For months we've been driving our 2001 with an occasional high-pitched wail. It happens after driving a long distance, stopping and shutting off the engine and then restarting fairly soon after. The dealer said it was a stuck exhaust gas recirculation valve and that it was not at all serious.

Last Sunday it got serious. The noise had been happening while on a short trip. At the end of the day I got a message saying that the exhaust system needed to be checked soon and the oil light also came on. Also, the idle had been rough most of the day. We took it to the dealer and it made the noise immediately upon them starting the car. Their finding was that it was actually an oil line blockage either in the line or in the filter. That came as a shock. The exhaust system engine message somehow is related to the oil circulation.

It took a $400 repair, but I wonder about the damage that might have been done or was done.

I still don't know the full story. I was working when my wife picked up the car. Now I regret going along with Volvo's recommendation of changing the filter every other oil change. Not again.

James

 

The oil pan o-rings might be bad.

What do you mean by this comment?

(Now I regret going along with Volvo's recommendation of changing the filter every other oil change. Not again.)

 

I considered that keeping the system as clean as possible might prevent the sort of blockage they said was happening.

 

What is your oil change interval?
Are you turbo or Non?

 

The oil has been replaced every 5000km. It is not a turbo.

What might the o-rings have had to do with it?

I just got off the phone with my cousin. He recommended getting a compression test. It would give me some confidence in the short term.
In the long term there could be no confidence in the engine, given the fact that it has been either starved of oil or without oil for a significant amount of time, according to him.

I am still waiting for the chance to learn more from the dealer.

Why is it Volvo recommends changing the filter ever other oil change?


James

 

I have never seen where Volvo reccomends changing the filter every other oil change.

The oil pan o-rings seal between the oil pan and bolck where the oil passages are. If one goe bad then that will drop the oil pressure.