oil and water don't mix!

[Rachel]

Hi folks,

I haven't posted here before, but I'm not currently a Volvo owner! All this
is set to change. I'm looking at getting a second-hand Volvo estate, V40 or
V70 something like that.

I live on an island and am not spoiled for choice in terms of dealerships or
even private sale.

However, I've found one around the right price - a 1998 V40 1.9TD for around
£3500 GBP (around 6,251 USD)

Car looked in good order except for oil in the expansion bottle. I was
immediately suspicious of this and they said they'd have their garage look
at it and get back to me (a friend had suggested it may be a faulty oil
cooler and that whatever it was I should definitely be sure it was OK before
buying).

They got back to me just now and their garage didn't do anything to the car.
They said:
"It's OK, the Oil was just around the top of the expansion bottle (it looked
pretty messy when we saw it)"
"the oil cooler is fine - they'd have known very quickly if anything was
wrong with it"
and
"oil and water run round the engine in a diesel, it's not like a petrol
engine you know"

I smell a rat. Is this a common problem with this power plant (it's the
Renault Laguna diesel engine isn't it?), and not to worry about or could it
be something serious - a cracked head or block for instance?

Please help. If we can find a good Volvo that doesn't give us endless grief,
I promise to not be lurker and visit more often

Rachel

ku.oc.tenfeer@lehcar
(reverse to mail)

 

[Stewart Hargrave]

Rachel wrote:

"oil and water run round the engine in a diesel, it's not like a petrol
engine you know"

I smell a rat.

Walk away from this one. This is utter nonsense.

At no point should oil and water meet. If there is oil in the water,
and it is not a leaky oil cooler, then it is a blown head gasket at
best, possibly a warped head. It could even be a crack in the head or
block. The only way to establish which is to take the head off the
engine.
--

Stewart Hargrave


For email, replace 'SpamOnlyToHere' with my name

 

[L David Matheny]

However, I've found one around the right price - a 1998 V40
1.9TD for around £3500 GBP (around 6,251 USD)

Car looked in good order except for oil in the expansion bottle.
I was immediately suspicious of this and they said they'd have
their garage look at it and get back to me (a friend had suggested
it may be a faulty oil cooler and that whatever it was I should
definitely be sure it was OK before buying).

They got back to me just now and their garage didn't do anything
to the car.
They said:
"It's OK, the Oil was just around the top of the expansion bottle
(it looked pretty messy when we saw it)"
"the oil cooler is fine - they'd have known very quickly if anything
was wrong with it"
and
"oil and water run round the engine in a diesel, it's not like a petrol
engine you know"

The whole thing sounds suspicious and that last statement sounds
ridiculous. Before you even consider buying the car, you would
need to get an inspection report directly from a reputable expert.

 

[Ian Pellew]

Hi all;

I have had this on two seperate Volvos I have owned.
In each case the transmission is automatic.
Volvo have a weakness in the way they connect the Auto gear box oil
cooler to the engaine radiator.
In each case the I have chnaged the raditor and solved the problem.
In the last case (my 960) I forgot to change the transmission oil and
lost the box. So I had to replace the gear box!

If the car is an Auto and you want the car then my money is on a new
rad, which is about £250 if you do it. Its quite simple, you just need
a nice days wheather. New rad and a galon of Auto Gear Box oil, and
some patience in filing the gear box through the level pipe.

Regards
Ian

 

[Randy G.]

Hi all;

I have had this on two seperate Volvos I have owned.
In each case the transmission is automatic.
Volvo have a weakness in the way they connect the Auto gear box oil
cooler to the engaine radiator.
In each case the I have chnaged the raditor and solved the problem.
In the last case (my 960) I forgot to change the transmission oil and
lost the box. So I had to replace the gear box!

If the car is an Auto and you want the car then my money is on a new
rad, which is about £250 if you do it. Its quite simple, you just need
a nice days wheather. New rad and a galon of Auto Gear Box oil, and
some patience in filing the gear box through the level pipe.

It is not really a "weakness" to put the tranny cooler in the
radiator. It is a common procaticve in the auto industry. The weakness
comes from the Volvo cooler being a POS.

Oil in the overflow tank not only means that there was a problem with
the cooling sustem, but could mean the car will soon need a tranny
rebuild because of water in the tranny fluid..

Pass on this one and give those mechanics a page from the phone
diorectory of auto technician schools becasue they seem to know little
about cars. Then report them to the authorities.

Ask them for a 1 year 15,000km warranty and watch their attitude
change. from Randy & Valerie
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\__/olvo
1993 960 Estate