Fuel Accumulator?? Replace?

I have a '77 242DL. But it's a bit of Frankenstein with a B230FT swap. Apparently engine management from a lh2.4. I purchased it this way so repairs can be tricky.

Car suddenly wouldn't start. Replaced the relay. Still wouldn't start.

Then I replaced the fuel pump. But I didn't do the fuel filter (Or is this an accumulator), because nuts were extremely difficult to break loose. However, car started immediately after replacing pump and drove fine for about 100 miles so I was thinking all was good. Then it wouldn't start. Got it to start once and run but was very tough to get started. Now not starting at all again. Sounds like maybe a tiny amount of fuel is combusting, but not enough to get it to turn over all the way.

So here's where I'm confused. I decided to go ahead and try to remove what I thought was the fuel filter. Finally got it loose and cleaned all the gunk off and the part is a Bosch 0438170034 - which is a fuel accumulator?

This is like a $250 part apparently, so before I replace I have a few questions:
- Is the accumulator a likely culprit?
- Does this accumulator have a filter built in? Looked like a filter to me other than having inlet and outlet on same side of canister.
- Anything else I should be checking before replacing this expensive part?

Your filter is likely on your firewall, up high like your wiper motor.

Your problem may be from a failing in-tank pump

Given you've swapped to a B230FT, an I imagine LH2.X(?), you might think about ditching that accumulator. You could get a whole fuel pump tray & pressure line from a car in the yard. It'd relocate your filter down there too. That's how the systems came from the factory, at least.

Your fuel filter is supposed to be at the top of the left side of the firewall. The fuel accumulator is no longer needed if your engine is EFI fuel management. The accumulator is only needed for kjet fuel injection.

The accumulator could possibly clog up if the internals fail. Since you don't need it I would remove it. Change to a LH fuel injection tray setup which is the fuel pump then the fuel filter next to the pump.

User Zvolv has a good no start checks link in his signature.

Mylesofsmyles said:

Your filter is likely on your firewall, up high like your wiper motor.

Your problem may be from a failing in-tank pump

Given you've swapped to a B230FT, an I imagine LH2.X(?), you might think about ditching that accumulator. You could get a whole fuel pump tray & pressure line from a car in the yard. It'd relocate your filter down there too. That's how the systems came from the factory, at least.

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Thanks. Is there any easy way to just delete the accumulator and leave the fuel filter as is? An adaptor to go direct from fuel pump into fuel line? Excuse my newbie questions.

Not sure my odds of finding the appropriate tray at a yard near here.

dl242gt said:

Your fuel filter is supposed to be at the top of the left side of the firewall. The fuel accumulator is no longer needed if your engine is EFI fuel management. The accumulator is only needed for kjet fuel injection.

The accumulator could possibly clog up if the internals fail. Since you don't need it I would remove it. Change to a LH fuel injection tray setup which is the fuel pump then the fuel filter next to the pump.

User Zvolv has a good no start checks link in his signature.

Click to expand...

Yeah feel pretty dumb for not seeing the filter right there on drivers side firewall. I had just assumed the filter looking thing next to the pump was the filter. Was only when I got it off and cleaned up that I realized it was an accumulator.

77volvo242 said:

Thanks. Is there any easy way to just delete the accumulator and leave the fuel filter as is? An adaptor to go direct from fuel pump into fuel line? Excuse my newbie questions.

Not sure my odds of finding the appropriate tray at a yard near here.

Click to expand...

You have more JY options than literally anyone else in the world, being in the Bay Area. Any '86+ Car, and some even older, will have the correct fuel pump tray/pump/harness pigtail and pressure hose for you.


Alternatively, yes, you could figure out a fitting adapter to connect existing hose direct to fuel pump, bypassing accumulator, to your filter on the firewall.

You've already LH2.x swapped/B230 swapped your car, so why not get the right OE Volvo parts that fit right on your car, to complement the swap?

The easiest way is to get the tray and use both fuel filters. That way you can use the stock connector pipe to go between the fuel filter and pump. Or another choice is while at the salvage yard you can also get the fuel pipe that goes from the fuel filter on the tray to the front fuel rail and have all that be stock Volvo.

Not trying to be negative here but you could verify if the problem is fuel or ignition. Even if your first guess works you will need this skill set many times in the future, trust me on that.

So i am beginning to think there's something else going on. Before swapping trays and so forth, I decided to replace the filter and hook the accumulator and pump back up.

Fired up immediately. Took it for a 10-15 mile drive and all was well. Started it up a couple hours later just to make sure and was still fine.

But then this morning it just barely turned over and died. This is basically a repeat of when I replaced the pump.

It;s beginning to feel like the mere act of disconnecting the fuel hoses and introducing air into the system is allowing it to work. But then after sitting overnight it's no longer primed?

Does this help narrow down the culprit?

Could it be a bad in tank pump? And somehow removing the fuel line gets the fluid moving again?

johfraser said:

Not trying to be negative here but you could verify if the problem is fuel or ignition. Even if your first guess works you will need this skill set many times in the future, trust me on that.

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No it's all good. Appreciate the feedback. I am pretty sure it is fuel, because after replacing the pump in ran fine for a few days - both at speed and idle. But then just wouldn't start after sitting for a day or two.

Then again yesterday after replacing the pump it ran fine for 10 or 15 miles. Parked in the garage. Started it up a couple hours later and still fine. Then this morning it turned over once and died.

I am definitely not an expert, but would ignition do that?

What will do the symptom you describe is a battery drain. Either the alternator isn't working or is intermittently charging. Or, it's a drain like a stuck relay or some other device staying powered up.

dl242gt said:

What will do the symptom you describe is a battery drain. Either the alternator isn't working or is intermittently charging. Or, it's a drain like a stuck relay or some other device staying powered up.

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A bad alternator can charge while it's running but drain the battery when the car is off. One way to check for a drain is to use a meter with an amp function. Disconnect and charge the battery all the way up, connect meter in between one of the battery posts and the battery cable, connect cable on other post and start pulling fuses until you find the circuit that's causing the drain. Disconnect the alternator at the large wire to check that isn't the problem. Make sure all the switches for everything is off btw or you'll blow the fuse in your meter. Most meters will take up to 10amp load.