A question before visiting my mechanic...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Patricia Butler
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Patricia Butler

Hi! It's not so easy to access this group now that AOL doesn't offer
newsgroup access anymore.

I live in the Chicago area and drive a 1993 240 wagon. Back in
November, on my way home from Wisconsin, my "Check Engine" light came
on. The car seemed to be running just fine, but I pulled over and
called my mechanic back home, and he said there probably wasn't
anything to worry about, just bring the car in when I got home, which I
did. They gave it a quick look-see and didn't find anything wrong with
it. I didn't have time for more than that at the time, and -- one
thing leads to another -- haven't been back since for a more thorough
check or to have the "Check Engine" light turned off. During that
time, the car has seemed to run fine, though possibly slightly rougher
idle than usual, and has, once or twice, stalled out during idle on the
initial start-up in the morning.

However, the gas mileage has been TERRIBLE. For example, I completely
filled the tank on Friday. Saturday and Sunday I drove no more than 4
miles, total. My total commute to work, round trip, is 3 miles. With
a couple of short side trips, that makes my total miles driven from the
time I filled my tank on Friday until today approximately 25 miles (to
be generous). My gas tank is now half empty (or half full, if you're
an optimist). Now no Volvo 240 wagon is going to get spectacular
mileage, but 50 miles to the TANK seems a bit ridiculous. I wasn't
having this kind of mileage before the "Check Engine" light came on.

So I'm finally getting ready to take the car back to the mechanics.
Based on what I've told you, does this problem sound at all familiar?
Anything special I should ask the mechanic to do/look for? Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks much,
Patricia
 
could just need a tune up...hard to say...let
your mechanic "poke around"...they will probabally
find a dirty air filter...maybe you need a fresh set of
plugs.....the oragne "check engine light" is just a
service warning light...no biggie...If you get a red
warning light...that means pull over and stop (call
for service).....
 
Thanks very much. Anyone else have anything to add before I go?

Thanks again,
Patricia
 
Patricia Butler said:
Hi! It's not so easy to access this group now that AOL doesn't offer
newsgroup access anymore.

I live in the Chicago area and drive a 1993 240 wagon. Back in
November, on my way home from Wisconsin, my "Check Engine" light came
on. The car seemed to be running just fine, but I pulled over and
called my mechanic back home, and he said there probably wasn't
anything to worry about, just bring the car in when I got home, which I
did. They gave it a quick look-see and didn't find anything wrong with
it. I didn't have time for more than that at the time, and -- one
thing leads to another -- haven't been back since for a more thorough
check or to have the "Check Engine" light turned off. During that
time, the car has seemed to run fine, though possibly slightly rougher
idle than usual, and has, once or twice, stalled out during idle on the
initial start-up in the morning.

However, the gas mileage has been TERRIBLE. For example, I completely
filled the tank on Friday. Saturday and Sunday I drove no more than 4
miles, total. My total commute to work, round trip, is 3 miles. With
a couple of short side trips, that makes my total miles driven from the
time I filled my tank on Friday until today approximately 25 miles (to
be generous). My gas tank is now half empty (or half full, if you're
an optimist). Now no Volvo 240 wagon is going to get spectacular
mileage, but 50 miles to the TANK seems a bit ridiculous. I wasn't
having this kind of mileage before the "Check Engine" light came on.

So I'm finally getting ready to take the car back to the mechanics.
Based on what I've told you, does this problem sound at all familiar?
Anything special I should ask the mechanic to do/look for? Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks much,
Patricia
Click to expand...
I think the Check Engine light usually relates to emissions. I'm
not familiar with the 240, but if it has one or more oxygen sensors
I would suspect a failure there first. Or maybe the air-mass meter.
The computer readout should tell them something.
 
L David Matheny said:
I think the Check Engine light usually relates to emissions. I'm
not familiar with the 240, but if it has one or more oxygen sensors
I would suspect a failure there first. Or maybe the air-mass meter.
The computer readout should tell them something.
Click to expand...

When I've seen that problem it was the air mass meter, try unplugging it and
see if fuel economy improves, it'll still be awful but not THAT bad.
 
That's great -- thanks everyone. I'll let you know what the mechanic
says.

Patricia
 
When I've seen that problem it was the air mass meter, try unplugging it and
see if fuel economy improves, it'll still be awful but not THAT bad.
Click to expand...

From my experience as a driver, when the AMM is not functional, acceleration
gets to be fairly awful.

Beverly
 
Patricia Butler said:
That's great -- thanks everyone. I'll let you know what the mechanic
says.

Patricia
Click to expand...

Just a thought - if the engine seems to be running like it was, acceleration
normal and check engine light not on, no overheating... I wonder if you have
a fuel leak? We had a pinhole leak in our 85 765T just in front of the fuel
pump which drained a quarter tank in less than ten miles. We would have
smelled the leak if we had idled in place long enough, but we were driving
around.

Mike
 
Hi, Mike. Check engine light is on, but everything else seems normal.
If I had a fuel leak, wouldn't there be some sign of it when I move my
car out of the garage in the morning? I haven't seen any stains or
smelled gas at all.
 
Patricia Butler said:
Hi, Mike. Check engine light is on, but everything else seems normal.
If I had a fuel leak, wouldn't there be some sign of it when I move my
car out of the garage in the morning? I haven't seen any stains or
smelled gas at all.
Click to expand...
Yes - if it was in the garage you would definitely smell gas from a leak
like that.

Mike
 
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