Volvo: Fuel pump relay, fuel pump relay, scorch marks

Question
Recently my 1981 242 would start and then immediately die.  The fuel tank was full and the battery was fully charged.  I pulled out the fuel pump relay and noticed that there are scorch marks around the number 30 plug and the line in shows signs of melting from high heat at its respective plug.  Is this due to a faulty relay or is there something else i should be looking for?

Answer
I've seen this a lot on the early 240's.  I would say half the time it is the relay's fault, and the other half it is the fuel pump itself.  What can happen is the secondary in-tank pump will fail, causing the main pump to work extra hard to supply the car with fuel.  That extra current draw can then kill the relay.  I would replace the relay, and also check to make sure your in-tank pump is functional.  Another possibility to keep an eye on is your main pump.  When they start to go bad, they can get louder and begin to draw more current as they seize.  This can be a lengthy process and blow several relays in the process.  If your main pump doesn't seem louder than normal, you're probably ok, but keep an eye on it anyway.