2000 S70 - How Bad Did I Just Blow Up My Engine?

[tjmartin317]

I fucked up this weekend, and had lots of fun doing it. The video below will likely explain:



Lots of scary words like “Rod knock” and “camshaft” and “spun bearings” have been thrown around. Here are the facts in order:

- I spent the weekend thrashing my 357k Volvo HARD around a muddy dirt track. Line was in the 7000 area every now and then.
- Intermittently, I noticed a little bit of smoke from the back. More like light steam. Thought noting of it, twas quite cold anyhow.
- During a run, I may have lost some power, but it was hard to tell as the track was mud and sucked all speed from the cars.
- I pulled off for a moment to pick up a part and the car died. Really struggled to turn over and crank. Sometimes it would start and die. Sometimes it needed throttle to stay on. At one point, it was bump started.
- Just before pulling into the trailer, as seen in the video, I did fill it with oil. It needed about 4 quarts… so yeah, that probably did some damage.
- Upon returning to our AirBNB that evening, for peace of mind and to ensure the engine isn’t seized, I cranked and started the car. Ran it for about 5 seconds. Started up and idled fine, except for the squeak in the video above.

I know folks on here can identify things by ear, far better than I, and I’m wondering what folks think… other than I’m an idiot.

Here’s a little more context as to how intense this event was:

An amazing weekend of automotive debauchery. I just went one lap too many without checking things… like my oil… and I’m already kicking myself for not doing that because it’s cost me my lovely Volvo that, up to this point, was fine. It drove to Michigan from West Virginia (and we had already made preparations to trailer it back).

Live and learn… maybe?

[abscate]

Sounds pretty bottom-endy



LOoks like a lot of fun was had!

Ive got a nice 99 V70 engine in Long Island......

[BlackBart]

- During a run, I may have lost some power, but it was hard to tell as the track was mud and sucked all speed from the cars.

This moment here...is when something let go and/or a bearing spun and the clattering started. (or a valve broke off and hit a piston)

Higher pitched clattering that increases with revs is usually rod bearings. Deep low thunk thunk in the bottom of the battleship is usually crank bearings.

[tjmartin317]

Higher pitched clattering that increases with revs is usually rod bearings.

Sounds like that. Has a squeaky wheel sort of sound. Had hoped it was a pulley or something stupid but… it’s probably not. Granted, I’m a little afraid to run the car and damage it more based off this noise.

[abscate]

You can tell rod bearings by revving it lightly and seeing if the noise changes as you go from accelerate to foot off - car standing still. The rod bearings change loading when you do this and will rattle instead of knock right as you transition.

If you listen , you can hear it in your video

[tjmartin317]

I have two questions, out of morbid and horrific curiousity.

1.) Will doing these tests of revving and then taking my foot off do any more damage than I already have? Based off the brief descriptions I feel safe in saying rod bearings. But one last check would be good.

2.) how rebuildable is this? I would like to use this blunder as an opportunity to learn about what’s going on under the hood. And I’d like to keep the original engine inside assuming it’s only mostly dead, not dead dead. In other words, I’m hoping this engine is still slightly alive.

[abscate]

Rebuildable, but not in an economical way if you are writing checks

Crankshaft out, probably recondition rod journals, oversize rod bearings.
Rework rod journals
Balance
Clean

I get to about $900 labour before parts

Each rod bearing $60 = $300

Another $300 in gaskets, sealer and sundries ??




Machine shop pricing by job here

http://www.huntsmachine.com/labor.htm

* Warning - Hunts is really reasonable, I pay twice that down here on Long Island

[tjmartin317]

Well, I would try to do as much of this as possible myself… but I can’t balance crankshafts and such… so… shit…

It sounds like I’ll be buying your engine, taking the original out and throwing yours in, and then slowly… very very slowly… getting the original one rebuilt bigger and better to one day throw in and revive my race car of its former glory…

Or, you know, run out of money… whichever comes first.

[BlackBart]

On my Audi A4 engine, I quickly learned that spun rod bearings meant a large recyclable lump of alum. They were not rebuildable. I bought a good used long block and swapped it with all new hoses, senders, turbo, timing chain.

[tjmartin317]

A thrilling update: as I went to do my test this evening, for a moment, the engine would do nothing. I could hear the starter attempt to move it but no cranks.

Then I let it sit a minute, or maybe 30 seconds, and tried again. Slow crank, to start. Idled a moment, revved and the noise increased with RPM, and released to hear the clinking and clanking described above… so yeah, it’s bad.

Even still, I know someone who does do engine rebuilds of this nature, and does them well. I’ll be getting his consensus but… yeah… it’s not a great prognosis.