85 240 DL won't start first try, but second time every time

Discussion in 'Volvo 240' started by disallow, May 7, 2005.

  1. disallow

    disallow Guest

    Hi there,

    I have posted quite a bit over the past couple
    weeks about my buddy's 85 240DL Sedan that I just
    rebuilt for him. Trying to get a feel for how the
    car should be acting....

    I started by running all the old gas out of it
    from sitting for the last 9 months. That is
    done now, and fresh gas is in the tank. It runs
    much better.

    Before the old gas was gone, it was impossible to
    time the engine properly. Now we have tried again,
    I think we may be 1 tooth off, as the distributor
    is all the way advanced, and it still seems a
    little off. Any comments about this would be
    appreciated.

    Now I've noticed that the car does not like to
    start on the first crank. I get in, turn the key
    to the ON position for a few seconds, then
    crank it over for about 5 seconds. It turns and
    turns, but does not catch. Second try, usually
    it starts within the first 2 turns over (1-2
    seconds or so).

    Any ideas? All ignition components have been
    replaced with the rebuild. We patched up the
    ignition wiring harness, so there are no problems
    there. There is a new ECU wire harness.

    I do smell some unburned fuel.

    Any ideas are appreciated.

    Thanks
    t
     
    disallow, May 7, 2005
    #1
  2. disallow

    disallow Guest

    oh ya, and the main relay was replaced during
    the tune up as well.

    t
     
    disallow, May 7, 2005
    #2
  3. This is usually a symptom (and shadetree diagnostic) of pressure in the fuel
    rail bleeding off. The first attempt gets the fuel pump running to rebuild
    the pressure but the ECU has already gone off searching for the correct
    setting to make it fire. The second attempt starts fresh with pressure in
    the rails and it fires right up. Even a half second of cranking the first
    time will trigger the pump to run long enough to make it fire the second
    time.

    The most common cause is leakage in the fuel pump output check valve, but
    other leaks (like injectors dripping) can do it. With the history of funky
    gas, it could be either. If you haven't run injector cleaner through it yet,
    this would be a good time to do that. Let it consume a tank of treated fuel
    and see if it still misbehaves.

    Mike
     
    Michael Pardee, May 7, 2005
    #3
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