What the owner heard, what he did, and why he did it.
What Went Wrong?
FireFox31 »
Here’s some additional speculation about what may have killed the engine, from another group of gearheads that I know (I like the middle explanation):
– Water or oil pump failed, which can kill an engine very quickly.
– Head gasket blew first. The ticking sound was compression gasses leaking out from the outboard side of the head. The blown gasket led to increased coolant system pressure, which blew off the lower radiator hose. The coolant dumped out so quickly that the temp sensor didn’t register any temp increase (because the sensor must be immersed in coolant). If I’d stopped right when the coolant dumped, perhaps the worst damage was that the head would need to be resurfaced.
– No, it wasn’t the water pump, which is reliably driven by the timing belt. And V70’s aren’t known for randomly blowing head gaskets. A fluid leak would have relieved pressure, preventing the hose from blowing. Maybe a mechanic messed up the hose.
I got the car repaired for about $5k, doing all the work listed earlier in the thread. The replacement engine seems better than the old one.
Now my maintenance budget is in the negative. I’m going to learn to do as much work as possible, taking it to a shop (not the dealership?) only when necessary. Ha, watch it live twice as long under these “harsh” conditions.
Thanks again for all of your help. You helped me gauge the feasibility of the project, confirmed the price of the work, pointed me to the right parts supplier, and generally encouraged me to do it. One less car in the junk yard, one more Volvo still on the road.
V70 engine blown – Help solve the mystery
Last Updated on August 19, 2020
