Have had a quick read through the sticky on this subject and have run tests involved but will not start.

haven't checked fuel filter yet though as it's dark! But I can hear the fuel pump start up

Will turn over and after about 30 seconds I hear it try and fire sporadically.

I recently drove from London to Wales and back again some very hilly areas with a full load. Not sure if this has anything to do with it.

I suspect the immobilizer may be stuck on for no reason other than the fact one of my doors does not lock and the alarm was set off by this the other day. The flashing light for the alarm goes out but I'm not sure if I have got the computer confused or something.

Is there anyway of reseting the on board computer? I was thinking of taking the battery off and putting back on would that reset the computer?
I've read on other pages this will simply arm the alarm but wondering if it would clear my immobilizer fault.

Or do people think I'm barking up the wrong tree altogether?

Bloody car!

Also anyone got any good wallpapering tips as I've had a nightmare with that today as well.

aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhh!!!!

This post has been edited by ampangbear: May 28 2008, 08:05 PM

first, what year is the 850? try and see if any codes are there. check to see if the fuse is okay, check the relay, if none of these is the culprit, then disconnect the battery, and then turn the key in the ignition to release any power stored as back up. wait about ten minutes then reconnect. now, do you have the code for the stereo? about the wall paper, did you steam it off or just peel? if not steamed off you will need to scrub off all the old glue. get a cheap mop and get the hottest water in a bucket and mop the walls. when that are good and wet, start scrapping with a wide blade. they mop again to get any residual glue. let air dry for a day or two, give the wall a good hairy eyeballing, you know, one eye looking while the other is all squinty. smoke a cigarette for effect. then anounce to all that it is ready and start papering. when finished, go out onto front of house, give a huge tarzan roar, beat chest, pass wind, fondle the old lady next door and have a beer. if wife protests, it's not my fault, i am on the other side of the ocean :grin: good luck

Look up at the stickys and see if the posts there are any good.

Hi I looked on the stickys and it didn't seem to work. The guy I bought it off said it's happened to him twice before and he fixed with a push start!?!?!?!?!?!

Not tried that yet. Getting a good strong spark, fuel pump is working I can hear the fuel going in when i turn the key or when I remove and put the fuse back in(probably not good for anything but I was on my own)

One thing that does strike me as odd is the ECU next to the accelorator cable is humming quite loudly. In my experience this is rarely a good thing. It's a cyclindrical Bosh thing with power lead going into it. This goes from fuse number one on the fuse board under the engine.

Car is a lovely 1995 850S with a slightly wimpy 2 litre engine in it.

I have a sneaking suspicion I am going to have to take it into a shop to get fixed, but will try the jump start technique.

Another weird thing the guy I bought it off was that the reason it happened to him before was because he started it left it running for a few seconds and then stopped it. Apparent this caused some problem with the viscousity(spelling) of the oil to be too thing and got stuck. This does sound like a load of old tosh to me, but the AA guy who fixed his car said it was common with volvo 850s again I'm sure it's just a blag.

Will let you know how the push start works out. Fairly sure it's the strange hummy buzzy bosh thing!

This may not solve your problem, but look up and read the topic "1994 850 Turbo Wagon won't start" posted on Jan 9th 2008 by red850turbowagon.

It might be of some help.

Good luck!

Just an off the wall idea, but if everything seems to be ok and it just keeps stalling out on you, there could be a chance that you simply have residue or trash in your gas tank that is getting sucked into the pump filter, cutting off the gass flow for a short time. Once the car stops, the pump will stop pumping and the trash will fall back down and it should start again.

Cleaning out a tank isnt exactly the most fun thing to do though, but if all else fails you might wanna give it a check.

There are quite many possibilities.

I've had to go through small issues like a bad connection (to the point where i had to twist the male socket out for it to contact the female port better) to a bad sensor/item altogether.

You'd have to go through one by one actually. Which was why i suggested the pinned up posts. But once you get it, it should be okay there onwards, provided you handled the issue well.

:)

Good luck.

okay will have a thorough check through at the weekend. I must admit I thought I'd cracked it when I heard the ECU buzzing. I thought that may be an indication of failure, but it may have already buzzing.

Re the other post with it stalling. It's not actually stalling its not firing at all. Rubbish in the fuel tank is a possibility. I'll check the pump to make sure fuel is coming out. And I'll go through the stickys more thoroughly. Will also check out that post you recommended.

Fingers crossed my big Purple beast will roar into life again soon!!!

Volgrrr This worked!!!! Taken from the post you recommended. Although on that thread it says it's a one in a million chance of it happening. Speaking with the previous owner this is the third time this has happened since car was built. But it's quite old so acceptable and I know how to fix again.

Apparently a push start works as well but I only have that info 2nd hand.

You sir are a scholar and a gentleman.

Now who can tell me how to edit the title of the post so I don't sound like an illiterate goit who can't spell starting :)

Wow...
I've heard of this problem before, but I never thought it plausible.
Well I'm glad you got the purple lightning up and running again :)

I'm glad the purple beast is going.

I had it happen to me once and was skeptical of the proposed solution working - but it did, so now I keep a fully charged battery in the garage - just in case (even though Murphy's Law states that when you are fully prepared for something to happen - it doesn't!).

As you say, you have a second option i.e. a push start, but mine would be a little difficult to fire up this way - it is an auto.

My understanding is that once the title of the thread is typed in and the thread is posted, its set in concrete but then again, I've been known to be wrong - just ask my wife.

Why the worry???

Nevertheless, i've fixed it for you.
Cheers.

Ampangbear to the rescue.

But where is our mate TheGreekMason - he seems to have slipped off the radar lately.
:haha: :haha:

I'm sure he's around. Notice he changed his avatar - the bike with the smiley made of burnt rubber...
:)

what, you guys missed me? aaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, you cain't get rid of that easily. just hella busy with work. firing and hiring. firing and re-hiring. and just plain firing. but still had enough time to burn a smiley for you guys in the back loading area of the catering hall. enjoy. :grin:

Welcome back...
:)