my vovlo stopped working

[new2volvo]

i was drivnig my volvo 740 once and decicded to see what she could do so i put my foot down on the pedal and something went wrong anyway as soon as i went to turn a corner down near my road the engine just turned off. i couldnt start her up for at least another 10 minutes. now she wont start at all. i think it might have something to do with the oil leak but i cant find out where it is leaking from.

[Johnno]

I assume the engine still cranks over; if so, does it try to start or doesn't it fire at all? if it does , what does it do/sound like?

Why do you think it may be related to a oil leak; did the leak only appear after the engine 'thrash'. Where is the oil leak located/visible on engine ?

If it's not firing, then it could be electrical; but if it is, but runs rough or misfires, could be the timing belt has slipped a tooth or so (how many kms has the belt done?).


I had to 'thrash' the engine on my 740 a couple of times in peak hour last week (due to some clowns who don't understand how to merge).
Anyhow, I now have oil accumulating on the water pump body; after a clean and short run, the oil came back and I figure its from the front cam seal - engine has been leak free since I replaced cam & intermediate seals about 18 month ago, but it seems the front seal has now gone again   
I'm wondering why a short 'trash' would cause that; so it seems if I have to replace the seal again, and therefore I may as well do the timing belt again, even though it's not due for another 30,000km (due about every 60,000).

[wobblywombat]

depending on what modle 740 you have If your volvo stopped working after a "thrash" thefirst thing i would check is as it a spark,if the answer is no then the main culprit is the distributor,tucked away at the back of the motor these have a habit of over heating,

[new2volvo]

hey thanks for all your help guys
the engine does still turn over. and it sounds like it normally would before it usually starts but it just never seems to start.
it might be the belt i noticed it was a bit misshapen on one part of the belt.

i bought the car with the leak but my car usually doesnt mind the leak untill last week when i thrashed it for the one time.
the oil leak seems to be coming out over the timing belt aswell thats why i thought maybe it was the oil leak.

another thing, when i turn used to turn my engine off the coolant cap used to make a high pithced squeeling noise. do you think i may need to replace the cap?

if the distributer is over heating what do i do to resolve it?

thanks for all your help guys

[wobblywombat]

If your distributor,is at fault then you are going to have to replace it,and i wish you luck in getting one,when mine went i got quotes ranging $700 for a second hand on to $1700 for a new one,finally got one through a friend in NSW foe $170 plus postage,now all this was about 8 years ago.
 if you have the same model as i had and you have some mechanical/electrical skills then hall effecte,trigger which is what gives proplem looks very much like the one in the NA Fairlane,but please dont take that statment as meaning that the are the same

[Johnno]

What I found with my 740 was that the 'flame trap' was blocked a bit, and revving the engine hard built up crankcase pressure and subsequently 'blew' the front cam seal forward in its housing (back of timing belt cover at top) resulting in a leak.

Solution was to replace 'flame trap' ($10 new or clean existing one) which immediately reduced the leak from a puddle on the ground to a few drops. On 740s and late 240s it's under the intake manifold, behind all the fuel injection stuff, but still easy enough to get to; early 240s located at front left of rocker cover.

 

So all I have to do now is replace the front cam seal ($14 )  - still deciding whether to replace timing belt at same time as it's only been in 18 months and done around 25,000km (usually replace at 60,000 or so).

[Johnno]

well the front camshaft seal finally dislodged itself and oil started 'running' down the front of engine - quite literally; could clean engine, start it and watch oil running down front of motor - big puddle on ground within minutes, so car was off the road for a day or two before I could fix it - lucky I finally got the 240 running again, so I wasn't stranded.

Didn't have an offsider at hand to help lock the engine so I could change the timing belt as well (into spare parts box for later); so just got the cam sprocket off and bent the plastic backing plate forward, removed stuffed seal and tapped in new one - done about 70kms since and engine is 'dry as' now, no oil on leaks at all 

[new2volvo]

so you reckon i just gotta replace the flame trap hey. ill give it a go and let you know how it goes after that. that sounds like it could be the prblem. because its not a real bad oil leak, it just drips for a little bit after i turn the engine off.

stupid me the other day i took the cover that goes over the timing belt off so i could degrease the engine and i forgot to put back a couple of screws on the cover when i put it back on so as a was driving the damn timing belt slipped off didnt it haha. but im getting one of my mates to help me put it back on. so i have been stranded for a couple of days. i should get a little 240 as well for a second car just incase something goes wrong again.

thanks for your help again. ill let you know how the flame trap goes.