Sudden loss power

Tiny
GEMINIGEM
  • MEMBER
  • 1989 VOLVO 740
  • 14,000 MILES
1989 Volvo 740 GLE Driving to work was at stop light went to go and suddenly just didn't want to go. Started hesitating and took about 5 minutes to limp through intersection to get it parked. Came back in evening started right up but had to hold gas pedal down to keep running. Drove the 3 miles to home with the gas pedal to the floor in 4th gear. 2000 rpms and no more than 35 mph. Wife driving behind me said car smelled horrible. Recent upper & lower radiator hoses replaced, replaced Fuel Pump Relay today (thought might be the issue). It had a fuel injector cleaning a couple of months ago. It is getting fuel, getting spark, but wont fire now at all.
Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 AT 1:16 AM

8 Replies

Tiny
DRCRANKNWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,380 POSTS
It might have jumped a tooth on the timing belt/chain and that caused a misfire situation that gas fouled the plugs.
My first instinct is that the fuel pressure may be low and you should check it, but if it is not sparking, check the coild and the battery cables, especially the negative cable and where it grounds out, at both ends for corrosion and fit.
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Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 AT 1:20 AM
Tiny
GEMINIGEM
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  • 4 POSTS
It does fire/turn over just wont start. It acts like it wants to though.
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+1
Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 AT 4:06 AM
Tiny
GEMINIGEM
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
How do you check the fuel pressure?
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Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 AT 4:56 AM
Tiny
DRCRANKNWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,380 POSTS
I am giving you the instructions on how to test fuel pressure for your car. The figures, numbers 1 and 2 are from the instructions. You can get a test gauge at a Advance Auto or Auto Zone on a loaner basis.
Let me know how it goes.
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Sunday, December 4th, 2011 AT 1:45 AM
Tiny
ENGINER
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Someone suggested to me, if it is a Turbo model, it could be the lining of an air hose sucking in. Sounds like a long shot.
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Sunday, January 8th, 2012 AT 1:14 PM
Tiny
DRCRANKNWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,380 POSTS
I am not an expert on every turbo configuration, But obstructions in the air intake tract and exhaust tract are both things that could lead to the issues your are having. You shoudl check them but eapeciallly the catylitic converter as the can collapse in on themselves and glog up the exhaust. You can check it by looking to see if it gets red hot after driving or hitting with a rubber mallet or your hand to listen if it lounds like the inside has loose pieces moving aorund. It could be a likely culprit especially in a trubo car. However, I am assuming the car has 140000 miles and the 14000 miles on this post thread is a typo. The car is old enough to have this happen just from time, so it is worth looking into.
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Monday, January 9th, 2012 AT 12:44 AM
Tiny
GEMINIGEM
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
In fact it is about 140,000 miles on the engine and about 240,000 on the car. We did do the fuel relay, no help. Tried to check the fuel pressure and found that a bolt was stripped and unable to check. So was going to donate the car, figured it just might be the tooth. So on the 1st went to siphon the $40.00 of fuel out of it for the other car and low and behold. The rubber fuel line had considerable slack to it and was resting next to the transmission. So cut about a foot off because there was a hole burned into it put it back on and tried to start the car. Totally good even runs better, so with good tubing and new fuel relay, I think it will be good for awhile longer. Jeez who put that much line on it? Thanks for all your input everyone. It may still be valuable info in the future.
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Monday, January 9th, 2012 AT 6:26 AM
Tiny
DRCRANKNWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,380 POSTS
It can be a lot of trouble dealing with a car that someone else has maintaned and/or modified. Hoses have to have enoguh slack for engine movement but have to be cable tied to somethng so they don't do things like the situation you had.
I am glad you found the problem and are up and running.

Come back anytime as we are here and ready to help.

Take care,

Dr. C
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2012 AT 1:13 AM

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