge of older cars and issues. From my experience, they are incapable of diagnosing issues nor are willing to care about/sympathise with owners. So the answer. This community provides the diagnostic (i.e. the intelligence), the Volvo dealers with owners discount get the job done at Volvo standards. Sounds like a good partnership.

[V70Dan]

My 850 GLT 2.0Ltr 20Valve has been doing something similar, thankfully not cutting out on the move, but not wanting to restart, say after driving half a mile, stopping the car hopping out for 10 mins or so (cash point) then getting back in to continue the journey. Turn the key, all the dash lights come on and nada. Wait 5 mins try again then hey presto, or like this morning trying to start from cold to go to work, turn key.. dash lights up and nothing. Waggle key about (very technical <lol>) and then she starts.

I'm gonna get that relay replaced.. so thanks for the pointers chaps, I was beginning to fear big bills!!

[warthog]

Sounds like you may have the common problem of worn electrical portion of the ignition switch. What points me in this direction is that you say that if you wiggle the key then the engine turns over and starts, therefore it must be connected with the switch operation.

Simple and cheap to replace. Have a look on Bay 13 for instructions.

[V70Dan]

Warthog thanks for that, yesterday I took the kids to school..very short drive. Parked up deposited little 'uns to respective classes, returned to the car. Turned key and nothing (all dash lights on but not turning over).. no amount of wiggling, jiggling or otherwise would make it turn over.
Left the car where it was, returned home, came back an half an hour later, one turn..she starts, late for work again.
This morning starts no problem, although there was a 1 second delay between turning the key and the starter motor kicking in. Bay 13 info very useful so will get the tools out :-)

[warthog]

Dan,

we have a bit more info now, from your last post, when you mentioned a time delay between turning the key and the starter operating. This would suggest a sticking solenoid on the starter. It could also cause your other problems in that with the engine (and starter) hot, the thermal expansion in the solenoid could make it stick even more, until every thing's cooled down a bit.

[David 850 GLT]

Very interesting.

My '94 2.0 20v does exactly the same dead-cutting-out routine on average once or twice a week. Slightly more often in the summer, less so in the winter. Car used daily 20-30 miles. I lift off the gas, wait 5 secs and it usually kicks back in again. Occasionally I have to pull over, stop and have up to 5 or 6 three-second cranks to get going again. The fuel pump fuse is good/clean, I've changed relay 103 for a new one, fitted new spark plugs, leads, dizzy cap & rotor. There are no codes in the engine management module so that tends to rule out sensors and the car does not have an immobiliser. Next on the list is the fuel pump itself and the ignition amplifier/coil asy and probably the ignition switch also, not necessarily in that order.

I've come across this type of defect before on several occasions as a technical manager for a couple of major motor vehicle manufacturers. In all cases the dealers couldn't find it, the customers were driven nuts, and with cars under warranty they were going to court for car changes. As a last resort I had the dealers change the main wiring loom and we cut them open back at Engineering to discover a broken ignition feed wire deep inside the loom, a butt-ended break that would pass current most of the time except when the loom expanded during warm-up after cold-start and the ignition would cut. After a few cranks the vibration would remake the circuit and the engine would restart and drive normally until the same point in the next warm-up sequence. The breaks were caused by the various loom manufacturers' machinery that had snagged and physically broken the conductor strands, sometimes without parting the insulation so even after dissecting the entire loom there was no visible break in the affected wire. Hats off to the folks who found every one of those allowing me to close the case with confidence.

I mention this not to dishearten anyone but to suggest they really thoroughly prove-out their repairs over an extended period of several weeks before relying on the unfailing performance of their engine for example during a critical overtaking manoeuvre. A driver is surprised when something fails. A test driver is surprised when it doesn't.

If I ever get to the bottom if it I'll do another post and if anyone has been through my sequence with their car and found the answer I'd be delighted to hear it!!!

[Derry]

VOLVO 850 SE 10v 2.0 Auto Estate Petrol SEP-1996 110K miles

The car has fuel service history, 2 owners. Was driven 600 miles from England to N.Ireland, OK for two months after that.

Car was driving fine until it started cutting out whilst driving. After about 40min it would start again. If I tried to start after 10 –15 it would start but cut out in 30sec.

The cutting out starts gradually within 1 min. The car starts shaking/jumping as if no fuel is getting to the engine. I never let the fuel go down below 20 litre fuel in car.

This happened twice within two weeks.

Now in the driveway it only lasts 5 min. After idling for 5min and then trying to reverse it cuts out. When trying to start again the starter and dash lights come on, engine tries to come on but then dies. Leave it for 1hour and starts again, for 5min.

With a new Fuel Pump Relay (from partsforvolvos.com Model: 10.4225) the car will not start at all. I tried the new relay after it cut-out middle of the road, but did not make any difference.

When it is about to cut out, wile driving I tried putting it into different gears D 3 L Winter, Sport. Econ. Pressing the accelerator fully with no difference.

I suppose the good thing is that the issue is constant and if I took it to a garage they might be able to work out what’s wrong. The problem is I live in Northern Ireland, Derry where the nearest Volvo Dealers / Specialist is 60 miles away.



This is my first car, and would appreciate any hints/suggestions.