Need to order rear cam seal OEM 5x the price...

Post by **plumsmooth** » 22 Jan 2015, 17:43

I stopped at the parts store in my small town and they said they could get in one day a pair of seals for 10 bucks.

However I have read the recommendation to stay with OEM or Volvo seals however they are 5x the price!

Would some kind soul like to elaborate or redirect me to a thread where this has been covered or tell me the difference?

Thank you very much -- I mean it -- for your time...

I'm not in any hurry, I completed my supply run with a leaking Exhaust Cam Seal.

I will be ordering a PCV kit this weekend after double checking my finances...

I would I guess prefer to order the better component even if it means 5X the price...

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 22 Jan 2015, 17:50

Just avoid Elring, they are know troublemakers. With OEM you know they will work and keep working and there are some other recommended brands, I just can't recall what brand they are.

...Lee

Post by **abscate** » 22 Jan 2015, 19:08

Now that you will soon be an expert on these seals, try the cheap one and replace if it leaks.

Throw the old at your old mechanics building as you drive by...

Post by **plumsmooth** » 22 Jan 2015, 19:27

Now that you will soon be an expert on these seals, try the cheap one and replace if it leaks.

Throw the old at your old mechanics building as you drive by...

Be careful I am so pissed off right now about this whole thing I can not tell you -- my liver hurts...

In other words I like this idea Too much...

Buy a dozen of these $3.99 ones and change them once a week until their gone...

Please don't expose my compulsive personality certainly there has to be something more important than DIY cars...

Post by **cn90** » 22 Jan 2015, 20:15

I already posted info on the SKF seals on your other thread.

Post by **tryingbe** » 22 Jan 2015, 22:28

Volvo cam seals have longer lips than other makes, I'm speaking from leaking experience.

Wish I didn't buy those cheaper national seals, waste of money on the cheap seals and hours. If my car was not turbo, probably be fine with the cheap seals.

Post by **precopster** » 23 Jan 2015, 00:50

My Elring front cam seal blew right out on our 850 after 30,000kms and 4 years and caused massive oil loss (could have fried engine in the process if my wife didn't stop and add oil)

The PCV always had pressure on the 850.

At the time of replacement I was a greenhorn and wasn't listening to advice here.

Is saving $40 worth the loss of an engine?? Elring never again. Tasca parts sell them for $18.35

Post by **plumsmooth** » 23 Jan 2015, 07:41

I'm sorry if this is obvious to some but right now I'm trying trying to determine the difference, if any, between an OEM or a so-called "Genuine Volvo" part. What's confusing me is if OEM mean Original European Manufacturer, then how come there are more than one company producing OEM rear cam shaft seals?

IS OEM satisfactory?

Volvo doesn't actually make the Genuine One's ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-VOLVO-CAM-S ... a7&vxp=mtr

This one is made by Vollig, for example...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Volvo-92-98-Cam ... ca&vxp=mtr

This one made by:
CORTECO-CFW (OEM)

Yet they both have the same part number:
Volvo part# 9443310

I guess Volvo doesn't [DUH} make these so maybe OEM is an accepted standard and means Volvo approves them?

I hope these links are ok here I just put them for reference...

And then here's everyone's favorite Elring which I guess has same part number but can not call itself OEM!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Volvo-92-98-Cam ... 75&vxp=mtr

Post by **cn90** » 23 Jan 2015, 08:28

@plumsmooth,

You like to post, but it is better use of your time if you do a proper google search, then the answer is right there.

If you input "OEM" into google, you will get "Original Equipment (not European) Manufacturer".

Car makers, whether Toyota, BMW, or Volvo, only make the chassis and the engine (there are exceptions).
Some 5000 parts in the car come from different suppliers (Chair comes from XYZ, ECU from Bosch or Siemens, MAF comes from Bosch, engine seals likely from Corteco etc. etc.).

Likewise, Apple does not make to many parts, ipod, ipad, iphone's chips come from Samsung and other mfgs etc. etc.

Most engine seals involve tons of labor hours (except for the Rear cam seals, which do not take too much time), so the recommendation is to stick to Volvo seals if possible. If not, then Corteco is the king. SKF is also a good brand. Car makers spend hours and hours to figure out which seals are the best, because they don't want to do warranty work for oil leak, that costs them money.

Elring is not anyone's favorite. It is junk for the most parts. Some people love using Elring because they try to save money and they enjoy replacing engine seals every ___ miles (OK, I am being sarcastic).

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 23 Jan 2015, 08:39

OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer and it typically refers to a part that is bought from an authorized dealer in the original car manufacturers packaging. Around here it is often referred to as "Blue Box" since most Volvo parts come in a blue box or in a clear package with a blue Volvo logo on it.

There are also parts that are sold as "OEM Manufacturer". Some of those are just fine and some are very poor quality counterfeits. References to an OEM part number does not mean it is an OEM part, only that is cross references, more or less, to that OEM part number.

The auto parts business is a huge scam at virtually all levels and the number of internet suppliers has made it even worse. There is one outfit in India that has bought hundreds of domains and they are good click bait. The problem is that they are more in the business of running your credit card and sitting on your money for as long as possible rather than supplying auto parts. It can take as much as a year to get a credit issued back to your credit card after they have either failed to ship (Constant backorder) a part at all or shipped the wrong part. They collect interest on the money while it is parked on their account.

There are many credible auto parts suppliers. Those in the business of supplying European parts or Volvo parts that are stand outs are IPD, eEuroparts, Pelican Parts, and to a lesser extent, FCP. FCP will never sell you a Blue Box part that isn't real and for the most part they promptly deliver what they sell you but I have had trouble with "OEM Manufacturer" parts from FCP that are obvious counterfeits.

Another credible parts supplier is Rock Auto but they don't have nearly the selection and stock on Volvo parts as they do for domestic brands.

Dealerships are all over the place on parts pricing. My local dealer charges list price plus at least 40% for parts at the counter. Before they left the Hendrick Group they did start an internet parts business through the same dealership where I could order on the internet at a 30% to 40% discount from list price and pick the parts up at the very same parts counter. I didn't even have to pay sales tax and since I picked them up there was no freight. Darrell Waltrip Volvo in Tennessee was always another good parts supplier but I am unsure about the current status of their internet / mail order business. Tasca Ford (Tasca Parts) has some very good pricing but their freight charges are pretty outrageous.

Ebay is ebay and you need to be a very educated buyer. Know exactly what you are buying and read all of the fine print.

...Lee