Patricia Butler

Hi! It's not so easy to access this group now that AOL doesn't offer
newsgroup access anymore.

I live in the Chicago area and drive a 1993 240 wagon. Back in
November, on my way home from Wisconsin, my "Check Engine" light came
on. The car seemed to be running just fine, but I pulled over and
called my mechanic back home, and he said there probably wasn't
anything to worry about, just bring the car in when I got home, which I
did. They gave it a quick look-see and didn't find anything wrong with
it. I didn't have time for more than that at the time, and -- one
thing leads to another -- haven't been back since for a more thorough
check or to have the "Check Engine" light turned off. During that
time, the car has seemed to run fine, though possibly slightly rougher
idle than usual, and has, once or twice, stalled out during idle on the
initial start-up in the morning.

However, the gas mileage has been TERRIBLE. For example, I completely
filled the tank on Friday. Saturday and Sunday I drove no more than 4
miles, total. My total commute to work, round trip, is 3 miles. With
a couple of short side trips, that makes my total miles driven from the
time I filled my tank on Friday until today approximately 25 miles (to
be generous). My gas tank is now half empty (or half full, if you're
an optimist). Now no Volvo 240 wagon is going to get spectacular
mileage, but 50 miles to the TANK seems a bit ridiculous. I wasn't
having this kind of mileage before the "Check Engine" light came on.

So I'm finally getting ready to take the car back to the mechanics.
Based on what I've told you, does this problem sound at all familiar?
Anything special I should ask the mechanic to do/look for? Any
suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks much,
Patricia

~^ beancounter ~^

could just need a tune up...hard to say...let
your mechanic "poke around"...they will probabally
find a dirty air filter...maybe you need a fresh set of
plugs.....the oragne "check engine light" is just a
service warning light...no biggie...If you get a red
warning light...that means pull over and stop (call
for service).....

Patricia Butler

Thanks very much. Anyone else have anything to add before I go?

Thanks again,
Patricia

L David Matheny

"Patricia Butler" <pbutler111@aol.com> wrote in message news:1112888686.037750.196440@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Hi! It's not so easy to access this group now that AOL doesn't offer
> newsgroup access anymore.
>
> I live in the Chicago area and drive a 1993 240 wagon. Back in
> November, on my way home from Wisconsin, my "Check Engine" light came
> on. The car seemed to be running just fine, but I pulled over and
> called my mechanic back home, and he said there probably wasn't
> anything to worry about, just bring the car in when I got home, which I
> did. They gave it a quick look-see and didn't find anything wrong with
> it. I didn't have time for more than that at the time, and -- one
> thing leads to another -- haven't been back since for a more thorough
> check or to have the "Check Engine" light turned off. During that
> time, the car has seemed to run fine, though possibly slightly rougher
> idle than usual, and has, once or twice, stalled out during idle on the
> initial start-up in the morning.
>
> However, the gas mileage has been TERRIBLE. For example, I completely
> filled the tank on Friday. Saturday and Sunday I drove no more than 4
> miles, total. My total commute to work, round trip, is 3 miles. With
> a couple of short side trips, that makes my total miles driven from the
> time I filled my tank on Friday until today approximately 25 miles (to
> be generous). My gas tank is now half empty (or half full, if you're
> an optimist). Now no Volvo 240 wagon is going to get spectacular
> mileage, but 50 miles to the TANK seems a bit ridiculous. I wasn't
> having this kind of mileage before the "Check Engine" light came on.
>
> So I'm finally getting ready to take the car back to the mechanics.
> Based on what I've told you, does this problem sound at all familiar?
> Anything special I should ask the mechanic to do/look for? Any
> suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks much,
> Patricia
>
I think the Check Engine light usually relates to emissions. I'm
not familiar with the 240, but if it has one or more oxygen sensors
I would suspect a failure there first. Or maybe the air-mass meter.
The computer readout should tell them something.

James Sweet

"L David Matheny" <ldmnews1@netassoc.net> wrote in message
news:IaqdndKgWobKZsrfRVn-iQ@netassoc.net...
> "Patricia Butler" <pbutler111@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1112888686.037750.196440@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> > Hi! It's not so easy to access this group now that AOL doesn't offer
> > newsgroup access anymore.
> >
> > I live in the Chicago area and drive a 1993 240 wagon. Back in
> > November, on my way home from Wisconsin, my "Check Engine" light came
> > on. The car seemed to be running just fine, but I pulled over and
> > called my mechanic back home, and he said there probably wasn't
> > anything to worry about, just bring the car in when I got home, which I
> > did. They gave it a quick look-see and didn't find anything wrong with
> > it. I didn't have time for more than that at the time, and -- one
> > thing leads to another -- haven't been back since for a more thorough
> > check or to have the "Check Engine" light turned off. During that
> > time, the car has seemed to run fine, though possibly slightly rougher
> > idle than usual, and has, once or twice, stalled out during idle on the
> > initial start-up in the morning.
> >
> > However, the gas mileage has been TERRIBLE. For example, I completely
> > filled the tank on Friday. Saturday and Sunday I drove no more than 4
> > miles, total. My total commute to work, round trip, is 3 miles. With
> > a couple of short side trips, that makes my total miles driven from the
> > time I filled my tank on Friday until today approximately 25 miles (to
> > be generous). My gas tank is now half empty (or half full, if you're
> > an optimist). Now no Volvo 240 wagon is going to get spectacular
> > mileage, but 50 miles to the TANK seems a bit ridiculous. I wasn't
> > having this kind of mileage before the "Check Engine" light came on.
> >
> > So I'm finally getting ready to take the car back to the mechanics.
> > Based on what I've told you, does this problem sound at all familiar?
> > Anything special I should ask the mechanic to do/look for? Any
> > suggestions would be appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks much,
> > Patricia
> >
> I think the Check Engine light usually relates to emissions. I'm
> not familiar with the 240, but if it has one or more oxygen sensors
> I would suspect a failure there first. Or maybe the air-mass meter.
> The computer readout should tell them something.
>
>

When I've seen that problem it was the air mass meter, try unplugging it and
see if fuel economy improves, it'll still be awful but not THAT bad.

Patricia Butler

That's great -- thanks everyone. I'll let you know what the mechanic
says.

Patricia

Bev A. Kupf

On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 18:25:53 GMT,
James Sweet (jamessweet@hotmail.com) wrote:
>> I think the Check Engine light usually relates to emissions. I'm
>> not familiar with the 240, but if it has one or more oxygen sensors
>> I would suspect a failure there first. Or maybe the air-mass meter.
>> The computer readout should tell them something.
>
> When I've seen that problem it was the air mass meter, try unplugging it and
> see if fuel economy improves, it'll still be awful but not THAT bad.

From my experience as a driver, when the AMM is not functional, acceleration
gets to be fairly awful.

Beverly
--
Many a smale maketh a grate -- Geoffrey Chaucer

Michael Pardee

"Patricia Butler" <pbutler111@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1113079887.744112.162950@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> That's great -- thanks everyone. I'll let you know what the mechanic
> says.
>
> Patricia
>

Just a thought - if the engine seems to be running like it was, acceleration
normal and check engine light not on, no overheating... I wonder if you have
a fuel leak? We had a pinhole leak in our 85 765T just in front of the fuel
pump which drained a quarter tank in less than ten miles. We would have
smelled the leak if we had idled in place long enough, but we were driving
around.

Mike

Patricia Butler

Hi, Mike. Check engine light is on, but everything else seems normal.
If I had a fuel leak, wouldn't there be some sign of it when I move my
car out of the garage in the morning? I haven't seen any stains or
smelled gas at all.

Michael Pardee

"Patricia Butler" <pbutler111@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1113254945.130874.210610@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hi, Mike. Check engine light is on, but everything else seems normal.
> If I had a fuel leak, wouldn't there be some sign of it when I move my
> car out of the garage in the morning? I haven't seen any stains or
> smelled gas at all.
>
Yes - if it was in the garage you would definitely smell gas from a leak
like that.

Mike