anyone know anything about volvos?

[mindbullets]

my mates got a 98 volvo s70 which hes having trouble with ,the car starts fine when its cold and will run for 10 minutes but will then suddenly cut out and will not start again ,he thinks its probably a ecu/ immobiliser fault ,any ideas would be much appreciated before he takes it to the very expensive volvo dealer.

[wildwood]

In case you don't get a better answer.... could it be as simple as adjusting the air-intake to 'winter'? Sounds like the fuel mixture is not right when the motor warms up and the auto choke closes (or should that be opens).

[Jansy]

It could be the catalytic converter which has disintegrated inside and could cause the engine to cut out because it chokes the system. My boyfriend's Volvo had the same symptoms and this was the cause. He says the easiest way to check for this is to run the engine and check for pressure coming out of the exhaust tail pipe. I hope that this helps!

[Hamish]

A fult on the immobiser is more likely to stop the car strting in the first place. Sound like a fuel problem as wildwood suggests. Check the choke, summer/winter adjuster. Is it worse when the engine is reved? If so you might have a fuel leak (ie a perrished fuel hose). Check under the bonet, is there a smell of petrol?

all the best, Hamish

[Jenny Tools]

S70's don't have auto chokes as such, they are fuel injected and so will not also need air filter being adjusted to winter settings. It does still sound like a fuel related problem though. I would change the fuel filter for a start. Has he lost the petrol filler cap and replaced with a one with a different one ? (none vented - vacuum) or even maybe something floating in the tank getting sucked onto the pick-up - after awhile this will come away and let the car start only to get suck up again. Really need a bit more info ie is it always exactly 10 mins and does it cut out sudden or peater out ?

[mindbullets]

thanks everyone for your replies ,in answer to jenny tools ,it always is the same amount of time when it just cuts out suddenly (not splutters).after that it just turns over and will not fire up,have also taken off the fuel feed to the injectors whilst turning it over and it is pumping lots of petrol,this is why we thought it might be something electric/electronic making it stop.thanks again

[Jenny Tools]

In that case it maybe the air flow meter. Try unplugging it when it breaks down it may start and run in a safe mode but dont try to raise the rev's off of idle because it will cut out. Other possible is coolent temp sensor - ecu one not the gauge one.