It's been since October when my engine started to run very rough. I asked here and got some great advice and found that I had no compression on engine cylinder #4 and that I very possibly have a burnt exhaust valve. Since then the car has been parked and hadn't moved. Today I finally got it into a garage.

I am going to start tearing down the engine to see what I can find about the nature of the fault and while I am in there I hope to do enough maintenance and parts replacement to get maybe another two years out of this old car. Hopefully I can get even more than that, but the cost of the repairs has to stay managed. I'm not afraid to spend the money to do this right; I just don't want to spend any money at all If I find there is too much damage, this car will be going to a new owner.

I have the Volvo manuals, a few other DIY guides I printed from the net, and a few hands to help out. I'll be posting updates here which I hope will be useful to others looking at doing this job on a 960.

First progress update should be Tuesday next week. First, time to gather tools and enjoy the weekend before the $$$ and time needs start to become evident. It's been years since I had a good car project so I am eager to start.

 

Sounds exciting. Someone did a real good 960 write-up on doing the head gasket.

 

So far nothing surprising or crazy. Engine looks great, clean flame trap and inlet tubing, everything is coming free easily. Really looks like the car was mechanically maintained before I owned it.

Have to take the intake manifold off next, that's always a PITA. Anyone know any tips on removing the intake manifold, or at least removing enough of the hardware to remove the cylinder head? I'd be happy to completely remove it to allow me to work on more of the pieces bolted down lower, but not if it is more trouble than gain.

 

You SHOULD do a leakdown test before pulling the head. Low compression can be bad rings, or a valve, or a blown HG. Pulling it apart before doing a leakdown test could potentially leave you to getting a head rebuild and still having no compression.


Just a forethought

 

Tried a compression test, leaks as fast as I add air by cranking! Little oil in the cylinder, still no compression. Other cylinders were surprisingly even.

I am hoping that inspection of the internals will be telling. This car is a project now, getting it to run again would be a big plus

 

I said leakdown test, not compression test.

 

Work has been keeping me very busy so this effort is going very slow... I got the intake manifold and exhaust manifold off; real easy and no surprises. Got to to the cam gears and had to stop.

I don't recognize the green disc behind the exhaust cam gear from any of the service manuals or write-ups I have. I believe it's just a balance weight or something like that; am I right about that and are there any special directions? Another thing to keep track for orientation when reinstalling?

Photos attached.

 

Yes, all it is is a flywheel. Make sure you set the timing gear, cams and crankshaft on their marks before dis-assembly. Also mark the timing gears exhaust and intake, mark their relation ship to the cams too.
A very common instruction on the web is to have the number one cylinder at TDC, but that is not correct, with the crank on it's mark all pistons are below or just below the deck and allow for full rotation of the cams without interference.

DanR

 

Finally got back to the car. Upper head is off, camshafts out, lifters in oil, etc.

Got to use a neat tool from Kobalt. PERFECT for getting the cam sensor off the back of the exhaust cam. Works with sockets too, I was impressed at how easy it made working on the back of the engine head against the firewall. Kobalt 21-Piece Flex and Bit Thru Ratchet Set.

Tomorrow I am going to take the lower head off and see what I am up against. So far, nothing at all out of the ordinary.

 

Good news, mediocre news, bad news.

• The had is off and generally it looks like a healthy engine.
• Cylinder #4 does have a burnt exhaust valve as I had suspect, good chunk of it is gone. I'll have the shop decide which need replacement and while they are in there to do some other clean-up and maintenance.
• I broke off one of those insane head bolts. Just awful.

So now I need to figure out how exact to get the remaining 1" of bolt out. I think I am going to try the following:

• Use a transfer punch to find center of the broken remnant of bolt. It's pretty deep in there...
• Use a long left hand drill bit to drill out the center for an extractor.
• Try an extractor if the drill doesn't do it on its own.

 

Incredibly slow moving; too much going on at work.

The extractor broke (apparently as they always do - by all personal counts of folks I spoke with these are worthless), had to weld a bolt atop of the extractor to back it off. Now I am back to the first stage. I need to get a 9/16"OD 3/8"ID bushing and finish drilling out the stud. Then I should be able to chisel out the remaining shell of thread that is galled into place.

After the headbolt is fully removed and I am back on track, the head goes off to the machinist for a rebuild.

 

I'm trying to replace my head gasket and I need to know what parts and tools do I need to complete the job

 

Try these links:

https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-...ls-help-37873/

https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-...equence-48284/

 

I wish the OP (coleman) would have followed up with this; I'm contemplating doing the same to my 96.

thanks to RSPI for the follow-up info (great vids, too, I might add)

 

Looks like Im having the same problem with my 95 volvo 960.I have idle issue and it making the engine to shake.I changed the idle air control valve, and also the air mass meter boot, it hasn't helped. I took it it to mechanic he recommended me to change the 4th coil and still nothing. I don't mind spending money on it. But I want to see results. Intake manifold gasket has not been charged since day one, can that cause a vacuum leak and cause the engine shake.

 

Engine shaking is likely due to a misfire. Is the check engine light on? Chances are the mechanic told you cylinder 4 because that is where the misfire is according to the codes. Bad intake gasket can certainly cause vacuum leaks and misfires. See the thread below:

1996 960 Intake Manifold Gasket Replacement - Volvo Forum : Volvo Forums