Trying to determine if engine is shot or just blown head gasket? I have an 05 Volvo s40, 142k miles on it......Engine died while driving on interstate...towed car to dealer and they advised that the engine was shot? They think engine ran out of anti-freeze and then locked up.......brought car home and pulled plugs, engine turns over so I drained oil and filled radiator to confirm whether their was a water leak, and blown head gasket.........long-story-short, water ended up filling oil pan and the lower anti-freeze/water line (connecting into engine) leaked a lot of water................ I think the lower anti-freeze line burst and leaked all of the anti-freeze out. Therefore, engine over heated and blew head gasket....there was also a considerable amt of oil that ran down the back side of the engine, and seemed to come from the timing belt area. Oil was also puddled in the oil cap ?

Any thoughts on whether this engine is shot, or where the oil came from. plus, there are concerns of internal damage to rings, if engine got so hot that it stalled while driving .... can replace head gasket, but wonder if it a waste of time.......used engine, and labor pretty pricy !

thanks! Ron

 

The risk is having a cracked head - but the only way to know is to open the engine up and dye test the head. So I think your call is whether to pull the head on your own to see if the head gasket is fully blown out, if there's any piston/cylinder wall damage etc and then you'd need to get the head tested. Is this for a T5?

 

I have an 05 T5 it threw a rod bearing, I ordered another engine today so I will have a block or head for sale by the time you get your head pulled if you need one.