1. Home
  2. Volvo automobiles
  3. Pleeease Help !!! 240 cold start problem

Pleeease Help !!! 240 cold start problem

Hello all. I hail from hot tropical Singapore. Own a 89' 240 GLE.

Have had cold start problems for 1 year now. Problem gets more acute if car unused for more than 24 hrs. Symptoms are:

1)Excessive cranking before engine catches > engine very ragged and shaky, can only be stabilised by stepping on throttle .

2) Engine will die off if car stops at say, red light within 5 mins of startup, have to keep foot on pedal to prevent this.

3) After more than 5 mins of driving(when warm?), engine stabilises. No longer dies off. But still a little shaky.

4)Power is ok.

List of components replaced over the past year:

a) fuel injectors and their "0" rings b) cold starter switch and coolant thermostat c) external main fuel pump and accumulator (was getting noisy anyway) d) throttle gasket and rubber bellow (found to be cracked) e) complete engine top overhaul f) fuel pressure regulator (replaced 1 month ago when symptoms mentioned above got worse. Engine died off repeatedly. But upon replacement, problem only improved back to original symptoms mentioned above) g) Periodic engine tune up and CO level check during servicing.

My local official Volvo agent has given up. Says its just a old car problem. Says that since its bearable, got to live with it. Symptoms 1 to 4 still exists.

This is a real challenge. Please, can someone help me?

Reply to
<desperate240
Loading thread data ...

What about the fuel filters and gas? Sounds to me like you have water in the gas. Try changing gas stations and see about your fuel filters.

HTH

NickZ

snipped-for-privacy@frustated.com wrote:

unused for more than 24 hrs.

only be stabilised by stepping on throttle .

startup, have to keep foot on pedal to prevent this.

dies off. But still a little shaky.

got worse. Engine died off repeatedly.

Says that since its bearable, got to live with it.

Reply to
Nick Zervas

Thanks Nick, for suggestion. I change petrol stations frequently anyway. Use 98 unleaded. But its not the fuel or fuel filter. Cause it only happens soon after startup (when engine is colder). When warm, its ok. Upon running for say, 5km and more (when warmer), engine gets stable (just a little shaky). And fuel filters are changed regularly, during servicing.

But thanks a lot for input. Appreciate it :-)

Reply to
<desperate240

The problem you are describing is carbon build up on the back side of the valves caused by low octain gas. The carbon soaks up the gas as you try to cold start causing long start times. The dealer can do a corbon blast to clean the valves. The usuall rate is 2.5 hours. But first try a full tank of

92 or 93 octain gas with a bottle of Techron added. That may do it.

car unused for more than 24 hrs.

can only be stabilised by stepping on throttle .

startup, have to keep foot on pedal to prevent this.

longer dies off. But still a little shaky.

above got worse. Engine died off repeatedly.

problem. Says that since its bearable, got to live with it.

Reply to
Rod Gray

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.