HI all

I am a mechanic (but only work on Nissans usually) but my Sister drives an old Volvo 440 1.8i . The car would occasionally get a flat battery for no apparent reason.

Last time however, she got the lady next door to give her a jump start. Car would not start and even with a freshly charged battery, it still won't start.

I wonder if she put the cables on back to front and blew something up. (She says she didn't but..... ya know)

Turns over great but no spark and no smell of fuel from the exhaust. Test lamp shows no power at fuel pump fuse, so I think the whole EFI system is down. Can't see any burnt cables or fuses. Dash warning lights all come on etc.

There is no power at the coil pack either.

Tried switching the alarm off at its keyswitch also just incase it was immobilising.

Any ideas? And anyone got a spare ECU or someting.

She wants to scrap the car and just go out and buy another £200 cheapie, but I think this volvo deserves a chance to be mended.. its rock solid underneath, and I think it is a crime to scrap a car that isn't rusty.

Can you help me save this car?

Thanks in advance, Will

Anyone?

I managed to download a diagram for the system and it does look like the ecu at least has gone. Anyone got a spare?

well I looked yesterday, and have been thinking about it since, maybe you could get an ecu at a breakers, thats one part I dont have a spare for, there are a few transistors an chip type bits in there so that could be the problem, they wouldnt like reverse polarity.
I guess you have checked all the fuses, including the ones up under the dash (though I think thats just fuel pump and Oxygen sensor.
Grendel

Hi Grendel

well i went to the breakers but they has a 2 litre auto car, and a 1.7 car that was a bit older than mine, the 1.7 ECU did not have exactly the same number on but looked very similar so I took a chance.

Car now brings fuel up and now sparks but kicks back and stalls the startemotor when you try and start it. (as if ignition timing way too far advanced)

If coil disconnected, turns over normally.

Do you think the ECU is not suitable ?



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I.m guessing not, as the 1.7 is a higher compression engine withe more power, and if I am not wrong the 1.7 is a 4 point injection where the 1.8 is single point injection, I guess these things would make a difference as to how the ECU did its job.
Grendel

hi, i just realised i';m propbaly wrong about either the engine size of my sisters car, or the car at the breakers. both engines looked the same, both had single point injection definately (checked that) I also took the coil and coil pack from that vehicle too incase mine was duff. (tried swapping those over,, no difference) they also both had manual transmission.

I'm wondering if the difference could be that my car has closed loop (lambda) and maybe the other car had and older system? It was a K or L reg I think.

Ecu from my car ends 113, I put one in ending in 111

No even my G reg had Lambda, maybe the hall effect timing sensor was also damaged (just going through my mind which parts have sensitive electronics in)
Grendel

hi, presumably the hall effect transducer (crank angle sensor on the bellhousing ) is literally a coil of wire wrapped round an inductor , and therefore has no semiconductors and is either going to work or not, and it must be working for the ECU to be injecting fuel and for there to be a spark (albeit at the wrong time)

there is an ecu on a well known auction website I see, might see if the local breakers yard has any more ecus first (cheaper) but I wouldn't be surprised if it needs more bits even if the engine starts with a new ECU. (alternator.. clock.. ABS ecu ?

found out it's 1794cc

hey hun u not only one having same prob. i have a volvo s60 52 plate bugging the hell out of me and my mech mate only solution was call out the computer guys stil waiting grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

well i suppose at least you can jusify spending a bit getting it right, I';m just trying to save an old car from the scrapheap to 'do my bit' my sister has now bought another car, but I still want to fix this.

Got another ECU today, this time the number ends in 112, only one different ... but alas still doesn't work. Does the same thing as the 111.

I dont suppose anyone out there needs a 111 or 112 ECU ? LOL

SOMEONE must have a 113?

bought a 113 and car now runs. all i gotta do now is try and find someone to buy the car since my sis has already bought a Honda

Glad you have it working, you could always put it up in the classified section here for one
Grendel

good idea, will do.

apart from i had to replace the 80a alternator fuse and the radio fuse the rest of the car seems to have got off lightly.