The vibration or bumping you are getting is due to one or more items that are binding. The upper strut bearing, lower ball joint or the tie rod end is binding from wear or lack of lubrication. A proper inspection...
This may be a sign of a weak battery, a failing voltage regulator or failing alternator. As you may know, the alternator is responsible for charging the battery while the engine runs by generating amperage and recharging the battery while...
Hi there. Usually when your engine struggles to maintain a smooth idle while in gear it is attributed to fuel system issues ranging from dirty fuel injectors, to idle control valve that is damaged or a mass air flow sensor...
For the condition of the engine rpm's changing either the Idle Air Control valve is not working properly and needs cleaned out or the EGR valve is sticking causing the engine to bog down and stall out. I recommend taking...
The slave cylinder on your car slides into a mounting sleeve. The two can pretty much fuse together over time making it very difficult to remove. To start with, you might find that removing the radiator fan will give you...
If the transmission all of a sudden will not go into reverse, then check the shifter cable to see if the transmission is in alignment. To do this in the car, simply set the parking brake and put the transmission...
Hello. This may be a sign of a faulty transmission control solenoid. Modern automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears. Every time a gear change is required, the car's computer activates a transmission solenoid, which directs transmission fluid...
Hi there and thanks for contacting YourMechanic. The best way is to look in your owner's manual and look up the fuel tank size. Then remove the fuel tank from the vehicle to gain access to the fuel filler neck....
Hi, thanks for writing in. Was there oil down in the spark plug wells also? If so, the rubber plug boots may still have enough oil on them to short to the cylinder head. It is also possible, with your...
A common cause for an intermittent no start on the Volvo 850 and stalling is a failing main fuel relay. The contacts in this relay over time can burn, causing no fuel delivery and ultimately a stall and subsequent no...
If you had excessive blowby from worn rings and all, then you would have excessive smoking and oil consumption through the engine. It almost sounds like your PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) system is not feeding blowby gasses back to the...
On the Volvo 850, there is a plastic gear on the odometer/trip meter unit inside the instrument cluster that is known to wear out. The instrument cluster will have to be removed, disassembled, and the gear replaced to correct the...
The Volvo 850's are notorious for having main fuel relay failures due to burned contacts in the relay. This will cause intermittent fuel delivery issues which result in stalling, shuddering, and no-starts. This is an inexpensive part to replace, and...
A couple of things come to mind. I would first ask these questions: Is this a no crank or a no start? I will address both scenarios below. A no crank is when the motor doesn't turn when you...
Wow, manual transmission Volvo's are really hard to find. It sounds like you have a slipping clutch. This is pretty normal behavior for a worn out clutch, and with 170,000 miles, it's due for it. I would suggest having the...
There is only one vehicle speed sensor, so if the speedometer is working, then the problem lies in the instrument cluster, or trip computer. I recommend having a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, come out to your car's...
Hello. The struts could definitely cause a clunking noise. However, there are other suspension parts that should be checked as well, such as the upper/lower control arms, and the upper/lower ball joints. These could also cause a clunking noise. The...
Hi. Transmission light usually flashes due to overheating. If the fluid is low, it is possible for the transmission to overheat. Depending on how much it overheats, the remaining fluid can be pushed out of the vent tube. Low fluid...
The odometer most likely stopped because there is a problem with the vehicle speed sensor. This sensor tells the computer how fast and how far the car is going, so it knows how many miles to count on the odometer....
Even though you can get the car to start and run by sticking the wires into the connector, it will not keep out moisture and it could corrode even more. I would recommend having a mechanic inspect the sensor and...
