Hey there, Pelican Braintrust:
I tried searching various Volvo sites for this and had some limited success, and was initially going to post this in the PP Volvo forum, but that's a ghost town. Besides, all the best car minds hang out here, right?
I have a 1997 Volvo 850 Wagon with 256,000 miles. As with many 240/740/960/850 Volvo wagons, it is a solid car in every meaning of the word. It has developed a difficult starting issue, though: when it has been sitting awhile, it cranks a lot before it starts, BUT IT DOES START EVERY TIME. If you try starting right after turning the car off, it starts right up. There is a slight gas smell occasionally, but not pervasive, and nothing I've been able to track down. The car idles and drives fine.
In the past 6 months, I've changed the fuel filter, spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, rotor, as well as the usual tune-up stuff. I've also replaced the exhaust manifold and the brake pads and rotors, but doubt either of those have anything to do with this.
Some things I am looking into: 1) fuel leak near/at the rail/injectors, 2) bad injectors, 3) bad fuel pump, 4) bad ignition coil. Is there anything else you can think of that I should check? Is there any way to eliminate possibilities without just throwing part$ at the problem? I'd like to get the car running as well as possible before the snow starts to fly (once I get my Cayman S back, at least I'll be able to pull the Volvo off the road for a few days).
Thanks in advance.