So my dad recently had the car taken into the volvo dealer for its 120k mile check up. Everything turned out ok, and I drive the car across the country. Once I arrive in Michigan, coming from Washington State, I have the oil changed. I am driving on the side of the road, and my car warning says, no oil pressure, pull over immediately. I have had this warning many times in the past, and all the dealers tell me that the sensor needs to be reset and taken into them so they can charge me 100 dollars and reset the button. However, this time immediately after as I am driving the car makes a loud banging noise and the car wont accellerate barely at all. I pull over to the side of the road and call AAA, they tow it to a volvo mechanic, and he tells me the rods have spun a bearing or something, basically the engine is totalled??? What should I do from here? Get a new engine/used engine and have him put it in? Total it? Do you think the oil change place or the volvo dealership should be liable for breaking my engine? The car was running great before this, and although it has close to 130000, the 120k service was done probably 4k miles ago, and the oil change less than a thousand. Anywords of advice would be greatly appreciated, I have little to no experience in cars and I am all alone in michigan with no idea what to do! My dad used to take car of this and the car has been at the shop for a week as I try to figure out the best option.

 

The engine will need rebuilt or replaced if that's the case. It seems odd that the Dealer was "resetting the sensor". Not sure if the previous is related, but it seems to me that if the low oil pressure warning is coming on, then maybe the car actually has/had low oil pressure.

Good luck.

 

Did the BIG bang come immediately after the Oil Change...and how much Oil was in the car at the time the bang ocurred....sounds mighty FISHY to me..espacially if everything was OK up until the Oil Change...about how many miles after the Oil change did it Bang..?

Something tells me that maybe they said they changed the oil..and forgot to put any in closed everything up and you drove it into HELL...what a shame !!! Good Luck

 

that happened to my friend, luckily he only lived like 2 miles from the place the oil got changed, and the low oil pressure light came on, he went back and they gave him like 100 free oil changes because of it. but it just goes to show that it can happen

 

Just a note, in 2001 Volvo S80s either came in a 2.9L I6 or a 2.8L I6 Turbo, there was no V8 until 2007. There would be no V8 sitting in your car.

 

sorry its the 2.9 non turbo engine. I drove the car maybe 200-500 miles since the oil change.

 

Yeah check the oil level if you still can. I am thinking the place that changed your oil didn't refill it, thought you would assume the low oil pressure light would have come on sooner, or there was a leak either with the filter housing or the drain plug and your oil ran out. Have your mechanic look into it. I would think there is a good chance your last oil change may have played a factor.

The low oil pressure issue previous to this is suspicious as well. What "Sensor" are they just resetting? Ask your Dad if he ever had the pick up seals replaced....

 

My next question, I got a quote of about 1.8k for an engine off gearheadengines.com, which comes with delivery and a 3 year, 36000 mile warranty. The volvo dealer quoted me 1700 for installation of the new motor. So I am looking for any insight into what people believe the next step is. I love the car and definitely want to stay with it if I can, and 3000 some dollars for a new engine + installation doesn't seem unreasonable.
Can there be any other problems to the car from this occurring? The engine consists of everything needed to run the engine, minus the battery, and I am curious if any other damage to the car could have occurred. I have recently had the 120k check and everything else with the car is OK.

 

I am sure if you paid qualified techs to change the engine, all your issues should be worked out. Let's not forget that you don't just "slap in an engine" since there are other costs like fluids, broken lines, stripped bolts, etc. Also the used engine needs inspected for leaks or damage. You should replace the front and rear main seal at least to avoid another engine removal in the future.

 

Ahhh OK. So when I was quoted 1700 for the entire installation costs this isnt accurate? What do you think a reasonable amount would be? The cheapest installation I could find actually ended up being a volvo dealership, everywhere else was 6-800 more. I could definitely use any more information on the process or what I should have done/checked when installing an engine into this car. Thanks alot

 

The exact same thing happened to me with Valvoline. After 30 minutes of waiting they came to ask me if i knew where my oil filter was. I said I'm leaving, but at the same time they found it.
The genius tech who found it didn't take the old gasket off the filter and put a new one on over it. Long story short it took about 3-5 days and the pressure from the engine spewed all the oil out of this gap and spun a bearing on cylinder 3.
Valvoline admitted to the mistake, even said they'd pay for it, of course until they found it it needed a new engine, then they said their insurance would cover it. They sent some guy out to look at it while at the dealership and he said the damage wasn't because all my oil drained out because if this was the case all my bearings would have spun. he said one spun bearing would be from me racing my car. the insurance of course immediately denied payment. Can we say the claims guy works for the insurance company?
After 2 years and 20 letters to all the big wigs of Valvoline, i ended up with the same response, "we won't take you seriously until you get a lawyer." problem is no lawyer wanted the case as there wasn't any moeny to be made.
I was left with two options, small claims court or turning it into my insurance.
I should have taken it to court....insurance claim didn't amount to what I owed.

 

can you file a claim with insurance for non collision damage to your car? I thought you could only go through insurance if you hit something or someone, not if your engine blows up. Am I wrong?

 

If you have full coverage with comprehensive, damage caused by a business is covered...

I received low retail value for my car. I just happened to owe a little over that.

 

That is total bullsh!t! I've seen multiple cars throw single bearings due to no/low oil pressure. That is a load of crap!

 

True, but try being a guy with no money going up against a huge company and getting the door shut every which way you go even though they admitted to the damage. Try a google search of "valvoline complaints", you'll find hundreds who have lost engines because of them and get no where.

 

Don’t get me wrong. I can understand your predicament, but I’m just pointing out that it is absolute crap that they were pulling. A car doesn’t usually spin all bearing at the same time. What a D-bag insurance investigator.

 

I'm sure the guy worked for the insurance company. His company may say 3rd party claims and such. But think about it, if the insurance company slips him a couple hundred extra bucks a month to say it's the customers fault, then it's on him and his conscience.

I did everything i could against Valvoline up to the point of hiring a lawyer. This includes reporting to the Better Business Bureau, Attorney General's office, letters to the managers (store, district, and regional) heck, i even figured out how Valvoline does their email system and emailed everyone at the head of management and corporate as well as all their stock people. I also mailed a letter to the home of the owner of Ashland oil who owns Valvoline. Everyone of them said they would do what they can to help. Only for me to be pawned off to the same guy who always came back with "The claims adjuster said it was your fault, we get faulty claims daily, so if you want us to take you seriously, hire a lawyer." My response was always, "you already admitted to the damage and agreed to pay for it, at what point are you breaking your word only to make this a lawyer up thing."

In the end i just got fed up with the run around and figured turning it into my insurance 2 1/2 years later with all my paperwork is way easier than small claims court as even it has a max of $7,500. I received $5,000 for my car from the insurance, it all was a matter of cost of small claims court and the money i would lose having to appear and not be able to go to work.

 

Has anyone on here dealt with gearheadengines.com, midwestauto.com, or searchpartsengines.com ??? I am thinking of purchasing a refurbashed/remanufactured engine from one of these online sites, they come with a 3 year / 36k mile warranty if I pay about 400 dollars more, and the total comes to around 2100. The dealership here quoted my 1700 for installation, and I have had no other problems with the car except this stupid oil problem, which from what I have read is from the previous owner (bought the car used) I assume the previous owner did not get the oil changed when he/she was supposed to. Anyways, the total, with free shipping, and an estimate on the engine installation is ganna run me about 4000. Does this seem like a good price? and have anyone of you out there ever bought an engine from any online sight? Or any store that you can point me to! Id appreciate any info!

 

I have always bought reman engines from Jasper, but not sure if they have Volvo engines or not.