In need of some Volvo love and support

[Cruisen Volvo]

Hey guys need your help again

I have two problems that may be linked but not sure that are beyond my current abilities.

First one) i serviced my car a week ago and since then it has been running as if it was on bad petrol, When accelerating it is like it is misfiring all over the place causing split seconds of no power . I have replaced the plugs since and for a day there was no problems but now it has returned again. the problem does lessen once the engine is warm but it is still notice able especially when taking off from stand still.

Second problem is when i start the car cold it has no problem starting always fires whith out a problem, but when the engine is warm more times than not it takes a good three turns of the key to get her goin.

These problems are quite annoying especially the first one. I am not affriad to do what i need to do it is just i don't know what it is that needs doin.

As always any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys

James

[redline]

Hi James,
did you replace the distributor cap and rotor arm when you serviced the car ? if not I would try that first

[jtbo]

When you changed plugs, where those black?

If you start hot keeping throttle floored does it start better?

If both yes, then for some reason it is running really rich.

If plugs had more like white powder on them, then it would mean lean mixture, but with todays gas it is bit hard to tell if it is anything between.

What did you include when servicing your car? That might give some ideas. Was it that you had injection model? (was there any other model sold in there?)

[MJ]

Yeah, that would be my (un-expert) conclusion. Lack of power under acceleration, and on gradients, but ticks over ok.

The same symptoms could be due to a warped carb base causing an air leak, but I believe this is only common on 1.7's, and being an aussie, you guys only have the 2.0, don't you. Also, no reason this should suddenly start after a service, unless you took the carb off.

EDIT, oh yeah, GLT's, so no carb, my bad Ignore that bit

[Chris_C]

James' is a MK3 GLT, I did ask him if he'd changed the dizzy a while back, and also to clean the contacts on the coil pack of the renix, did you do that mate?

Other than that, follow what Jani (JTBO) said, will be a useful diagnostic

[Cruisen Volvo]

Sorry for lack of info guys had to quickly type that message up.

OK

Yes the spark plugs were blacker than normal but no having my foot on the gas rarely helps start the car it is more of a no matter what you need to turn it over a couple of times before it will work sort of thing.

All my service included was oil change, oil filer, topped up all fluids and thats about it.

I have done a detail of the renix coil but nothing seems to be a miss from what i can tell.

Is there anyway of testing if it is the distributor or the leads before actually replacing them?

Thanks James

[pettaw]

It sounds like dizzy cap to me too.

Take the cap off and take a look at the contacts, if they look good then its not that.

Not too many ways of telling if the leads are shot, apart from sometimes if you run the car in the dark, the leads may arc and spark a bit, but its not a good test, only way really is to replace and see if it cures it.

One other thing is are there any air leaks from the injection/air intake? Did you replace all the hoses back in the correct places after your service? Main sign of an air leak though is poor idle, which you haven't mentioned so its probably not that.

[Cruisen Volvo]

I am guessing you guys mean the distributer.

Thanks for the tips guys will excercise them tomorrow or asap.

Thanks

James

[Ronnie]

Try spraying WD40 over everything electrical...

If it helps you know where the problem is.

If it doesn't help you have a very dirty engine bay

[foggyjames]

+1 on the Dizzy cap. Take it off and look at the contacts. If they're not perfectly clean and un-pitted, replace. It's only a (fairly) cheap item. Mine produced a pronounced misfire and lack of power.

cheers

James