My car just lost power and turned off while I was driving and now it only cranks and won't start, the battery died but even with jump start, the car didn't start so I assume it's bad alternator so here I am trying to find a cheap alternator cause my car is stuck in a car park in the city. if anyone has an alternator please let me know, or if you think it might be some other issue, please feel free to share your opinions.
vic: Volvo 740 alternator
Don't assume anything
Something else is wrong with your no-start issue
Check for fuel delivery
Spark
Compression
Injection
Then come back and let us know what you find (a very common problem is a faulty fuel pump relay, gets hot and loses contact which turns off the fuel pumps)
Thank you very much, I'm going to have a look at it today and see how things go.
If it's in a car park better get it towed, cheaper than the fee to leave it there.
Not suggesting this is your problem, though a few years ago the same happened to me in a 740. thankfully it was the ignition module, diagnosed in ten mins, dash back to workshop then repaired in 5 more. drove it out before getting a ticket.
as above, best diagnose the problem before replacing parts.
Things To Do While Waiting For A Flatbed
You car is an 89 model - yes? So, LH2.4. Might be worth doing a check for codes, first up.
https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/EngineOBDCodes.html
No fault codes? Good, the electronics should be okay.
When you remove the oil filler cap and look at the cam when your helper cranks the engine, can you see the camshaft turning through the oil filler hole in the cam cover? If it is, good. If not..... well, the timing belt may have broken, and that's one reason for experiencing Very Sudden Death.
All these checks above can be done without any tools.
Was your main fuel pump noisy before this Very Sudden Death? To be fair to the fuel pumps, they give you plenty of warning before shaking off their mortal coil.
Dead / dying alternators don't usually sudden stoppages - like, I drove a 944T with a dead alt for about 90 kays before the volts ran out, but again, i had plenty of warning.
I tried to clean up soem stuff and put it back while i was in the car park, it didn't work, I send the car to a mechanic and now he called me saying that he couldnt find any fault and couldn't start the car. I will bring the car home and try new stuff out, when it died it died with a thumping sound and then I lost all power and engine shut itself off. If it had soem electrical issue would it result in that behaviour or na?
Take care to Voldat or Berry Motor Group.
- Edited
thanks, went to Mason's Prestige Volvo for my coilovers and they quoted me 3x higher than what another mechanic's quote, I might just sell the car to just get half my money back. Anyhow, thank you for the suggestion.
Quick question, if the car jumps timing or there is some timing belt issue, would it die suddenly?
I'm thinking your other mechanic has no clue.
Take it to who I suggest, you came here asking for advice. I know all these people personally and they are fair, in fact , have gone out of their way to help me in ridiculous circumstances and charged me normal rates.
Your mechanic lies to you and you keep quoting him as a reliable source yet they can't help you?
Mate , get serious.
+1 for Voldat and Berry's.
They are good guys and know these things backwards.
I send the car to a mechanic and now he called me saying that he couldnt find any fault and couldn't start the car.
The car's failure to start is a fault. A pretty major one.
If he can't see that, suggest you find somebody who knows what they're doing - like Berry's or Voldat - while old mate goes to SpecSavers.
Also, you shouldn't pay that guy a cent if he can't even diagnose the problem.
- Edited
740BoxQuick question, if the car jumps timing or there is some timing belt issue, would it die suddenly?
It could do, if the timing jumps far enough. You would hear it when cranking, the normal putt-putt-putt of the engine turning over would sound different.
If the battery is charged, a failed alternator should not prevent the car from running. With these older cars, they typically will run on battery power alone for some amount of time (depends on the size/health of the battery and how many other things you have switched on like AC, stereo, headlights, etc, but a few minutes up to 30-40 minutes).
If your alternator dies or is not able to supply enough current to keep the battery charged, your car would drive like normal (probably all your warning lights would be on at once, but it's not always the case), then the battery would drain, and the car would die, and you would not be able to crank it (or it would barely crank).
If you're stranded, the first thing I would try is giving the fuel pump under the car a few love taps with a big spanner to see if it's a failed pump. Next I would pull the coil lead and hold it to the manifold and verify whether or not you have spark. If you are cranking but have no spark, the issue is likely the crank position sensor.
Edit: also, the mechanic you took it to does sound terrible, if for no other reason than "I couldn't get it to start, also nothing is wrong".
To be fair, the quote was the mechanic could not find a fault and not that there was no fault.
Thank you all for the comments and guidance.
And I must piont out that I had made a mistake in my previous post regarding Voldat automotive, I didn't deal with them and had them wrongly accused of excessive price, my sincere apologies.
My dealing was with Mason's Prestige Volvo and how exorbitant their prices are.
740Boxthanks, went to Mason's Prestige Volvo for my coilovers and they quoted me 3x higher than what another mechanic's quote, I might just sell the car to just get half my money back. Anyhow, thank you for the suggestion.
740BoxThank you all for the comments and guidance.
And I must piont out that I had made a mistake in my previous post regarding Voldat automotive, I didn't deal with them and had them wrongly accused of excessive price, my sincere apologies.
My dealing was with Mason's Prestige Volvo and how exorbitant their prices are.
To be fair, coilovers on a 740 are a weld in affair. If I was in their position I would flat out refuse, or in their case charge you 3x what old mate the mechanic has charged.
Go to someone who actually welds structural shit for a living like a boilermaker and shout them a case of beer.
The strut tubes need to be pre heated before welding, and cooled slowly after the welding process.
Anyway I diverge.