XC90 D5 163 common rail query

[john langrick]

Hi, I hope some more experienced member can help, but let me explain the situation.

XC90 d5 my03 170k.

Engine never been a problem but was losing coolant water but very erratically. By that I mean sometimes water level was fine for days, but then would lose water overnight as it cooled presumably. Eventually (with help of forum members) diagnosed combustion gases leaking into the water, pressurising the system so eventually leaking out of header tank. Diagnosed head gasket...

My usual inidie who has looked after my Volvo's for over 10 years has now left the garage so needed the job done elsewhere so looked for a seemingly competent garage.In the event found one within 20 miles.

The head was sent for skimming, but was found that under pressure, the head was cracked and it was welded and reskimmed.

All went well, but now find that the car enters limp mode, no apparent error codes but and diagnosis shows very different readings from the injectors.

Can anyone tell me what these readings relate to? What do they measure?? I was shown the readings which ranged from '0 to 25. Two being about 5. What should they be?

I understand the engine is 'common rail' but would you expect such injector issues after head and gasket replacement? I am not sure if they replaced injectors in same order but I do know they replaced the seals.

Has a new can if worms been opened, and more importantly should I expect this garage to sort? They are hinting that this problem will cost me extra to sort?

Just advice please.

Thanks

[Clan]

Originally Posted by john langrick

Hi, I hope some more experienced member can help, but let me explain the situation.

XC90 d5 my03 170k.

Engine never been a problem but was losing coolant water but very erratically. By that I mean sometimes water level was fine for days, but then would lose water overnight as it cooled presumably. Eventually (with help of forum members) diagnosed combustion gases leaking into the water, pressurising the system so eventually leaking out of header tank. Diagnosed head gasket...

My usual inidie who has looked after my Volvo's for over 10 years has now left the garage so needed the job done elsewhere so looked for a seemingly competent garage.In the event found one within 20 miles.

The head was sent for skimming, but was found that under pressure, the head was cracked and it was welded and reskimmed.

All went well, but now find that the car enters limp mode, no apparent error codes but and diagnosis shows very different readings from the injectors.

Can anyone tell me what these readings relate to? What do they measure?? I was shown the readings which ranged from '0 to 25. Two being about 5. What should they be?

I understand the engine is 'common rail' but would you expect such injector issues after head and gasket replacement? I am not sure if they replaced injectors in same order but I do know they replaced the seals.

Has a new can if worms been opened, and more importantly should I expect this garage to sort? They are hinting that this problem will cost me extra to sort?

Just advice please.

Thanks

Did the injectors go back into the cylinders they came from?
Did they fit an appropriate gasket which accounts for the amount skimmed off ? There are about 6 different thickness head gaskets how did they choose the right one ?

did they correctly time the camshafts?

Volvo forbid skimming the head ...

if the engine goes into limp mode it will have some kind of code stored ...

It is not just a boost pipe blown off is it?

so it went fine when you took it away , how long before it failed?

[john langrick]

Hi clan and many thanks for the response.

The simple answer is that I don't know...

The car is still at the garage where the repair was carried out. It is a generic garage that supposedly specialise in fitting head gasket replacement, not my usual Volvo indie who is no longer available.

Many years ago I might have had a go at this myself, but not as young as I was and darent risk it. I am a retired electronics engineer who maintains boat engines in my spare time so have the tools but not the expertise (and strength).

The head is now replaced but went into limp mode when they road tested. Not immediate but during the road test.

I have told them I am not prepared to accept the car back (or pay any bill) unless it is sorted.

I have no idea if they replaced injectors in the correct order. I can only (perhaps naively) hope they did.

The car starts, runs on tick over but on road test throws into limp mode. Initially they told me there was no code stored, but i explained this cannot be the case.

I drove the 20 miles there (in wife's car) to speak to the mechanic who was under the bonnet when I arrived. He had his code reader (not Vida) connected and ran an injector test while I was there. As in my post, the readings were all over the place.

The car is old I know, well passed its prime, (like its owner), but otherwise it is great, new mot and standard service completed. Other than regular maintenance the engine has never been touched in my three years of ownership.

I fear the worst that this may be the end....

[XJSDriver]

As said many times by SwissXC90, it must be Vida; without this you are in the dark. As long as the head has had only a very few thou removed it should be ok as hydraulic tappets will take up the difference; the fact it idles suggests injectors correct way around so could be a sensor or wire broken, vacuum line not connected etc. but without vida you can spend days searching...

[john langrick]

Many thanks, but would this result in the suggested injector readings? Just what does the readings represent and what should be the ideal.

The garage recon their diagnostics scanner is tens of thousands jobbie. Diagnosis is one of their prime usp's. (According to their web site).

I do know using Vida would be ideal as also suggests how to fix. But I am now where I am for better or worse.

A salutary tale I guess, one that I fear may be fatal for my old bus..

[Clan]

Originally Posted by john langrick

Many thanks, but would this result in the suggested injector readings? Just what does the readings represent and what should be the ideal.

The garage recon their diagnostics scanner is tens of thousands jobbie. Diagnosis is one of their prime usp's. (According to their web site).

I do know using Vida would be ideal as also suggests how to fix. But I am now where I am for better or worse.

A salutary tale I guess, one that I fear may be fatal for my old bus..

They are responsible for the job it isn't finished yet ... at least they should be telling you exactly what it needs , They were quick enough to get involved and take a considerable sum of money from you . It's cases like this where the dealer earns his money ..

[john langrick]

IMany thanks again. I have not had the bill yet so wait and see.

By coincidence I discovered a true Volvo indie is just around the corner from this garage. I suggested I have no problem in paying for them to diagnose the problem if they are unable.

It seems they had already been in touch with that garage and they suggest the avenue they are currently taking which is to have the injectors serviced.

so I wait and see, it's been four weeks now!

But thanks to all for advice and suggestions.

[john langrick]

Update and a salutory lesson.

The garage I took it to failed to fix the problem after six weeks. I just needed the car fixed and they were unable to do it fully.

I can only hope they fixed the water leak (head gasket) as I did agree to pay costs on that.

I have now taken it to the Volvo indie I found round the corner from this garage, who kindly agreed to take it on.

The errors stored were individual and on all five injectors which were supposedly tested

Clouds of smoke when running...

I have actually upgraded my old autel code reader to Vida, so hope to play with that when and if I get the car back.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by john langrick

The head was sent for skimming, but was found that under pressure, the head was cracked and it was welded and reskimmed.

What? Not a good idea at all. If the head is cracked (very rare) there's probably faults in the casting so it's scrap. Skimming is not recommended.

I've done a few D5's with snapped belts and the cheapest way to fix them is buy a second hand engine and either swap the whole lump or take the head off it if you don't know the history. The D5's are so reliable and of an age that there is a glut of them at scrap yards and serviceable units are £200-£400 now.

Working on a head, welding it, skimming it is a risky waste of time and money.

[john langrick]

Yup, I have started to think the same. I have told said that this might be the best approach, I just need the car sorting.

I am not sure just what this first garage did, they were very illusive, but after six weeks just had to take it away and I paid their costs.

So this post has and my experience may be a lesson to others.

Certainly the car has an exhaust leak into the waterways, so something had to be done

At least the car is now in the hands of a garage that should know what they are doing,

Thanks again for your comments.

John l