I hope this is a unique question, I did a search and found my situation to be somewhat unique to the others.

I bought the wagon a month ago, in the first week it didn't start but that turned out to be the infamous fuel pump relay. Once that baby was in it was all good... until about 2 days ago when i was driving down the highway and it just plain died. Stereo, lights etc were all fine, I thought I had slipped in neutral at first (stereo was loud) but alas the car had died and hasn't started since.

Here are the things I have checked, using a Haynes Manual:

- All the fuel pumps are whirring and after a few attempts you can smell the gas in the engine compartment.

- Used the screwdriver trick to check for an arc off the engine block with the spark plug wires (tried two of them successively) and no spark

- Distributor cap had a bit of black carbonation on the contacts

- Used the screwdriver trick to check the coil to distributor cap wire and rarely, but sometimes I got a faint orange spark and a light cracking noise.
- Because of this I bought a distributor cap and this did nothing

- I checked primary resistance (9.10 abouts), and secondary resistance (2.4 abouts) on the coil

- I checked the ignition amplifier according to the haynes manual, the results there were a bit unclear because the meter i used was hopelessly complex. I have a question here: it gives me two tests, the first it passed (check terminal 2 and 4 for battery voltage). However the second you unplug the Amplifier and check terminal 5 to a ground while cranking the starter over. Once you unplug it however, "Start" position on ignition will not crank the starter. So how do I crank the starter for this test?

- Here's the rub though, the Ignition Control Module (under the dash right by the fuel relay on the passenger side) was wet. It has a leak I have yet to pinpoint under the dash. The case seemed to bear the brunt of it, however when I opened it I noticed one of the internal screws had rusted quite a bit, So I can only assume that water has made it in. I tried to order a new one and my parts store ordered me an impulse amplifier and had no listing for the ICU (I am in British Columbia Canada)

So I guess I have two questions:

a) What else can I check to try and narrow it down to more of a certainty? I am a starving student so I am trying to make sure I do as much as possible before potentially wasting money (pretty well every component of the ignition circuit is non-refundable).

B) if it's the ICU is there some way I can check the connections for a short? Maybe a guide for the pathways or signs of a short circuit?
B2) Could it be he ignition switch?

Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

First I would check the timming belt by removing the oil cap and making sure the cam turns while cranking.

 

Sorry, I should mention it turns, but never even hints to firing. I will check the timing belt thing but I gotta bribe a friend into turning the key while I look haha.

 

Just a quick question: the 89 is an RPM sensor not a HALL right? If so, where is the RPM sensor on this thing? Thought maybe it's clogged.

 

The crank position sensor mounts to the top of the transmission bell housing ... it is a common failure for the wires to become frayed.

 

happened to my 85 240, turned out to be the timing belt. even if it doesn't look broken, cogs may have gotten knocked off and it is not turning over because of that. mine broke waiting first in line at a busy red light, that was the worst

 

Boy the redlight thing sounds like a worst case scenario haha. I was lucky, I was on a highway on a clear sunday morning just coming down a hill towards an on ramp that was closed to traffic. I just coasted into my own personal parking lane haha.

I know cars, I do, but only certain aspects and the actual guts i have never looked into (i.e. pistons and crank etc). So i did the oil cap thing and nothing moved that I could see. So then that's the timing belt right? Is there any special tool I need to change this myself?

Man, 3 days of complicated testing... wish I had known that sooner. Thank you very much, you folks are all very courteous and just allowed my education savings to remain relatively unscathed.

 

I would peel back the belt cover and watch it just to be sure. You can buy the crank holder tool from fcpgroton or ipd, to get the crank bolt off.

How many miles does the car have? Has the belt ever been replaced (sticker under the hood)?

 

Okay, I took off the belts and the fan and the upper cover of the timing belt and that thing is a timing strap now, not a belt. Now, my concern is how do make sure the timing is right? The belt is completely busted so I have no belt line to check. How do i check the alignment on this thing? The haynes manual gives no advice around a broken timing belt.

PS: 283,000 kms, this belt looks original.

Also, what are some things worth replacing while I am in here?

 

The tensioner, and any seals that are leaking. Attached shows the three alignment marks

 

You're a saint, thank you.

Thank god this thing is non-interference.

 

more pictures ...

 

OHhhhh I see... it's dots. Okay.

This crankshaft pulley bolt I don't think is gonna come off... good lord.

 

You will need the crank holder tool, or to use the "rope trick" ...
http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/...unterhold.html

 

This rope trick, it's safe? Really? Cramming rope in my engine to "jam" it is safe? Huh... I don't fully understand how this works, but if people swear by it, I guess it's my best option because the tool is unavailable.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo...-/220600018150

 

Thank you for the link! UPDATE: Got it off with just stupid brawn and sacrificing a piece from my socket set. Gonna be equally difficult to get back on I suppose. I guess it needs a pulley puller now.

 

One last quick question: I want to set my timing. I under stand the marks, but simply putting the cogs to the marks is not enough is it? I need it at TDC or some identifiable timing point. I know that the crank puts #1 at TDC when air is expelled from the spark plug hole and it is aligned to the mark. But then how do I know the cams are at a corresponding stroke for #1? And the intermediate? Are the marks more specific than the crank?

 

i was struggling with the same thoughts.

https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-240-740-940-12/intermediate-shaft-wows-40732/

 

Man you came just in time, thanks so much for that, now that I have worked out the timing I have one genuine question and one that I am not sure about yet because I haven't gotten to the point of trying for time reasons.

Genuine question:
I got the crank shaft pulley off (a bit of a chip on the back from my efforts, but nothing too compromising) and the center has a square indentation and the the shaft has a square indentation and as far as I can tell, absolutely nothing to fill it. Have I lost some key for the crankshaft? I didn't hear anything drop nor can I find anything under my car.

Possible question:
I have gotten all the seals, are the three timing pulleys tricky to get off and change the seal? EDIT: Timing pulleys are hard and seals seemed hard but they're not. Though the crank shaft reeked of gasoline.

Any insight on either will do me heaps of good.

Thanks for the excessive help thus far for this young volvo-loving stranger.