850GLT Wagon non turbo 95 - lacking compression 1st Cylinder

StanK · Post by **StanK** » 05 Dec 2008, 18:01

I was headed out of town with my 850 and about an hour out the 'Check Engine' light started blinking! Pulled over to check book again for blinking 'CE' light and by then it was staying on steady and the engine was idling very rough... I headed back home & had it checked at my local independent shop and they said that it that I had unburnt gasoline and no compression in clyinder #1. I have 240K miles on this car and want to keep it to 500K at least. I am hopping for it to be a head gasket with it coming on so quick and that it still starts and runs with no other noises/smoke or anything else - any thoughts...

jilcomes · Post by **jilcomes** » 05 Dec 2008, 18:32

sounds more like a stuck valve, what did the shop say?

StanK · Post by **StanK** » 05 Dec 2008, 18:39

I was hoping that was not the case - I had to pick up the car from shop after hours and transfer all my luggage(crap) to my wifes C70 and continue my 2 wk trip through KS... I am waiting for details from shop - all I got so far is no compression in cylinder #1... thanks!

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 05 Dec 2008, 21:37

If the car did not overheat and you are not losing coolant my guess is a burned valve. Volvo valves are relatively cheap but you are looking at a top end rebuild if you want it right. The labor (or if you are doing it yourself) the time makes it worth while to rework the head and get it right.

At any rate the head will need to be pulled to find out. Yanking a head is like opening a Christmas present - you never know what you will find.

What part of Kansas are you in? If you are West of Topeka or North of Wichita I think you are kinda screwed if you need to have it serviced by a shop.

If you are around Kansas City or can limp it that far there is an honest indy called KC Autosport in Merriam, KS. They are - more or less - at I-35 and Shawnee Mission Parkway.

Good luck,

...Lee

StanK · Post by **StanK** » 05 Dec 2008, 21:49

Thanks for the details.. no overheating at all... I am just south of Lawrence, KS tonight at my brothers and headed to a funeral in North Central KS tomorrow and then business in West KS all next 10 days but the best part is the dead 850 is back in my garage in Chicagoland... I will do the labor myself... I have not opened a Volvo engine and Christmas is just around the corner! I am driving my wife's 94 C70 and it has so much power compared to the 14 year old 850. Thanks again for your info... I brought my greasy old Haynes manual to study up so when I get back home I can start the teardown... Merry Christmas!!!