[address removed on request]
I have a problem with my D reg. Volvo GL cutting out. This is a problem that has become progressively worse over months to the degree that the car is too unsafe to drive. I understand that 'cutting out' is a common problem with Volvo series 240, 360 and 740's.
There would seem to be at least two different 'cutting out' scenarios -
1. The car intermittently cuts out whether the speed be high or low. Mph therefore does not seem to be a critical factor in causing this problem. Subsequent restarting the car can be very problematical.
2. The car cuts out only when slowing down or at low, or idling speeds. Does not matter whether the car is driven in a straight line, turning a corner or slowly maneouvring such as when parking, 3 point turning etc. (nightmare!). Car restarts immediately, but then again cuts out if no substantial acceleration to increase speed is possible i.e. car parking, traffic jams etc.
I seem to have experienced both problems.
No. 1 scenario was diagnosed two years ago as needing a new impulse transmitter which was fitted and the problem apparently solved.
No 2. scenario is my current problem of many months standing - and how my nerves are shredded!! I have received suggestions from several people that a new fuel pump relay, or the resoldering of dry relay solder joints could cure the problem.
Any other suggestions are welcomed. My car is being taken to a garage for electrical diagnosis first thing in the morning. Please God I will survive the trip up-hill, down-dale, umpteen junctions and even more roundabouts. Seriously, I would like to be in a position to mention all suggestions as to a cure.
Many thanks
Rita.
P.S. Are you all the equivalent of Terry Wogan's Old Geezers - you know, those who have reached a certain age in life and therefore have a decidely quizzical take on the world. Can anyone join the club - rhetorical, rhetorical, rhetorical. I'm just an Old Gertie trying to solve a problem so that I can keep a car that I love dearly.
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Rita,
Not a good idea to put your address on the Internet. Nutters about. (Not on this forum , of course)
I have a Volvo 740 and when the flywheel sensor lead developed a fault the engine would not start at all.
If this lead has been replaced and the fault then cured, could it be the connector it plugs into that is perhaps damp or making a poor contact?
On mine it is located on the bulkhead above the clutch housing. You will see a lead bolted to the top of the bell-housing at the back of engine above the clutch. Follow this up and you will find the connector.
Probably no help at all but mine has never cut out....ever. (Apart from this once)
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Rita,
I'm not a Volvo man in particular but......
This does sound very much like an ign fault. Having said that checks need to be made to prove the fuel supply, then all normal service items attended to on the ign side....plugs, rotor arm, dist cap and leads. Next I would look for a specific intermittant fault. Someone may well sonn say what that is likely to be.
Regarding your PS. There is everyone here from the lads dreaming of their first Nova to those unable to find their own slippers. In the middle is a mish mash of those that think they are old enough to know it all but perhaps don't really. And even some very keen on Citroens!
Good luck.
David
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Ignition is my incling as well. I used to have a Citreon BX where the rotor arm on distributor was broken inside so it only span round intermitantly leading to very similar symptoms as you describe. Do Volvos have distributor caps? If so take it off and check the little T shaped piece of (Brown?) plastic.
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Rita,
There really could be a number of possibilities here, and very difficult to take you through them all without seeing the car. If you reach the point where you need some professional help you could contact my colleague Stuart Braund on 01624 377804. We operate a mobile diagnostic service, investigating the engine at your home or work, by appointment.
Regards, Adam
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Thanks to all of you who responded so quickly to my post.
I fully take on board Alwyn's concern about putting address on the Internet. I was concerned to see it appear. This was not supposed to happen. I must have misunderstood HJ.'s instructions in the Telegraph to include postal address as well as email address. I assume now that this might only be the case when mailing HJ as opposed to a forum. Won't happen again. Any nutters out there, don't even think about it. I'm a grizzled old granny of many years standing, and my children et al don't call me Attila for nothing! So there.
The car is now back from the garage who fixed original 'cutting out' problem - see scenario 1, original mail. The current 'cutting out' problem - see scenario 2 - convinces them, after due consideration given to all factors, that the symptoms are indicative of a carburettor fault. They also said that the mixture was much too rich. The fitting of a new fuel pump was not considered to be the solution.
The car will now be taken back to the carb. specialist who said about 3 weeks ago that there was a speck of muck on the carb. which might have bypassed filters from tank, although I had a new fuel filter fitted about 6 weeks ago, or that the recirculation of air from a breather tank might be the cause. He seemed rather disinterested in investigating further because of the age of the car and the mileage - 145K-.
At this point, I should say that the car is in very good nick apart from this crucial problem. It has a full service history and we have had it since it was less than a year old; and it has always been as reliable as every other Volvo that we have owned.
The car originally had a factory fitted pierburg carb. and had an automatic choke. The pierburg was replaced with a Weber carb. 7/8 years as original wore out. At the same time ithe car was converted to a manual choke, although I don't why as it wasn't requested.
At this point, I should say that the car is in very good nick apart from this crucial problem. It has a full service history and we have had it since it was less than a year old; and it has always been as reliable as every other Volvo that we have owned.
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Me again -
This post got sent before I finished it. Am a bit of a novice at this game.
I would mention here that the carb. chap (at the garage which originally fitted the Weber) fitted a service kit when the car wasn't running properly 9'ish months ago. He subsequently said that he had managed to get the car (carb) running 90% efficiently but that there was a slight 'flat spot' which he couldn't solve. I must say also that this man is apparently highly rated in the car game.
I can see that my previous mail was not fully text edited. I was going to do some nifty cut and paste work but sent the mail instead. So apologies for that.
Thanks again for all your contributions
Rita
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No one else has mentioned it but the carburettor diaphragm developing a small pin hole leak is the common fault of non-injection 240s having a cutting out/poor running syndrome. If a service kit overhaul was carried out nine months ago, it was presumably replaced if the 740GL carb is of similar design. I used to reckon one lasted about 2-3 years on my 1980s 240.
David
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I had a 240 with a Pierburg carburettor, and it developed exactly your (the car's) symptoms. It was definitely caused by fuel starvation, which I eventually pinned down to a sticking needle valve ie the valve in the carb that lets the reservoir refill. It was intermittant, and difficult to find because on stopping and then trying to restart it generally unstuck itself, so it was impossible to reproduce the symptoms for proper investigation.
Try some of the degunging stuff you add to fuel.
Good luck
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If I were going to be sensible I should tell you to check the fuel pump first and get rid of the terrible pierburg carb anyway.
But I'm not so what I'm going to say is that you must have a wonderful engine because on the last one I drove it would have been hours before you noticed the difference.
Indeed,recent experience with the three litre version makes me think that nothing short of a good big 5 litre v8 would get the thing ahead of its own shadow.
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