Won't start when parked nose-down on sloping driveway when 'on reserve'.

My 2001 V70 Turbo won't start if I park it on my sloping driveway when the
fuel is on 'reserve' (warning light on).
I always park nose-down.

Perhaps its completely normal - perhaps the fuel tank out-pipe is at the
back of the tank and so is hanging in air.

But my driveway is not super-steep, and before parking the computer says eg.
at least "45 miles to empty", and no other car I have / have had does this.

I have to go and get a gallon of fuel (which is a PITA) and then it will
start up with no problems.

I just wondered if this was normal, or if it is a sign eg. of a failing fuel
pump.

TIA

Dz

 

Isuspect a somewhat inaccurate fuel gauge. A fuel gauge reading is more of
an estimate than a measurement. When I worked at the National Bureau of
Standards, I realized that everyone in my car pool had mentally calibrated
their fuel gauge. Your experience suggests one calibration point, at the
low end.

 

You probably will need to replace the complete fuel pump assembly.
On all S80's, 2001 up S60 and V70's the fuel tank has a
left and right side fuel storage due to the design of the tank.
The pump is located on the right side of the tank.
A hose runs from the pump right side over to the left
side where there is a venturi valve in this hose and
the venturi valve pumps fuel from the left side back over to
the right side to maintain the same fuel level in both left and right
compartments of the tank.
This Venturi valve can become blocked or come loose from
the bottom of the left side fuel level sensor assembly.
When this happens the pump pumps the fuel over into the
left compartment but no fuel gets returned to the right side.
The Volvo dealer can read the left and right fuel levels
to determine if one side has alot more fuel in it than the other side.
BD

 

Ah, how about filling up when you get below 1/4 of a tank?

I don't think there is anything wrong with your car.

John

 

My V70 diesel is the same. I got caught out soon after I bought it. My
driveway is steep, and I park nose down ready for a quick exit from it in
the mornings! I never let the estimated level of fuel get below 60 miles. I
notice the light comes on when the computer estimates 70 or 80 miles
remaining. It's time to fill up when it reaches this point, and I never
drive more than about 20 miles without filling up (except 1 time, out in
deep dark suffolk when all gas stations were closed! Eventually found one,
with just 30 miles left on my trip computer!).
I normally let my fuel run fairly low before I fill up. I normally shove 50
litres into it, but It'll only take about 60 litres max if I keep going.
This must mean there's about 10 litres left when the light comes on? I'm
sure it'd be a good idea to leave around 6 to 8 litres in it when parking on
hills.
I work with people who fill their cars up as soon as they get below 3/4
full! I say they're paranoid. All that extra weight they're carrying around,
and all that extra wear on the fuel cap lock!
Anyway, I think the fuel gauge on the V70 is at the opposite end of the tank
to the suction pipe too. cos my fuel gauge shows higher when I'm parked on a
slope (nose down), but the risk of taking air in is greater.
Of course, being a diesel, it only takes a bit of air to kill it. It then
needs a LOT of cranking (jump-start probably) to bleed the fuel through
again. No manual lift pump on these modern cars!

 

My 2001 V70 Turbo won't start if I park it on my sloping driveway when
the

Oh, sorry, I forget to mention: My wife drives this car most of the time.

Dz

 

I'm one of those guys that likes to minimize my trips to the fuel
station, so I don't get fuel until the light comes on. The light comes
on at around 80 km to empty, usually I fill up within 20 km of this.
I've never seen less that 10 km to empty, but my wife has managed to get
the display to ----. That said, I was sure glad I wasn't on the last
quarter of my tank when we had that big power failure last year. There
were few stations open, and some didn't have fuel. The fill up at 3/4
people had the right idea then!

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
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