1996 850 2.3T blown #2 Rod at 208k

[Jazzer]

It is pretty obvious there was a defect in the lower end. How do you lay that fault on the friend that used it ... rationally?

I would not overlook the fact that lower end could of went when I was driving it. I don't do irrational blame.

I definitely feel that it probably would have happened if I was driving it, so I can’t lay too much blame I guess. I doubt he was driving it irresponsibly and he was checking the oil levels every fill up. His wife, on the other hand...

[RickHaleParker]

His wife, on the other hand...

I would write that off as a risk I accepted when I decided to help a friend.

I'm a little weird for an American, I take ownership of my decisions.

[erikv11]

It is pretty obvious there was a defect in the lower end. How do you lay that fault on the friend that used it ... rationally?

I would not overlook the fact that lower end could of went when I was driving it. I don't do irrational blame.

You've overlooked a key fact in the very first post: there was no oil on the dipstick when it went.

In other words, how do you possibly *not* lay fault on the friend that used it?

There's no way the oil level was checked every other fill up, wife or no wife ...

[tardcart]

well that was after the hole occurred so there wouldn't be any on the dipstick. You are lucky it didnt happen in nj. they would have sent out a private hazmat team to jack hammer up any pavement with oil on it and bill you 6000.

[RickHaleParker]

You've overlooked a key fact in the very first post: there was no oil on the dipstick when it went.

Buzz! "say it had died on his way home and there was no oil on the dipstick."

It died and then they discovered there was no oil on the dipstick. No oil on the dipstick is a result of the incident, not the cause of the incident.

[WhatAmIDoing]

Regardless, engines don't throw rods without warning. It should have been very clear that something expensive broke, and before that expensive noises would have been heard. Saying oh it just "died" on the way home is not believable, especially when it almost threw a rod through the oil pan.

[RickHaleParker]

Some rod failures are catastrophic failures.

[WhatAmIDoing]

Some rod failures are catastrophic failures.

Only times I've seen catastrophic rod failure is when someone was having too much fun with the turbo, which again points to driver error.

[tardcart]

a sudden failure of a rod only happens in race conditions with non-stock rpm and boost. otherwise there is at least a flickering oil light. of course since its a Volvo it may have had to compete with the normal Christmas light display of srs, trans arrow check engine, abs, tracs maintenance, low rad, and wiper fluid light like on my car. god I wish the autocorrect thing could go away on this site. hard to type anything.

[RickHaleParker]

Only times I've seen catastrophic rod failure is when someone was having too much fun with the turbo, which again points to driver error.

Could of been a Microfracture who time was up. There is a reason rods are stress tested during a overhaul.

The early Pontiac Fiero that where throwing rods through the block and catching fire. That was the rod supplier drilling to get the balance and weight into spec. A standard practice but they drilled them too fast and created microfractures.