Volvo 245: where the diagnosis stands
1990 Volvo 245, B200E engine, K-Jetronic fuel injection, TZ-28H ignition, M47 manual gearbox. Last updated 21 October 2026.
It starts and runs only with the throttle held. It will not idle.
What changed to get into the no-start
On 3 October 2026 the original coil and distributor ran the car for 1 hour 40 minutes, and it started again afterwards. Then, in order:
- 20 litres of petrol went into the tank, stored since late April 2026 with STA-BIL fuel stabiliser added.
- A new coil went on, to rule out the coil as the cause of the rough idle. It started after a few cranks, but only with the throttle held.
- A reconditioned distributor went on, to rule out the distributor as the cause of the rough idle, and the spark stopped.
- An electronic distributor kit with its own coil went on: no spark.
- The original coil and distributor went back on: still no spark. There were pops from the exhaust while cranking.
Changed on 4 October:
- The earth points were cleaned.
- A new ignition control unit was tried. It was faulty: 0.03 V to the Hall sender.
- The original control unit went back on its cleaned mounting plate with new heat paste, and the spark came back.
- A new fuel pump relay, and new fuses at fuse 4 and fuse 6.
- The plugs were wet with petrol, so they were cleaned and gapped.
- The distributor was refitted by the marks: crankshaft at 0 and the rotor on the notch in the distributor body, then clamped. It did not go back to the pencil mark made on 3 October.
Since then: from 6 October it runs only with the throttle held, and runs faster with the distributor turned 3 mm anticlockwise.
What that points to:
- The symptom started after only two changes: the stored petrol and the new coil. The coil is now back to the original, and the symptom stayed.
- That leaves the petrol, still in the tank. It passed a jar test: clear, no water, a normal smell.
- The late timing below is a real fault too, measured with a timing light.
Fault found so far: the timing is late
The timing light shows about 10° after top dead centre while cranking, with the distributor turned as far anticlockwise as its clamp allows. Volvo's figure for the 1990 B200E is 5° before top dead centre at 750 rpm with the vacuum hose off, so the spark is at least 15° late. The crankshaft, camshaft and rotor marks all line up at top dead centre, so the cause is not yet found.
Tested and fine
- A regular spark on all four plugs, and a strong blue-white spark straight from the coil. The ignition control unit is a replacement Bosch 0 227 100 139.
- Coil 0.7 Ω primary and 7.23 kΩ secondary, both inside Volvo's figures. Leads, cap and rotor fine, plugs gapped at 0.7 mm.
- Both fuel pumps run (8 A together). New fuel pump relay and fuses, and a new tank pump strainer fitted in July 2026.
- The air flow sensor plate moves freely, and the rubber bellows are not cracked.
- The auxiliary air valve opens when cold and closes completely on 12 V.
- Smoke test: no air leaks after the air flow meter.
- The petrol is clear, with no water.
Not tested yet
- Fuel pressures (system, control and rest pressure) and compression.
- The Hall sender's signal, and whether the vacuum unit moves the Hall sender plate.
- Injector spray, and the cold start injector.
- The air flow sensor plate's rest height.