Frustration level 10! Round cap blown off top of engine Topic is solved

[Legofan]

Installing/crimping the cap inverted to save a $Ton in labor seems reasonable. But leaving an oil slick under the hood, especially on the exhaust side, is a potential fire hazard/safety concern.

It's one thing if a customer has a fluid leak and drives away, opting out of a repair, after you've warned them of the potential hazard. It's another thing completely to fix an issue which was effectively a massive oil leak which made a mess, then hand the vehicle back to the owner without cleaning up the mess caused by the issue you repaired.

This was fresh oil. 10 minutes with a low pressure sprayer/leaf blower & air compressor hose would have done it. Ok maybe 15m, on these you have to remove the cover over the coil packs to clear any water/oil that has puddled under there.

VCC if they see this, and are smart, will find a way to correct procedures at this dealer. I would question the competency of their service managers 'management status' with regard to adequately maintaining basic fire safety protocols within the department relating to customer' vehicle repairs. That should have never got out the door before the oil mess was cleaned up. An effective SM would have techs drilled to not allow something like that out the door or risk disciplinary action.

I agree with you completely, I'm just disappointed. I won't be using them again, I found an indie shop local that is owned by a former Volvo tech. Small place, full of older Volvos. My next service interval will be with them.

[mrbrian200]

New car dealers are best for new and CPO warranty claims. On an older vehicle dealer service usually amounts to paying 'premium' cost that is unnecessary. There are capable indie mechanics and larger used dealerships who can get you fixed up just as good as a new car service department for a lot less. Relatives of mine in the south suburbs take their vehicles to carmax in Tinley which by accounts seem to be very capable in the middle price range. I've been there. Their service area alone is a huge operation larger than Fields' entire building with at least 30 mechanics & helpers.

[Legofan]

New car dealers are best for new and CPO warranty claims. On an older vehicle dealer service usually amounts to paying 'premium' cost that is unnecessary. There are capable indie mechanics and larger used dealerships who can get you fixed up just as good as a new car service department for a lot less. Relatives of mine in the south suburbs take their vehicles to carmax in Tinley which by accounts seem to be very capable in the middle price range. I've been there. Their service area alone is a huge operation larger than Fields' entire building with at least 30 mechanics & helpers.

I here ya! Never thought about going to Carmax, interesting idea.

[June]

New car dealers are best for new and CPO warranty claims. On an older vehicle dealer service usually amounts to paying 'premium' cost that is unnecessary. There are capable indie mechanics and larger used dealerships who can get you fixed up just as good as a new car service department for a lot less. Relatives of mine in the south suburbs take their vehicles to carmax in Tinley which by accounts seem to be very capable in the middle price range. I've been there. Their service area alone is a huge operation larger than Fields' entire building with at least 30 mechanics & helpers.

I personally would not let Carmax work on my car, but I would never have thought of them even having a service department. When you say medium price do you know the labor rate? My dealership is $139 per hour. I found a small shop that specializes in Volvo for nearly 40 years in North Florida Gainesville area. It's a father and son shop that even has rows and rows of parts cars that's why I stopped in one day because they had at least 100 vintage Volvos I thought it was a classic Volvo car lot so I stopped in. I never used them so I don't know the labor rate but I did get a good feeling from the staff and they had a lot of Volvos waiting for service and every bay full.

Indies and used dealerships are missing a few key things that Volvo Service has, lifetime parts and labor warranty on repairs, Volvo trained technicians, and a new Volvo loaner. June

[mrbrian200]

I don't know CarMax labor rates, but if they were as high as a new car dealer my cousins wouldn't go there. If they did bad repairs/incompetent they wouldn't go there. They've been going there since they bought a car once from them around 10 years ago. I don't think all CarMax locations operate a service department. It's my understanding Tinley Park is the location of their regional Chicagoland major service facility. They're in the business to make money if you bring a car in paying cash that's not a CPO/extended warranty claim they'll look at it. It's kind of out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by cornfields off I-80 (not typical CarMax location adjacent to higher profile retail districts). No 'general service' facility is going to be as good at sorting through some funky weird issue as a specialized indy or new car dealer service. But for most common repairs such as suspension/alignment/brakes/basic drivetrain management diagnostics I'm sure they're capable as any other knowledgeable ASE with professional level OBDII tools and training. You have to realize the major differences in the general level of complexity between a fully loaded '89 Eldorado and an '06 Volvo are turbo, VVT and electronic throttle. I don't consider CAN/fiber optic communications more complex, just different.

[850TurboTurtle]

I don't think it's bad design. Sounds more like a failsafe to release pressure before it tears up your internals. Unless previous owner removed or damaged cap, or internal pressure is not high. But if it blew while revving, probably not Volvo's fault, as no one else's does that.

[precopster]

I guess this would be another approach. I have about thirty Magnetti throttles here. A polished throttle flap fills the space nicely and glues into place with metal epoxy. It's a 17 y.o car. I'm being a realist!!

[ThommyKent]

Looks good

[Legofan]

That works! So far no issues on my end and all leaks have been stopped. It's pretty reliable with just a few hiccups now and then.