'96 Volvo 960 oil disappearance question / advice

On Nov 18, 5:12 pm, "bg4a" <b...@prodigy.net> wrote:
> Hello, as follow-up, a mechanic told me that this engine has normal
> compression of about 160 pounds.

Did your mechanic run a compression test to confirm your reading?

> He says that the 220 pounds on my guage
> means that there is a lot of deposit at the top of cylinder that is taking
> up space. I am having trouble with that thinking as it would seem that 25%
> of the volume at the top of the stroke would have to be "deposits". He also
> says that the more and faster I burn oil, the more and faster the deposits
> will grow.
>
> The Volvo service guys are quite a group now. You have to make an
> appointment for "service consultations", in marble-lined offices

I've owned Volvo's in the USA since 1984 and never had to make an
appointment for a service consultation with a separate appointment for
the actual service to be done. And the service writer and manager
offices tend to be a bit spartan but clean and comfortable. There's
no marble on the floors let alone on the walls and celing. Marble
would not be a very good surface in a high traffic area like a
dealership.

Indeed I'm not aware of such a practice with another make. Which
dealership has service consultations in marble lined offices.

> and then,
> depending on the outcome of the consultations, get an appointment for the
> service work. The problem is that I can't get call backs to set a time for
> the "consultation".

If this is so you should change dealers.

>
> I have decided to keep a good supply of oil (10w30, as it gets too cold here
> to crank when using 20-50) and hope for the best.
>
> And save money to buy a different brand of car.
>
> Other comments would be appreciated.
> Bye, Bill
>

On Nov 18, 5:12 pm, "bg4a" <b...@prodigy.net> wrote:
>
> The Volvo service guys are quite a group now. You have to make an
> appointment for "service consultations", in marble-lined offices and then,
> depending on the outcome of the consultations, get an appointment for the
> service work. The problem is that I can't get call backs to set a time for
> the "consultation".
>

Defintiely time to go looking for the "neighbourhood garage" in your
area. I'd recommend Suters in Aurora, but figure that may be a bit of
a long drive for you. Basic industrial unit garage -- all the money
that customers pay gets sunk into tools, not palatial appointment
rooms. The Newmarket Volvo dealership did go through a major upgrade
but the Service Department still looks utilitarian in spite of it
being part of the show room.

Check the local Yellow Pages or post a general question on who
services Volvos in your area.

Find another Volvo driver in your area and ask them where they go for
servicing. That's how I found about Suters here in Aurora.

I just saw your post. You may ahve resolved all this by now, and I
didn't see the original post with the details of the problem, but I have
some experience with a '95 960 290,000 km. I had to remove the head
because of a bad head gasket about 50,000 km ago. Since the head was
off, I had it tidied up by a machine shop - this included new valve
seals. The oil consumption dropped remarkably - from about 1 litre
every 1000 km to 1 litre every 5,000 km. Head removal is a tricky, time
consuming job, but if you do it yourself, the machine shop costs should
be around $200-$300 as long as things like new valve guides or new
valves are not required. To have this done by a dealer would cost
upwards from $2500.

Ross

bg4a wrote:
> Hello, as follow-up, a mechanic told me that this engine has normal
> compression of about 160 pounds. He says that the 220 pounds on my guage
> means that there is a lot of deposit at the top of cylinder that is taking
> up space. I am having trouble with that thinking as it would seem that 25%
> of the volume at the top of the stroke would have to be "deposits". He also
> says that the more and faster I burn oil, the more and faster the deposits
> will grow.
>
> The Volvo service guys are quite a group now. You have to make an
> appointment for "service consultations", in marble-lined offices and then,
> depending on the outcome of the consultations, get an appointment for the
> service work. The problem is that I can't get call backs to set a time for
> the "consultation".
>
> I have decided to keep a good supply of oil (10w30, as it gets too cold here
> to crank when using 20-50) and hope for the best.
>
> And save money to buy a different brand of car.
>
> Other comments would be appreciated.
> Bye, Bill
>
>
> "byrocat" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
>> On Oct 27, 5:19 pm, "bg4a" <b...@prodigy.net> wrote:
>>> We have a 1996 Volvo 960 with about 130,000 miles, most of those miles
>>> are
>>> ours. Also, we've taken good care of the car with oil change every 4,000
>>> miles, etc.
>>> It is a very nice car yet and don't know what to do. I found an engine
>>> in
>>> a junk yard with 62,000 miles. They want $2,000 and I found a mechanic
>>> who
>>> would change it out for $1,300.
>>>
>>> May I have some suggestions of what is wrong and what to do?
>>>
>>> Thanks, Bill
>>
>> Bill, I'd also check what the price of a replacement car is. As great
>> as the Volvo is, there is also a point where you may be throwing good
>> money away, trying to keep a car going.
>>
>> I'd check out several other garages in your area that deal with Volvo
>> and get their opinion.
>>
>> I'm not an expert on self-done compression tests but definitely does
>> not look perfect on three cylinders.
>>
>> A rebuild on the engine seems to be in order if you can't keep
>> compression. A good mechanic should be able to give you in itemized
>> list of the costs without having to completely disassemble the engine,
>> by doing a compression test again plus a close examination of the
>> visible parts.
>>
>>
>
>

I just saw your post. You may ahve resolved all this by now, and I
didn't see the original post with the details of the problem, but I have
some experience with a '95 960 290,000 km. I had to remove the head
because of a bad head gasket about 50,000 km ago. Since the head was
off, I had it tidied up by a machine shop - this included new valve
seals. The oil consumption dropped remarkably - from about 1 litre
every 1000 km to 1 litre every 5,000 km. Head removal is a tricky, time
consuming job, but if you do it yourself, the machine shop costs should
be around $200-$300 as long as things like new valve guides or new
valves are not required. To have this done by a dealer would cost
upwards from $2500.

Ross

bg4a wrote:
> Hello, as follow-up, a mechanic told me that this engine has normal
> compression of about 160 pounds. He says that the 220 pounds on my guage
> means that there is a lot of deposit at the top of cylinder that is taking
> up space. I am having trouble with that thinking as it would seem that 25%
> of the volume at the top of the stroke would have to be "deposits". He also
> says that the more and faster I burn oil, the more and faster the deposits
> will grow.
>
> The Volvo service guys are quite a group now. You have to make an
> appointment for "service consultations", in marble-lined offices and then,
> depending on the outcome of the consultations, get an appointment for the
> service work. The problem is that I can't get call backs to set a time for
> the "consultation".
>
> I have decided to keep a good supply of oil (10w30, as it gets too cold here
> to crank when using 20-50) and hope for the best.
>
> And save money to buy a different brand of car.
>
> Other comments would be appreciated.
> Bye, Bill
>
>
> "byrocat" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
>> On Oct 27, 5:19 pm, "bg4a" <b...@prodigy.net> wrote:
>>> We have a 1996 Volvo 960 with about 130,000 miles, most of those miles
>>> are
>>> ours. Also, we've taken good care of the car with oil change every 4,000
>>> miles, etc.
>>> It is a very nice car yet and don't know what to do. I found an engine
>>> in
>>> a junk yard with 62,000 miles. They want $2,000 and I found a mechanic
>>> who
>>> would change it out for $1,300.
>>>
>>> May I have some suggestions of what is wrong and what to do?
>>>
>>> Thanks, Bill
>>
>> Bill, I'd also check what the price of a replacement car is. As great
>> as the Volvo is, there is also a point where you may be throwing good
>> money away, trying to keep a car going.
>>
>> I'd check out several other garages in your area that deal with Volvo
>> and get their opinion.
>>
>> I'm not an expert on self-done compression tests but definitely does
>> not look perfect on three cylinders.
>>
>> A rebuild on the engine seems to be in order if you can't keep
>> compression. A good mechanic should be able to give you in itemized
>> list of the costs without having to completely disassemble the engine,
>> by doing a compression test again plus a close examination of the
>> visible parts.
>>
>>
>
>