My daughter's '99 normally aspirated S70 has developed an annoying problem of starting and stalling mostly when cold. It may take a half-dozen start-stalls before the engine will remain running. I cleaned the MAF sensor the other day and the problem disappeared for a couple of days but has returned. I'm wondering if these symptoms indicate a bad MAF sensor, coolant temperature sensor or faulty IAC valve. No CELs have been thrown. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Doesn't sound like a MAF to me. I had a saab that did that nonsense. It'd never start though, just crank till it flooded out. If you want to test it, just unplug it and crank the motor over, if it starts right up, that's probably it.
As far as I know, if the coolant temp sensor was bad, you'd have a CEL.
You can take that IAC off and shake it back and forth. It should make a slapping noise. If it doesn't, clean it see if that helps.
I would see if you could get your hands on a fuel pressure tester and see what kind of fuel you're getting while it's doing this. I'd also be curious to know how it runs when it's running, have you checked it for vacuum leaks and stuff?

 

Update: Took main intake hose loose and sprayed both the MAF sensor and IAC down very well with electronic contact cleaner. The IAC is located on top of the hose in the NA engine and I couldn't really figure out how to take it off, so I sprayed from the inside of the hose. What's up with those five-pronged screw heads on the IAC? Anyway. After cleaning both, we haven't experienced the start-stall, start-stall phenomenon in about a week. Keeping my fingers crossed. If it starts doing it again, I'll check the fuel pump relay.
Thanks.

 

Starting getting P0181 code, which is the immobilizer ring. I had a new ignition switch (expensive because it has to be programmed by Volvo) installed about eight or nine months ago. Couldn't figure out why the car would start, stall, start, stall. Might do it seven or eight times before it would keep running. Sometimes my daughter would have to wait several minutes to get it to stay cranked. Finally, I read that I might need to replace the immobilizer ring because it is prone to failure. I decided to take the cover off the steering wheel to get to the immobilizer ring and unplugged it. Plug felt a little loose and the flap to get to the contacts was not shut securely. I shut the flap and pushed some dielectric grease into the plug holes and plugged it back in. That was about three weeks ago and it has not stalled a time since. Of course, I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but I've got the hang of getting that steering wheel cover off now.