98V70 na volvo - appears to have died

[98v70dad]

I appreciate everyone's comments. From a practical point of view I've concluded from what I've learned here that I need to drop the pan to assess the sludge condition and replace the pick up seals and remove the oil pump to see what I find there. For everyone else here are facts stated succinctly.

1. on the day of the problem the car hadn't been driven for three weeks. It stays outside so it was cold soaked. Cold in Atlanta isn't that cold but it was was right around freezing and had been for several nights.

2. the problem started after driving about 7 miles. Suburban type stop an go - 50 mph maximum sort of driving.
3 the problem started at the stop light right before the on ramp to the interstate with a flicker of the oil light. It flickered several times and went off. I figured that it was a bad sensor since the car didn't need oil.
4. the flickering light went away at 70 mph for many miles and then came back and eventually after a few minutes stayed on.
5. I had another 17 miles to go and figured that things were getting serious so I decided to pull off at the next good opportunity.
6. I pulled off and on the exit ramp the engine started to miss and run rough. I got into a gas station about a block from the exit and shut it down.
7. I removed the oil cap and it was very hot - a whisp of steam came out. somewhat panicked I added a quart of oil. This was unnecessary because the oil level was fine. On friday when I drained it the level was at the full mark. The car uses about a quart every 3000 miles and was due a change in three days. So the level was probably about halfway between low and full on the day of the problem before I added the quart. I DID NOT lose a quart of oil.
8. I had the car towed home.
9. When I drained the oil on friday i inspected the area and the only leaking occurred at the oil filter seal. I would estimate it as a table spoon or two - very very little on the frame rail. I believe that the leak happened when the metal chunks I found blocked the path of oil flow. So for a while there was good pressure on the pump side - enough to overcome the seal. I had to use a wrench to remove the filter. It was on tight. Not overtight but too tight to get off by hand.
10. I retrieved three pieces of aluminum from the top of the oil filter. two of them were pretty big and they were blocking oil flow. The other was the size of a pea and looks like a ground up piece of aluminum - like it had been in a garbage disposal.

That's where I am. I got annoyed and lazy on Friday after I retrieved the metal hunks and decided to do something else. I'm planning to a) dissect the oil filter and see what it holds. b) filter the removed oil thru a screen and see what that holds c) take a very close look at the hunks that I found in the filter.

Thanks again for the comments ... more to come - but maybe not until after the holidays.

[bmdubya1198]

Thank you for the seemingly much needed clarification/update! I'd definitely be concerned about the chunks of aluminum on the oil filter. I would open it up and see what the filter itself looks like, it couldn't hurt at this point.
Dropping the oil pan is a good idea, because that will give you a better idea as to the condition of the engine as it sits. If you find more metal, obviously you have reason for concern.

[mrbrian200]

I'm thinking the pump started breaking/binding up internally, partially stripping out the inside splines that the engine grabs to drive it. Like we've seen with the timing sprocket splines at the crankshaft, it may slip then grab again. Eventually a larger chunk broke apart, probably from the outer ring gear, big enough to seize the pump mechanism stripping the inside splines clean out (when the oil light came on and stayed on).
Either a manufacturing defect/micro fracture that eventually weakened, or the outer ring gear wore down developing too much slop between it and the outer casing or the inner driven gear. In either case if the internals become misaligned enough, for whatever reason, to start binding/breaking larger chunks away a cascade failure is sure to follow.

It's all speculation until we get that pump off the car, collect all the little broken bits, and send it all off to an experienced mechanical diagnostic engineer that'll attempt to reconstruct what's left to determine the initial point of failure. It's likely all chewed up inside, we aren't going to be able to determine what really happened by just looking at it/pictures.

[98v70dad]

It's all speculation until we get that pump off the car, collect all the little broken bits, and send it all off to an experienced mechanical diagnostic engineer that'll attempt to reconstruct what's left to determine the initial point of failure. It's likely all chewed up inside, we aren't going to be able to determine what really happened by just looking at it/pictures.

Actually, I worked as the only forensic engineer for a major airline for 13 years. I know what I'm doing. I agree that speculating on the root cause is a bit of a waste of time until all of the evidence is collected. I'm interested in the speculation because I need to decide if its worth investing any time or money into. I'm only an amateur mechanic. I'm interested in fixing it more than the academic exercise of what happened.

[98v70dad]

Can anyone verify the correct part number for the oil pump on my non-turbo 98 V70? I came up with this: 30650144. Do the turbo and non-turbo use the same oil pump?

[bmdubya1198]

Can anyone verify the correct part number for the oil pump on my non-turbo 98 V70? I came up with this: 30650144. Do the turbo and non-turbo use the same oil pump?

9207951 is the number I'm finding on Volvo Parts Lisle (http://volvopartslisle.com/assembly/342 ... ing-System). I put in '98 V70 B5254FS M4.4 auto with sunroof (but if you don't have a sunroof, be warned it may be different... )
It seems that the NA and turbo oil pumps are the same being that the diagram appears to apply to both NA and turbo (turbo oil lines are shown).
The part number you posted seems to be for 2000+ models up to engine 2669352, as well as 2669353 on. The P/N I posted above shows up to 1999.

[98v70dad]

Can anyone verify the correct part number for the oil pump on my non-turbo 98 V70? I came up with this: 30650144. Do the turbo and non-turbo use the same oil pump?

9207951 is the number I'm finding on Volvo Parts Lisle (http://volvopartslisle.com/assembly/342 ... ing-System). I put in '98 V70 B5254FS M4.4 auto with sunroof (but if you don't have a sunroof, be warned it may be different... )
It seems that the NA and turbo oil pumps are the same being that the diagram appears to apply to both NA and turbo (turbo oil lines are shown).
The part number you posted seems to be for 2000+ models up to engine 2669352, as well as 2669353 on. The P/N I posted above shows up to 1999.

Jim Ellis volvo in Marietta, GA - my local dealer shows the part number I posted on their website. That said, I'm always cautious when buying a part off of ebay that doesn't claim to fit my car. Slightly interesting fact - I used to live down the street from Volvo of Lisle 35 years ago. I drove past it every single day!

[cn90]

- If the part number posted above is correct for 98 NA model, then you are lucky... as we speak, there is a BRAND-NEW Volvo OEM listed now for $150, which is half of the dealer price of $270.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/O-E-M-VOLVO-85 ... Gp&vxp=mtr

- Check if the O-ring and Paper Gasket is included.

PS: Make a reasonable offer, chances the seller will accept it. My guess is to offer $110 or so.
I bought some Volvo parts from the same ebay seller last year, great guy.

[FLXC90]

https://www.volvopartswebstore.com/show ... veLine=478

check here by engine number-off the timing belt cover if original.

Looks like any of the three are around $300, didn't check shipping though. Also, the gasket and seal are separate.

Looks like Cam has the bargain Id'd

[bmdubya1198]

Slightly interesting fact - I used to live down the street from Volvo of Lisle 35 years ago. I drove past it every single day!

No kidding, that's pretty cool! I wish I had a Volvo dealer down the street... there are literally two within 2 hours or so of here and they are only opened until noon Saturday and closed Sunday, plus they rarely have anything I need in stock. Getting parts locally isn't something that can happen for me often haha.
You're lucky Jim Ellis Volvo is local to you now. They seem to be one of the larger Volvo parts sources.

- If the part number posted above is correct for 98 NA model, then you are lucky... as we speak, there is a BRAND-NEW Volvo OEM listed now for $150, which is half of the dealer price of $300.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/O-E-M-VOLVO-85 ... Gp&vxp=mtr

- Check if the O-ring and Paper Gasket is included.

If that's the correct one, hopefully it'll stick around until you determine that's the issue. It likely will... Volvo oil pumps probably aren't flying off the shelves.