Hi all,

Just searching for an advice related to the latest problem encountered at my Volvo!
I got a 2002 (buyed new) S40 T4 Volvo which engine, one week ago, was destroyed.

I was running on a highway with about 140-160Kph and suddenly I heard some noise coming from the engine (still running).
Next day I was to the Volvo service. Diagnosis - engine destroyed - they were NOT able to tell me the cause of the destruction.
One piston broken, Connecting Rod deformed, Crankshaft also affected (hit by the piston). Basically engine should be replaced with a new one.

After some searchesI suppose I was encountering the "engine knocking" phenomenon.
I am still unable to understand why this was happening as I was using (Austrian made OMV)100 RON engine fuel.

The Volvo was serviced regularly as per manufacturer recommendations and is having 85.000Km.

Any advice or similar exeprience share from youVolvo ownerswill be more than appreciated.

Thanks
Dragos

 

bună ziuaDragos,

Greetings from Yokohama, Japan.

It was probably the timing belt that broke at highway speed, though yours seems to have had good life to it; timing belt is usually replaced at every 96,000-112,000kms/every 5 years on Volvos. However, onextremely rare occasions the belt does fail before the recommended replacement interval. Since your car was of 2002, it seems to have been a manufacturing defect (poor quality belt, oil/coolant somehow got on the belt, etc...).

Knocking (pinging) often occurs at low speeds, under high load (pulling a trailer, going up a very steep hill, incorrect ignition timing, using fuel of too low octane rating, etc...). But before the engine dies, you would hear loud "click click" kind of noise from the engine. Was that the kind of noise you heard, or did the engine make "clashing" noise?

Ifit's still possible, I would make the shop show you the timing belt (this belt is different from accessory drive belt-the one you can see without removing anything; the timing belt is hidden under a cover and has cogs). If the belt appears all right, it mayhave beenknocking that killed the engine.

I'm sorry but this is the best guess I can give you.


JPN

 

Salut!

And thanks for reply!
It looks to me that if a belt of any kind was failed, the engine should have been unable to operate anymore. Am I right?

But in my case, after hearing the pinging noise, I was forced to run some other... 50Km as I was travelling through the country!
Also, the guys at the service were saying than apart the piston, etc... the engine was running perfectly (....)! Basically no other failed parts were detected nor external influence to generate the failure (as water in the engine which was also suspected).

Numai bine!

 

Salut Dragos,

You are correct, yes if the timing belt breaks, the engine does not start, so it may have been the knocking that killed the engine. I too, am not sure how it happened as you were using the correct octane fuel and the car was running fine at cruising speed until it suddenly died. I can only assume that the ignition timing went off somehow.

The top technician of this forum, by the name of "Moderator Tech", is currently unavailable and it will take a bit more time until he can return and give you better answers than I could.

I'm sorry I couldn't help you any better.

Pe curând,


JPN

[IMG]local://upfiles/6892/73DAF9509CAD442A9F21BE501E543B8E.jpg[/IMG]

 

Hi there,

Thanks for your answers anyway!
If "Moderator Tech" can help with some feedback that will be great!

Dragos

 

Sounds to me like you spun a rod or main bearing. when that happens either the crank flops around in the block with the rod attached to it or the rod flops around on the crank with piston still attached. Either way, its bad.