Hi all. I’m brand new to the forum and am looking for any advice with my issue. I bought an S60 about eight months ago and had it break down on me. It has 80,000 miles. I was driving home when I suddenly lost power to the engine. I’m hitting the gas, and nothing is happening. Pulled over, turned the engine off, and it wouldn’t restart (low battery warning on the dash). Towed it to the dealership, and they called me yesterday with terrible news. Apparently my drive belt pulley froze, causing the belt to blow off. The tech says it got sucked into the timing case, caused the the timing to jump and the piston valves to bend. They are quoting me $8000-$9000 and basically said I need a new engine. Of course I didn’t go for the warranty like an idiot, and now I’m feeling completely screwed. I’m having it towed back to the house, and I have a friend coming this weekend with his timing light so we can take a look ourselves. I wanted to see if anyone has suggestions for specific issues to be on the lookout for or recommendations for places to order parts. I’m willing to do any work I can to try to salvage the situation. I’m still paying off the loan for the car, so I’m not willing yet to admit I just wasted all this money on a hunk of metal to sit in my driveway. If I’m SOL and should just move on instead of throwing good money after bad, I guess I’ll take that hard news too. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

If your timing belt jumped several teeth, the volvo tech is correct in saying your valves are bent and played smoochies with your pistons. A valve job is possible, and is a lot less than a new engine. Repair options are dependent on the damage. I can't speak on the costs of this.

When you tried to start your engine again after the incident I imagine it was spinning quicker than normal (no/low compression).

You can pull your timing belt cover off and check the marks or even just pull a spark plug and look internally at the piston with a bore-scope. You'll easily be able to see the damage.

 

Unfortunately you do need major repairs, but not a new engine. You need a valve job with new valves to replace the bent ones. That repair bill would be about $3500- $4000 retail at a Independent Volvo Specialist. It's a complicated job - many have DIYed it - But I would not recommend it for a rookie - a few special tools are needed as well as a qualified machine shop to do a proper valve job and adjust the new valves.

Sorry for your loss.

 

If you want to confirm the damage use a bore scope/inspection cam. I wouldn't try turning over the engine if you are unsure of the cam timing.

 

Read about the bore scope on a few other threads and ordered one on Amazon. Thanks!

 

Thanks Dingus. Tech said I needed to replace “your heads, short block, basically the whole engine.” I’ll have my friend take a look this weekend and get his opinion. If it’s a valve job, that’s doable financially, but a whole engine will be almost the same as my remaining loan amount.

When I tried to restart, I didn’t notice it spinning faster. All I got was an electrical whirring sound and a low battery warning. I’m thinking the belt that broke powered the alternator, which died and left the battery dead?

Already ordered a bore-scope. I read a bunch of other forums that suggested it. Seems like this isn’t an uncommon issue.

 

The electrical whirring sound could be the engine spinning over without compression - you've probably not heard that sound before to be able to recognize it. .

And unfortunately I've fixed several cars like yours - low mileage with bent valves due to foreign material getting into the timing belt cover or bearing failure damaging the belt.

A Borescope is not what's needed - A compression test is. Although the borescope is fun to play with!

 

I like excuses to buy new toys tools anyway.