Head gasket & timing belt relacement 2002 S60 non-turbo

cuttingedge2443 · Post by **cuttingedge2443** » 15 Mar 2012, 13:16

Looking at replacing these 2 items and need some advice on gaskets to replace as well. Recently developed slight miss on cold start for about 10-20 seconds then engine smooths out and runs great. Nothing coming out of exhaust pipe but have been refilling the coolant reservoir every 5 days or so the past 2 weeks. There is a code on a #5 misfire with the check engine light on. Had a local shop pull the #5 plug and noticed some moisture is present on the #5 piston top with the plug slightly fouled. Number 4 cylinder is perfect along with the plug. As far as the gaskets are concerned, I feel I really do not need the entire gasket set sold via dealer or auto parts store due to some of those items in said set would not be used. Also need recommendation on replacing the head bolts (yea or nae) Vehicle has 157k miles on it and I am the original owner. Regular maintenance has been performed and the timing belt is original. Engine oil change every 5k and oil is perfect with no sign of water in the crankcase. 20 mile per day drive to work & back mainly in town driving & never over 50 mph.

Any advice would be extremely beneficial. Thanks Ed

Post by **JDS60R** » 15 Mar 2012, 13:36

Once you have competed diagnostics

Victor reinz head gasket after head has been resurfaced.
Victor reinz head bolts (definitely must use new) Use a proper thread lubricant (ARP ultra torque or equivalent)
Victor reinz valve stem seals should definitely be done and cam seals while it is all apart.

Use Volvo antifreeze and distilled water. Replace thermostat while its out. (OEM)

Use OEM Volvo parts for T belt , idlers, tensioner and water pump. Some report good service with the Hepu water pump. I like the OE better

cuttingedge2443 · Post by **cuttingedge2443** » 15 Mar 2012, 14:19

Thanks for the input! Every shop and the 2 dealers I have spoken to point to the head gasket as being an issue so I feel the diagnostics are finished. My main concern now is what are your feelings on the gaskets that need to be replaced with this fix other than the obvious? Do I really need the whole set? . . . . and valve guides ? There is nothing wrong with the top end as there has never been any sign of oil consumption. It seems that when you touch one thing, you end up touching more and I really do not want to invest that much but at the same time, do not want to put a band-aid on the car either. OEM parts are double the cost and the local dealer has given me a $2,500 price to fix the car. I am an old school gear head with tons of experience & common sense. I am not being critical, just want to get the most for the money I will eventually be spending.

Thanks, Ed

Post by **regent** » 15 Mar 2012, 14:51

You want to do the valve seals while you're at it. This is not an overkill because they are probably nearing the end of their life cycle and will develop oil seepage (just to make you feel regretful one day that you have to redo the gasket).
On another note, have you ever overheated the engine? Even if you haven't, the mating surfaces for the head gasket need to be planed. There is usually a reason for the gasket to fail (and not always an apparent one).

Next, if I read correctly, your original T-belt is still in there with 157k, no? If yes, you do not want to run that belt for another second and continue 'saving' ... (Ouch

)

cuttingedge2443 · Post by **cuttingedge2443** » 15 Mar 2012, 15:18

Hey Regent, thanks for the advice. The car has never overheated, even in the hottest days here in West Palm. In fact, the car has been so reliable the past 3 years, that the hood has only been opened for regular service or an oil change.

. . . and yes, you have read this correctly, 157k on the original engine. The only thing replaced were plugs, air filter and most recently, thermostat & top radiator hose. (1 week ago) I always let the car warm up until it comes off fast idle and drive without a lead foot. I reserve the heavy foot for the 1969 HEMI GTX I have owned since new (#24 of 198) and only 5k original miles. I have turned that one into an 1800 hp Pro Street non-turbo, non supercharged, non-nitrous grocery getter. Seldom if ever do I beat my daily drivers so that may be a reason for the longevity of the S60's timing belt. . . .Ed

Post by **precopster** » 15 Mar 2012, 15:42

If you are experienced and can have the car off the road a couple of weeks to save the folding stuff, would you consider a DIY?
There's a ton of resources here about pulling heads, refitting, retorquing and generally enough people online to keep you going step by step even if you don't use one of the tutorials. The only part I haven't tackled is a VVT head which you would have on the inlet side of your NA head.

With the help of Matthews Forum I've managed to pull four heads and re-assemble 4 white block engines and save a ton of dough. The parts costs are minimal and the satisfaction very high while you also know you've been meticulous in the way it's gone back together. After experiencing 2 independant Volvo repairers I would NEVER go back to them. The local Volvo stealers in Melbourne charge $170/hr so that is not economical for me.

FCP Groton and/or Volvo Wholesale Parts (Dallas Volvo) and others can help with the OEM & non-OEM parts you require; just get some quotes. Clearwater Heads will ship out a fully remanufactured head for around $450 and many forum users have used them and say the quality and workmanship is very high. Keep us informed whichever way you go.

cuttingedge2443 · Post by **cuttingedge2443** » 15 Mar 2012, 16:17

Hey precopster, thanks for the help & parts recommendations. I have the experience but not the space to work on the car. I do have a good friend who races in the Grand-Am Rolex Series whom I will take the car to and have him repair it. We agreed to an $85/hr labor charge, a few cases of beer and I will provide the parts. The Volvo parts person at Suburban Volvo here in West Palm was very rude and said the cost for HIS parts would be near the $500 range. He even gave me a hard time and said the dealer is the best place to take the car for repairs because of the inexperienced local shops would have regarding the cam position once the timing belt is replaced. He said we have a "special tool" that those shops don't have. I thanked him for his time and passed. I feel I can save half that or more by using your suggestions. Also, I feel the head is fine because we did a compression check and all the cylinders are matching at 126 psi. I will definitely keep you all posted and if anyone has any other suggestion/idea, I would certainly like to hear them. . . . . Ed

Post by **precopster** » 15 Mar 2012, 18:45

cuttingedge2443 wrote: The Volvo parts person at Suburban Volvo here in West Palm was very rude and said the cost for HIS parts would be near the $500 range. He said we have a "special tool" that those shops don't have. I thanked him for his time and passed. I feel I can save half that or more by using your suggestions. Also, I feel the head is fine because we did a compression check and all the cylinders are matching at 126 psi.

That $500 quote for the parts is about right for OEM VRS set and timing belt kit (I'm assuming you've factored the timing set in as well at this (high) mileage

Regarding VVT it can be tricky even for the experienced mechanic. My suggestion is to get a hold of Vadis DVD sold on eBay which will help with part numbers and step by step handling of the VVT system, even if you don't have the tool it will provide the part number for the tool if you require it.

Again at this mileage I would be doing valve stem seals as they have reached their service life. A valve regrind as a matter of course. Also PCV system clean as a minimum. Also for a 10.5:1 compression ratio the 126 psi is VERY LOW. You may have some stuck rings which you can deal with once the head is off. Are you certain of the accuracy of the compression gauge? You should have b/w 170 and 210 psi for a healthy NA B5244S motor.

You've got a great car there, but I feel that without the proper maintenance all of this effort will be short lived. Do your research and don't cut corners at this mileage and you'll have a car that will take you around happily for another ten years.

cuttingedge2443 · Post by **cuttingedge2443** » 16 Mar 2012, 10:36

ok thanks for all your advice. I might not have heard the compression number correctly and I will ask again or do another test next week. I will keep everyone posted and thanks again for all the input. . . . . . Ed

Post by **regent** » 16 Mar 2012, 10:51

When you're cranking for the comp test, you have the injectors disabled, correct? If not, then unburned fuel may wash down the rings, which result in significantly lower readings