Hi

I apologize for the length of this post but I really need some technical advice on this issue!
I posted back in Nov. about my engine light being on. I was told that it could be numerous issues. I took my Volvo s40 into the dealership to check the engine light and get a winter tune up. $1400 later, I found myself with an "urgently needed timing belt, water pump, a replaced camshaft reset valve and a few other misc. items- winter check, oil change and oil flush. I questioned the dealership about the timing belt but was told that it 'absolutely' had to be done. I did not feel fully comfortable with this but checking with an acquaintance who had referred me to the dealership and worked in the industry I was advised to go ahead since they were a trustoworthy shop as per his knowledge.
Later on this still did not sit well with me and I spoke to some people with knowledge of vehicles. The thing that I must mention is that my car ONLY has 57000 km (not miles, km!). This was cause for concern that I would have a cracked timing belt needing repair and a water pump I was told was leakingat this low km. I promptly informed the dealership that I would be investigating this matter. The manager told me that this was a common issue with S40s- when I asked why this was not a recall issue he backtracked and said only some S40s. (wth???). By this time I was very concerned, the matter was exacerbated when the engine light came back on two days later. The problem I brought the car in for, $1400 later was still not fixed.
I took the car back and the manager told me they were looking into some form of reimbursement for my timing belt. No admission was offered that my timing belt was prematurely removed. I left the car for them to look at the engine light AGAIN. After two days I went in and was told my car had to have the hub assembly repaired and I should sell it right away.
Wait- it really does get worse. They then informed me, the manager and his supervisor from another location who just happened to materialize (I had never seen this gentleman on any of the other3 occassions I visited the dealership) that I should sell my car because there is too much engine sludge. Remember my car has 57000 km. I asked what caused this problem and they toldme improper maintenanceormaybe the km's were rolled back. By this time I was in total shock and dismay and really not believing what was unfolding. They insisted that I 'offload' the vehicle due to the sludge problem. When I asked about why they did not see the sludge when I brought the car in forthe original oil flush and to check the engine oil, I wastold theydid not look there prior. I then asked aboutmy timing belt.The supervisor who I had not seen before this time then said that it was caused by stop startdriving or weather conditions therefore theywere not providing me any reimbursement.I asked for theassertion they made that my kms were rolled back to be put in writing and they said they were unable to do that. [&:]

At this point I am seeking some feedback onthis issue. Is there any hope for my vehicle if they are being honest about the sludge? Is my gut feeling and advice fromothers correct that they should not have removed my timing belt and water pump? Help needed! []

Note: this is a condensed version (if you can believe that) and the stressful events have occured over the past two weeks.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Note: I do not have previous service records on the vehicle and it was bought from a dealer. The car was checked out prior to purchase and given the all clear. I have owned the vehicle for 71/2 months.

Thank you.

 

I have seen low milage S40's sludged up bad enough to warrant pulling the motor apart under warranty to fix it. If you could have shown all services were done at the proper intervals Volvo might have helped some on cleaning it.

You might want to have someone else look at it for you.

I have seen S40's with 30,000 miles on it and the timing belts look like they will break at any minute.

It is kind of a poor design on the timing cover area's I have made posts with pictures of timing belts and how bad they look here is one of them.

https://volvoforums.com/m_81256/tm.htm

Volvo also had a bad Idea of making the oil changes every 7,500 miles which most people will wait till 10,000 miles to get it done.
And actually on the turbo motor they should be done every 3,000 miles.

Thats why Volvo has so many problems with the turbo motors sludging up so much because people wait to long to change the oil.


I am truly sorry about what is going on with your car.

Do you have a Volvo specialist in your area that you can have look at it?

 

Tech, where do u usually look for sludge (beside oil cap and oil stick), I mean at what point do u decide that engine needs a good flush?

 

You have to pry a little hole in the oil filler grate and look inside with a flashlight. Once you open a semi decent hole you can see the hole where the oil drains back down to the oil pan.

 

I do understand that Sludge is due to the use of mineral and semi sinthetyc oils.. Do someone knows if 100% synthetic oils will also cause sludge ?

Best Regards,

 

It can if you run it to long between oil changes.

 

What is the best method of sludge removal?

 

Edit:
Sorry I was thinking Seafoam would be applicable....I was wrong.

 

Does anyone have experience/opinion about engine sludge removal machines (the plug-in type which runs fluid through the engine). My '01 S40 is sludged up from a previous owner - can't be too bad, the camshaft position sensor only triggers in the winter when I guess the oil is thicker (always synthetic since I've had the car). Thanks!

 

Some just use the aditives and run it for a few minutes and then drain it.

 

I called a garage which apparently has a one which pumps the fluids through under pressure. Are there any risks in this procedure... especially for this type of engine? Can it cause more harm than good? Thanks!

 

Look for the technical bulletin 20-05. Volvo has problems. Engines run hot and fry the oil producing sludge. The coolant mechanism as related to the air pollution devices are not properly cooling the engines. Write to the attorney General. You are not alone. My engine seized at 48000. the timing belt breaks after the engine seizes. It is an affect not a cause of the engine problems. My dealership is replacing my engine at no charge to me.

 

Regarding sludge deposits: At temperatures of 300 and over F., and in the absence of air, large molecules of oil break down into small fragments through a process called "cracking". These smaller molecules bond together to form "asphaltines" (no relation to saltines!). These asphaltines are what are commonly referred to as "sludge" by many people. When heated to a suitable temperature, again in the absence of air (oxygen), these products form a hard carbonaceous depostit called "coke" (no relation to Spite). "Sludge" is more accurately a product of the paraffins (wax) in mineral oils which mix and bond with water when an engines oil cools down. Properly, sludge is also a product of the solids in mineral oil, primarily sulfur, which react with the parfins and water (condensate). djmalb was correct when he alluded to the use of mineral and semi-synthetic oils. Fully synthetic oil has no paraffin, nor sulfur, and therefore will not produce sludge. It does however, break down into asphaltines. This occurs at a greatly reduced rate though, and a person should have no problem whatsoever with the recommended oil change schedule if a fully synthetic oil is used. I would ask anybody who can document a "sludge" problem after having used only synthetic oil to contact me. I have personally had vehicles rust out from under me, while the engines still had new tolerances (215,000 miles) when using full synthetics, and at the same time having changed the oil at intervals of 30-40k miles! If you are concerned about sludge, I suggest you change to full synthetic immediatly. Hard start and stop city driving, temperature extremes, and short trips without proper warm-up are all reasons to do so. My belief is that these problems are occuring with Volvo due to a contract to supply oil to their dealers. In my opinion, the oil being used at Volvo dealers in their oil change regimen is inferior, high wax and high sulfer content oil, with low thermal stability. Of course, I have no way of proving that, sans getting a sample and having it tested. I will leave that to an "expert".