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A question before visiting my mechanic...

Hi! It's not so easy to access this group now that AOL doesn't offer newsgroup access anymore.

I live in the Chicago area and drive a 1993 240 wagon. Back in November, on my way home from Wisconsin, my "Check Engine" light came on. The car seemed to be running just fine, but I pulled over and called my mechanic back home, and he said there probably wasn't anything to worry about, just bring the car in when I got home, which I did. They gave it a quick look-see and didn't find anything wrong with it. I didn't have time for more than that at the time, and -- one thing leads to another -- haven't been back since for a more thorough check or to have the "Check Engine" light turned off. During that time, the car has seemed to run fine, though possibly slightly rougher idle than usual, and has, once or twice, stalled out during idle on the initial start-up in the morning.

However, the gas mileage has been TERRIBLE. For example, I completely filled the tank on Friday. Saturday and Sunday I drove no more than 4 miles, total. My total commute to work, round trip, is 3 miles. With a couple of short side trips, that makes my total miles driven from the time I filled my tank on Friday until today approximately 25 miles (to be generous). My gas tank is now half empty (or half full, if you're an optimist). Now no Volvo 240 wagon is going to get spectacular mileage, but 50 miles to the TANK seems a bit ridiculous. I wasn't having this kind of mileage before the "Check Engine" light came on.

So I'm finally getting ready to take the car back to the mechanics. Based on what I've told you, does this problem sound at all familiar? Anything special I should ask the mechanic to do/look for? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks much, Patricia

Reply to
Patricia Butler
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could just need a tune up...hard to say...let your mechanic "poke around"...they will probabally find a dirty air filter...maybe you need a fresh set of plugs.....the oragne "check engine light" is just a service warning light...no biggie...If you get a red warning light...that means pull over and stop (call for service).....

Reply to
~^ beancounter ~^

Thanks very much. Anyone else have anything to add before I go?

Thanks again, Patricia

Reply to
Patricia Butler

I think the Check Engine light usually relates to emissions. I'm not familiar with the 240, but if it has one or more oxygen sensors I would suspect a failure there first. Or maybe the air-mass meter. The computer readout should tell them something.

Reply to
L David Matheny

When I've seen that problem it was the air mass meter, try unplugging it and see if fuel economy improves, it'll still be awful but not THAT bad.

Reply to
James Sweet

That's great -- thanks everyone. I'll let you know what the mechanic says.

Patricia

Reply to
Patricia Butler

From my experience as a driver, when the AMM is not functional, acceleration gets to be fairly awful.

Beverly

Reply to
Bev A. Kupf

Just a thought - if the engine seems to be running like it was, acceleration normal and check engine light not on, no overheating... I wonder if you have a fuel leak? We had a pinhole leak in our 85 765T just in front of the fuel pump which drained a quarter tank in less than ten miles. We would have smelled the leak if we had idled in place long enough, but we were driving around.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

Hi, Mike. Check engine light is on, but everything else seems normal. If I had a fuel leak, wouldn't there be some sign of it when I move my car out of the garage in the morning? I haven't seen any stains or smelled gas at all.

Reply to
Patricia Butler

Yes - if it was in the garage you would definitely smell gas from a leak like that.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

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