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'94 850 turbo. Daughter hit rock and breaks oil pan, oil drains out, engine toast. What to do now? I've been quoted $2,500 to replace the engine. (replace means try to find a good engine, canibalize parts from my car and hope that the "new" engine is a good one).
Your thoughts appreciated. I'm in the Los Angeles area.
Fred.
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posted by
someone claiming to be marty
on
Sun Aug 14 11:18 CST 2005 [ RELATED]
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Check out this site....
http://www.actionsalvage.com/search_result.asp?CATEGORY=VOLVO+850&DESCRIPTION=
They have a couple turbo engines for sale with less than 85,000 miles. The price is $1995.00 with a 90 day guarantee. Hmmm......
Marty
'96 855T
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FB--I have a 97 GLT wagon with the light pressure turbo that I shipped to Norway in 2001 for my wife to drive. While here in the States I let me Number One son drive it, a marine engineer working for the Army Corps. He took it mountain climbing, knocked a hole in the oil pan, and toasted the engine which only had 33K miles on it, along with the turbo. This by a man in his forties. There are some things that just stun you, and that was one of them.
The advice to buy a wrecked car is sound, but may take you some time. It might be better to just find an engine or a rebuilt one. You're not going to find a wrecked 850 today with low miles on it. In 2001 it cost $5000 to replace both engine and turbo in my GLT at a Volvo shop. The engine alone, a rebuild because Volvo does NOT sell factory new engines, was around $2500. The high pressure turbo engine was around $3700 as I generally recall. If you buy a wrecked car be prepared to change out some things besides the engine, because of the so-called engine management system, which Volvo changed as the years wore on. If your daughter toasted the engine like my son did mine, then you also have to get a new or rebuilt turbo, which may or may not come with the engine you get. Definitely check on that one. The turbo alone is over a thousand. I would not install the old one in the new one even if it wasn't screaming while the engine was.
And yes, after I had the new engine installed, I bought and installed a skid plate. The oil pan is brittle aluminum, about one-sixteenth of an inch thick on the bottom, and definitely needs protection. If you're going to keep the car for another hundred K, shop around for a rebuilt one, and change it out. I tried to find out who rebuilt the ones Volvo sold, but hit a stone wall. Obviously the lowest bidder on the rebuild contract. There are people sitting out there with your engine, rebuilt or with low miles on it. Do some searching and posting, and you will find it. Phone Volvo Houston at 1-800-468-0041 and get the price for your engine so you will know where you're at price-wise. Some dealers will quote you full retail, others will quote you a discounted price. Don't be afraid to ask for a discount by telling them you're a VCOA (Volvo Club of America) member (they usually get 10% off) to see what the lowest price is. It only costs twenty bucks to join.
All the best in finding an engine or a wreck. Dick
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I recall seeing, in IPD's catalog, that they're selling a metal skid plate to protect the 850's engine's oil pan, just as you experienced. They describe it as having the necessary holes to do regular maintenance without requiring its removal (making it convenient), but that it will protect the otherwise vulnerable pan.
I also have some recollection that they descrived the 850's oil pan as being made of plastic -- is that my senility, or could that be true?
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posted by
someone claiming to be NB
on
Sat Aug 13 16:45 CST 2005 [ RELATED]
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The 850 oil pans are made of aluminum. The alloy is britle and break upon hard impact.
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Oh,... that's what it was. But I guess that what I remembered from IPD's arguments, promoting their skid plate, is still valid.
Thanks.
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posted by
someone claiming to be marty
on
Sat Aug 13 15:07 CST 2005 [ RELATED]
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Sorry to hear it...
Could you please provide some more information? How many miles... body condition.... interior condition... general state of maintenance.... ??? There's a lot to be considered.
Marty
'96 855T
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The car is in otherwise great shape. Black paint in good shape, no dents or dings. About 125,000 miles on the clock. Leather interior is showing signs of age and some of the accessory bulbs are out but otherwise it's a solid car. Just replaced the struts not too long ago and recently did the alternator and new battery. I think it was a mid-optioned turbo for its time. Black with dark tinted windows, sunroof, woodgrain dash, cd changer, etc. We are the second owner. Paid $6,800 in August of 2002 it had 99,000 miles on it.
What else can I tell you?
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posted by
someone claiming to be marty
on
Sun Aug 14 08:15 CST 2005 [ RELATED]
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With 125,000 miles, you are approaching the mileage where it would once again be time to change the timing belt, idler and tensioner pulleys, and probably the serpentine belt and pulleys. That means that within the next few months you were looking at a bill for periodic repair/maintenance which would have been in the neighborhood of $1000.00.
Although it may be a bitter pill to swallow, you must consider "crediting" the upcoming costs which you will not now have to pay, against the repair tab you are facing.
As far as engine swaps go, you have to consider the turbo, also. If the engine was starved for oil and failed, the turbo bearings were also starved. Whether of not it survived its hard to say. If you swap in another engine, you must consider whether the new engine is of exactly the same type as the old one, otherwise there might be wiring/electronics issues... the 94 and 95 engines use a different ECU part number.... I don't know whether this has only to do with the wiring for the different OBD systems, or if there are other changes. All the sensors seem to have the same part number.
For an engine and turbo rebuild, whether you have it done, or obtain rebuilts, you're looking at somewhere around $4000.00.
If you've been quoted $2500.00 that's the most reasonable price I can imagine. As has been pointed out in another posting, it's hard to come up with a replacement vehicle for the same money, which would offer the benefits and safety of your Volvo.
Please post your decision, or any other results as you look for a solution. I hope that others weigh in with opinions about this one.
Marty
'96 855T
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Look for a donor car that's been hit hard in the rear not the front!
-BTC
'98 V70T5M, 162,000 miles, IPD stabilizer bar, factory HD suspension, Bilstein HDs, Volvo tower brace & skidplate, e-code headlights, V-1, Mobil-1
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair." -- Douglas Adams (1952-2001)
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Darn. We all feel your pain. Including your poor daughter.
Actually, $2500 is not too bad for someone else to do the job. It is labor intensive and most of us do not have the space or lifts to remove the engine. Your best bet is to try to find a car that has been "totaled" in a wreck. Buy the whole car! You can "upgrade" the engine from a 94 and up to a 98 T6, I believe, but you may need the computers too. Not too sure about the wiring in newer years.
Klaus
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98 V70Rawd(108Kmi), 95 854T(88K mi), 75 164E(173K mi)
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