Hi,

The volvo, 360 GLT injection) is becoming harder to start when the mornings are getting colder. To start the car, i turn the key but you have to manually use the throttle to get the engine to catch and then have to maintain the revs to stop it stalling. After that when it idles on its own it is rather uneven. Then when driving at low revs eg. changing from 1st into second then trying to accelerate) it feels 'held back' or like it cant breathe if you get what i mean. then the power will kick in like a powerful turbo.

I have read that the best way to warm the engine is to drive it without revving it high when cold as opposed to letting it idle to warm up stationary.

What can i do to ease this problem?
I have checked the whole air intake system and all is well inc. new-ish filter
Oil is correct type and still golden sort of colour
Not really sure what else to check, plugs?

I'm planning to give it a bit of a service anyway before winter but could do with some pointers for that too

Thanks
Matt

Replace fuel filter, could be a number of things but that'd be the next simple thing to check

I always twist and stomp as a matter of habbit, but it shouldnt really be struggling to idle.
Give it a small service if its due (or overdue) man. Got to be a good place to start eh?

Winter moisture tends to creep in so check the caps not wet on the inside.

What about the more obvious cold start injector and thermal time switch? Sounds like one of these is not working.

Driving the car and putting a little stress will warm it up quicker, and so is recommended in the owners manual but it doesn't really matter with these engines. My dad used to tick-over warm up his 240 and did hundreds of thousands of miles in his.

cheers for the replies.

Well was gonna give it a bit service anyway so
new: plugs, leads, oil & fuel filters, engine and transmission oil. maybe aux belts too but will probably leave cam belt to a garage, coolant
Check / clean: distributer, throttle body, maf, air filter heat switch thing

i'll have a look at that idle control screw thing under the intake manifold too and the dizzy cap.

Anything else?

thanks again for the help, i'v come from a peugeot 206 that just started first time all the time with no effort.

I'm with Ride_On... a GLT should start and idle first time every time, perhaps a little lumpy for a couple of seconds but even so...

well if the funds stay out of the red this weekend i'll get some new plugs and possibly leads. Been told not to get snazzy '4 pronged' plugs or owt like that just normal ones from a good brand. any reccomendations on plugs and leads?

Will also get the air intake system cleaned and check for sticking or judder movement on the MAF flap and also see if the hot/cold air switch thing on the airbox works.

Thanks for the help people!!

Nimminz wrote:well if the funds stay out of the red this weekend i'll get some new plugs and possibly leads. Been told not to get snazzy '4 pronged' plugs or owt like that just normal ones from a good brand. any reccomendations on plugs and leads?

Will also get the air intake system cleaned and check for sticking or judder movement on the MAF flap and also see if the hot/cold air switch thing on the airbox works.

I recommend the Bosch super 4!, have used them in all my b2xx engines including the turbo, also use a semi-synth oil, always gives good starting performance and nice and revy...whatever that really means. I've tried platinum, 2 prong, splitfires etc, super 4s best IMO.

Not sure the injection has a hot air intake, carbs only I think,for carb icing in cold weather.

cheers for the advice, think i might give the super 4's a go then.

It has a pipe from the exhaust manifold heat shield to the filter box. Reckon its some sort of bi-metallic strip thing so when the engine is cold it sucks hot air from around the exhaust manifold and when it warms up it switches to cold air from the front