1.4 340 running shakey? READ ME FIRST FFS!

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Ian Hutchinson
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Post by Ian Hutchinson » 16 Jan 2008 09:39 am

Thanks Morgan. I filled up with fuel (at a local Esso) a couple of days before the problem emerged and covered 120 miles on it - so I guess that this is unlikely. I do have the fuel filter on my list of things to check though.
1990 340DL 1.4 - 1990 240GLT - 1987 340 1.4

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Jason B
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Post by Jason B » 16 Jan 2008 10:26 am

Its either a carb problem (most likely) but it does sound slightly similar to what my 360 just went down with, at first it was just as you said an intermittant problem i.e. it felt like it was dying and then died, but after bit it started again it repeated this act once more and then flat out refused to start and still does. After some fiddling (thanks to chris_c too) I'm pretty sure its the crank position sensor. I cleaned my sensor and it made bugger all difference but its definitely one thing to consider.
'89 360 GLE awaiting 2.3 power

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Ian Hutchinson
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Post by Ian Hutchinson » 16 Jan 2008 10:59 am

Thanks Jason. Checking the sensor is on my to do list. As Ive previously mentioned, with other cars Ive had intermittent faults have usualy been electrical in nature - where there have been problems with fuel delivery they usualy stay broke and dont get spontaniously better!
1990 340DL 1.4 - 1990 240GLT - 1987 340 1.4

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Chris_C
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Post by Chris_C » 16 Jan 2008 12:18 pm

It's fairly easy to check whether you are getting fuel or spark Ian, plug against the block will check spark, cranking it a few times and seeing if you can smell exhaust round the exhuast etc.

The other thing worth mentioning is the fabric covered fuel hoses are useless, and perish, meaning the fuel pump sucks air not fuel. If its that, replace them with injection ones, much better stuff.
'89(G) 340 GLE B172k
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'89(F) 340 GL F7R (ex B172k) - Fake -> SBKV 300 Runner Up 08, 12; '91(H) 340 GL B14.4E - Kar; '88(F) 360 GLT B200E - Jet -> BKV 300 Runner Up 09; '89(G) 360 GLT B200E - Beast

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Post by morgan105 » 17 Jan 2008 02:37 pm

[quote="Ian Hutchinson"]Thanks Morgan. I filled up with fuel (at a local Esso) a couple of days before the problem emerged and covered 120 miles on it - so I guess that this is unlikely. I do have the fuel filter on my list of things to check though.[/quote]

I wouldn't rule it out as I'd covered about a 100 miles before I had problems. That's why it was one of the last things I considered. Same thing happened on a motorcycle we had many years ago. Checked everything on that with bike off the road for nearly 3 weeks when my brother came along and mentioned about fuel, thought impossible as had been doing 50 mile journey's to work and back since filling up days before trouble started. He said throw a bit of high octane fuel (colemans) in the tank :? to mix with what's in it, did and bike fired up straight away :shock: . After nearly 3 weeks of working on the bike and all it was was fuel :roll: , you tend to feel a right idiot as the cure was so easy but a relief the bike was running again. :D

morgan105 8)

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Ian Hutchinson
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Post by Ian Hutchinson » 19 Jan 2008 07:11 pm

Update:

I removed the fuel sender/filter unit from the petrol tank this afternoon. It looks to me as this is the first time anyone has looked at it as the inspection hatch in the boot was pristine and sealed as new - it just looks as though its never been touched. I removed the rather flimsy filter which looked OK - I cleaned it anyway. As advised by Haynes I modified the end of the pipe that fits inside the filter by trimming it to a 45 degree profile. The fuel lines were on OK but I think I will replace them soon as they are 18 years old. Checking the pipes running through the plastic mount I noted that the one feeding the carb was OK. The breather on the other hand seemed blocked when I blew though it - I cleared it by blowing through.

I only had enough time to recheck the carb bolts with my newly modified (bent with a blowtorch and vice!) 12mm spanner - they were fine - and have a general check around the wiring etc in the engine bay before it got dark.

Ive just come back from a 50 mile test drive (incorporating an 'italian tune up') and the engine performed without fault. Smooth acceleration and tickover - no problems.

Could the blocked breather tube have been the problem I wonder?

I will check the flywheel sensor tomorrow anyway and have a think about whether to replace the renix or hold off on this and see what happens next.

When its running well its a great car and I really enjoy driving it new Ive got used to the steering!
1990 340DL 1.4 - 1990 240GLT - 1987 340 1.4

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Ian Hutchinson
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Post by Ian Hutchinson » 19 Jan 2008 07:13 pm

Oops - Ive edited this post as its a duplicate of the last one! Sorry about that!
Last edited by Ian Hutchinson on 20 Jan 2008 11:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
1990 340DL 1.4 - 1990 240GLT - 1987 340 1.4

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foggyjames
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Post by foggyjames » 20 Jan 2008 02:35 am

So far, so good! Keep us posted :)

cheers

James
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'89 740 Turbo Intercooler
'88 360 Turbo Intercooler
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Ian Hutchinson
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Post by Ian Hutchinson » 20 Jan 2008 02:18 pm

Heres an update from this end:

Removed the flywheel sensor this morning - the metal tube that protrudes from the plastic mount was covered in crud and corrosion. I cleaned it up and replaced it.

Double checked the hoses, T connector and restricted in the pipe - all OK

Whilst I was at it I whipped the spark plugs out - the ends were a nice colour (as is the inside of the end of the exhaust pipe) so it looks as though the mixture is OK

Engine started straight away and is running brilliantly at the moment. However, it was last weekend before it started playing up on Monday morning! It could be that the problem was an amalgam of a number of minor problems that I have slowly resolved - other than that all I can guess at is a fault with the Renix unit.

Another thought - the exhaust system is nearing the end of its life, I wonder whether there is a partial blockage in there caused by rust etc?

I'll see how things go next week....................
1990 340DL 1.4 - 1990 240GLT - 1987 340 1.4

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Post by morgan105 » 20 Jan 2008 05:20 pm

A blocked breather pipe may have caused the problem because the build up of gases wouldn't have been able to escape and started to choke the engine. The gases would have dispersed enough after a bit of a rest to get you going again and problem would have started again once gases built up again.

Glad it's running fine now.

morgan105 8)

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Ian Hutchinson
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Post by Ian Hutchinson » 22 Jan 2008 12:28 am

Update:

To and from work today - 40 miles round trip including very heavy stop / start traffic at the A322/M3 junction - and shopping trip to Tesco this evening. Ran perfectly! Shes still on probation though - I guess that I will know by the end of the week..................
1990 340DL 1.4 - 1990 240GLT - 1987 340 1.4

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Ian Hutchinson
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Post by Ian Hutchinson » 26 Jan 2008 02:42 pm

Further update!


Well, Ive covered about 350 miles this week, commuting to and from work and driving up to South London a couple of times for meetings. The engine now feels reliable, ticks over and accelerates well but is a little lumpy/hesitant at times.

This is most noticeable when holding steady revs at slowish speeds. Ive run a bottle of reddex fuel system cleaner though the tank and this morning added another bolt to the air filter assembly. The assembly had two bolts missing and I suspect was jiggling about enough to let some air past the join with the carb. Replacing one of the bolts was easy, the other one will have to wait till another day as its a real bugger to get to. Still, the assembly is now sitting on the carb pretty tightly. Ive just returned from a 20 mile trip and the engine seems to be getting smoother all the time. This 340 will be my daily commuter now.

What a relief!
1990 340DL 1.4 - 1990 240GLT - 1987 340 1.4

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Re: 1.4 340 running shakey? READ ME FIRST FFS!

Post by volvodspec » 04 Jun 2009 11:13 pm

have read this full topic, and i am stunned that all the problems you guys in england have are due to the 5 m5 bolts holding the floatercover and the 4 bolts for the carb mounting to the intake manifold. :lol: i haven't read the reason for the m5 bolts to get loose though. this is because of that idiotacly large air filter housing bolted to the top of the carb. why the m8 nuts run loose is easy aswell, stupid engineers at volvo use standard nuts on a "seal" like connection (carb to manifold) wich is exposed to extensive vibration + temperature fluctuations. as suggested nylock nuts are a very good solution.

as an enrichment to this topic a few other things:

if your idle rpm fluctuates at least more than 500rpm on its own (so like from 500 to 1000, from 1000 to 500 etc..) or in worst case scenario from 500 to 2500rpm; then the 5 bolts are probably loose, but also the floaterchamber gasket is gone!

a very good test for the mixture setting is applying the brake repeatedly. engine rpm shouldn't change, if it does change the mixture is wrong or there's a vacuum or carb problem

if the fuel consumption is higher than normal, it is worth checking the membranes:

at the valve cover side of the carb, you will find the acceleration membrame, this is held in place with 4 screws. repeatadly apply throttle and if any petrol leaks out here, the membrame sprung a leak.
standing at the right side of the engine room and facing the carb, on the lower right side of the carb there is the half-load membrane, bolted in place with 3 screws. you'll have to demount this membrame and extensivly look for any damagas to the membrane.

next, if you car starts bad on full choke, and better on 3/4 choke you'll have to take a look at the automatic-choke membrane. this membrame makes sure that when full choke is applied, vacuum of the intake manifold is directed to the membrame pulling the choke mechanism a bit back so a 4/5mm gap is created. again dismount the membrame and check for tares/leaks etc. this membrame tends to dry out and get rockhard.

if you're having extensive trouble with the mixture adjustment it's worth checking the floater height. beware, taking the floaterchamber cover of the carb can cause that you have to throw the currect floaterchamber gasket away when it doesn't come out in one piece. even slight tares can affect performance! with the floater chamber cover off, hold it upside down and measure the gap between the lowest point of the floater and the floaterchamberlid + gasket. this measurement should be between 6,5 and 7mm, easy way to measure this is with a drillbit.

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Re: 1.4 340 running shakey? READ ME FIRST FFS!

Post by dub loon » 07 Sep 2009 05:16 pm

mine had this recently and i put it down to the timing UNTIL my brakes went solid at 40mph so instantly i turned it off and on again so the servo would release the pressure but to no avail so i popped the bonnet and had a butchers it turned out the servo pipe was off due to a big split giving it no grip so i put it back on and bunged a bit of tape round it for now but when i started the car after this it runs sweet as a nut so i guess the shakes were due to not being able to releive the crank pressure :D:D:D:D:D:D
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Re: 1.4 340 running shakey? READ ME FIRST FFS!

Post by foggyjames » 08 Sep 2009 12:49 am

I'd say it was the monster vacuum leak, more like...:)

cheers

James
VOC 300-series Register Keeper
'89 740 Turbo Intercooler
'88 360 Turbo Intercooler
'85 360 GLT
'81 343 GLS R-Sport
'79 343 DL
'70 164
...and some modern FWD nonsense to get me to work...

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