No spark on 3,4 and 5 / limp home mode after "tick"

[Jroso]

Wow, I'm actually doing this. Okay! Here we go.

Backstory:
About 2 months ago I was low on gas driving threw town and the 200V70 XC stared cutting in and out. I didn't think much of it because the gauge was a little low. Pulled in got gas went on. It didn't cut out for the rest of the day. Next day it cut out or surged quite a bit. (Put in fuel cleaner thinking it was bad gas)
The problem progressed into me having to wait until it reached running temp before it would run on all cylinders. It would "click" then I would rev it up and it be fine. Driving it home one night it started cutting out BAD! I had to downshift to keep rpms up(auto transmission). Got home and the Cat was glowing red.
Thinking it was a bad catalytic converter I chopped off the original and put another one one. That didn't fix anything. It had melted the inside of the cat. It had thrown or spit out platinum out of the tailpipe by me driving it in "limp home" mode.
For a while I tried to do what I could with troubleshooting until one day I couldn't take it any more. I took it to the shop. Those lying bastards here (in Hawaii) do to know a Volvo from a dick in their own ass. Told me the ECM was fried and it would cost $2grand. Took them a computer and they said they plugged it in. But it needed to be flashed.

Yesterday I started with the basics on the car. Okay it was missing. I troubleshooted the fuel injectors. They all work. I switched the coils around, I have one dead but the car is still only running on the 1 and 2 cylinders. Today it did something it's been doing every once in a while. I had left the key on and I disconnected the battery. After I switched everything around I connected the battery, went in to start it and the dash "black" lights were all on. I turned the key off, back on then started it. It ran like it only had one bad coil. There was a miss but not a "limp home" missing on three cylinders missing. It started fine, then "tick" it declined on rpms and ran like again.
Is it the ECM?
What systems are checked after startup?
I'm at a complete loss and I have 5 grand into it, I can't afford a 4 grand loss on this car because it's not running right. Please throw some real info my way.

[hoonk]

"Cat was glowing red" = running rich from the missfire
"ECM was fried, used one needed to be flashed" = you can't put a used ecm in a 99+, they are coded with the serial number of the car.


Have you checked compression? fuel pressure?

[Jroso]

Thanks for the response "senior member".
[/QUOTE]Have you checked compression? fuel pressure?[/QUOTE]


I had a guy come by a couple of weeks ago to buy the car and he brought a mechanic with him. The mechanic tested the compression on 2 and 3 said they were good. But, NO, I have not tested the compression on each cylinder.

ECM question. The mechanic guy also said that you don't have to send the computer to be programmed. He said you can put the new ecm in the car, leave the key on for 15minutes then try and start it. If it doesn't work turn the key back to the on position and leave it for another 15 minutes. I did some reading up on this (Volvo forums) and it's supposed to use the RAM I the cars computers to try and set their setting to the computer. Of course I tried and I faild. Unless the guy was full of dung.
Does this theory work at all?

I narrowed it down to the 1&2 cylinder fireing, so I switched the fuel injectors around and then the coil packs. Found one dead coil but all injectors were good.

[hoonk]

Up through 1998 you could swap control units, 1999 and up not so much - to the best of my knowledge the only way to get your car to run with a replacement ecu is to buy one from volvo and have Vida download software into it (new ecu has to be connected to your car to program it with that method) or Zemodex (and possibly others) say they can reprogram a used control unit to work in your car without your car being @ zemodex, or fix yours.


"Senior member" in this forum simply means over 100 posts

[Jroso]

I definitely need to look at the "Zemodex" option because I'm in Hawaii on a small island. It costs about $600 RT for shipping to Honolulu. That's where the nearest Volvo dealer is.

I was told by a mechanic here on island to utilize this place in Oregon
http://sosdiagnostics.com/volvo.html

In your opinion, am I better off selling it before or after I try to fix the ECU? and
how sure are you of the ECU being fried?
By the way; do you know what the "clicking" is that happens after startup that makes the car want to run like dog dukie?

100 posts or not you're teaching me something. I'm I'm very grateful for the information. Wanna by a V70 XC?

[Jroso]

Up through 1998 you could swap control units, 1999 and up not so much - to the best of my knowledge the only way to get your car to run with a replacement ecu is to buy one from volvo and have Vida download software into it (new ecu has to be connected to your car to program it with that method) or Zemodex (and possibly others) say they can reprogram a used control unit to work in your car without your car being @ zemodex, or fix yours.


"Senior member" in this forum simply means over 100 posts

Okay, I checked in on the Zemodex. They make a good case on sending them my ecu but it may be fueled by my hopes of that fixing my problem.

Big question! With the symptoms of the following;

- during my V70xc's acting up it would 1. Cold start rough, random misfires on 3 cyl. But when I would let the car warm up or reach operating temperature, then rev the motor a bit it would run fine for the day. Until I let it sit for three hours and it completely cooled off.
- does that sound like a electronic "ECU" problem? Or a ETM problem?

*in my experiences when you starve electronics, they work for a bit them gradually go out. Not like if you give electronics too much voltage they will suddenly stop working because something burned out.
By the way I wasn't able to get over a $500 dollar offer for my car when I tried to sell it.

[Jroso]

Up through 1998 you could swap control units, 1999 and up not so much - to the best of my knowledge the only way to get your car to run with a replacement ecu is to buy one from volvo and have Vida download software into it (new ecu has to be connected to your car to program it with that method) or Zemodex (and possibly others) say they can reprogram a used control unit to work in your car without your car being @ zemodex, or fix yours.


"Senior member" in this forum simply means over 100 posts

Can anybody think of any reasons why it wouldn't be the ETM? I've do e some reading and I'm starting to lean towards the ETM being the problem.

[Jroso]

Can you think of any symptoms or reason of why it wound not be the ETM?

The major event that leads me to believe it is the ECU is; I've done a hard reset on the ecu and when I put it back in, it still went directly to "limp home mode". Missing on 3 cylinders.

[hoonk]

What is your definition of limp home mode?

"Missing on 3 cylinders" - start with the basics, check compression, if over 100 psi on all cylinders move onto ignition, as you have tried, it's easy to substitute know good components on the misfiring cylinders.

"having to wait until it reached running temp before it would run on all cylinders" Perhaps the throttle plate is not moving properly then the engine is cold.

There is a possibility that I've seen occur with the 99-01 throttle module - If the throttle plate sticks open when the engine is supposed to be idling, the ecu will cut cylinders (sorry don't know if the fuel or the ignition is cut) to try to get the engine speed close to normal. This can be confused for bad ignition or fuel parts causing the miss fire (coil ,plug, injector etc.) Vida can test the throttle module but the sticking ones I've replaced have been obvious - the throttle plate sticks or does not feel smooth when you push it open with your fingers.

A throttle module has to be coded to the car also, one from Volvo won't work without programming. You can have yours rebuilt or purchase a preprogrammed unit from an aftermarket source. Some have reported being able to get a used unit to work. (never tried)

[Jroso]

What would you replace first to help fix this problem? The ETM or the ECU and why?

I feel myself leaning towards the ECU because I've had the ETM off when I replaced the voltage regulator on the alternator and it looked good. No grim on the butterfly, no sticky feeling that I could notice. It would have to be a straight up ETM electrical housing on the side that is warn out to be making these symptoms. It never fluttered on throttle, just jumped in and out of missing on multiple cylinders.