I have a 96 850 sedan volvo. It has been using more oil then it should have for over a year now. I've asked several different mechanics to look for a leak, but they can never find one. They told me it is just going out the exhaust pipe and that I should keep my eye on the oil level. Anyways, I let the oil get almost all the way empty and now the engine makes a noise. It kind of sounds like a diesel sometimes. It doesn't make this noise the entire time I'm driving it. It is most noticable when I first turn on the car. The car also seems to be using more gas then it used to. The mechanic who did my last oil change and discovered that my oil was empty told me that something in the engine had decompressed when there was no oil in the engine and that it had messed something up. (I wasn't quite clear on what he was talking about.) Anyways, he said that my engine is probably going to go soon and I should save up for a new car.

I am checking the oil every time I fill up with gas now to be sure that it doesn't get low again. I'm basically adding about 1-2 quarts everytime I fill up. My daily commute is between 30-40 miles depending on what errands I run on the way home.

What do you guys think? Should I believe the mechanic or should I take it somewhere else and see if they can find a fix for the car? Do you think this is fixable? Would it be cheaper to buy another car? I've put over 2000 dollars into this car over the last 3 years to keep it running (not including maintenance). I was working under the assumption that the car would last a long time so it was worth putting all of this money into.

 

Well, you are driving an old car that requires more attention. Letting it run out of oil is bad on any combustion engine, especiall an old one.

Putting $2,000 into a car over 36 month period is not bad, actually normal. These cars cost about $75 per month to keep running well and your expense is $55.55. Add the oil changes and tire replacement and you're probably about right.

If you ran the car out of oil, and you are now putting 1 - 2 quarts in ever fill-up, I would plan on replacing the car soon. When oil consumptsion gets bad you likely have worn pistons or something. You can have a compression test done but that is only if you plan to have an engine rebuild. You can find a replacement car that needs a little work for next to nothing these days. I just picked up a S90 that needs about $800 in repairs for $500. That's about a $1,300 car that is in otherwise good shape. I will do the work myself for about $350.

Yes you're right, if you keep a good car up it can last a long time. Maybe you can sell that one for $950 and use that $$$ towards one for $3,000 and start from there.

 

probably need new piston rings.

depending on the condition of the motor after all this.

do you have another car to use. i wont be driving it till the problem is fixed.

wait for the experts to get on.

 

Ok, so what if I just had the engine rebuilt? What should I expect to be charged for that?

 

i wound try local junk yards for a motor. i know i have one in a local yard that only has 150k on it