MOT / Part woes

[Forrest]

I'm also inclined to the views already expressed about drumming up work. Have they actually shown you a hole in the sump or could it be oil leaking down from one of the more common places such as the PCV system or front crankcase oil seals?

I try only to use the services of a couple of friendly garages. In the past I've had the comment at MOT time that my rear nivos have "obviously leaked at some stage but are ok at the moment" Yes, it is actually possible to overload a 940, but it recovers!

Funnily enough one of the garages I use did raise a concern about perished brake hoses on my oldest 940. It was an MOT advisory for several years running. The other guy said that they are double-walled and it doesn't matter if the outer rubber has perished. I did eventually get them changed for peace of mind, but in my own time.

In the op's case I'd question whether gearbox and engine oil leaks are MOT failure points anyway. If they were, a lot of old cars would fail. Granted the other two items potentially are, but only if serious enough. Otherwise they're advisories.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Forrest

I'm also inclined to the views already expressed about drumming up work. Have they actually shown you a hole in the sump or could it be oil leaking down from one of the more common places such as the PCV system or front crankcase oil seals?

I try only to use the services of a couple of friendly garages. In the past I've had the comment at MOT time that my rear nivos have "obviously leaked at some stage but are ok at the moment" Yes, it is actually possible to overload a 940, but it recovers!

Funnily enough one of the garages I use did raise a concern about perished brake hoses on my oldest 940. It was an MOT advisory for several years running. The other guy said that they are double-walled and it doesn't matter if the outer rubber has perished. I did eventually get them changed for peace of mind, but in my own time.

In the op's case I'd question whether gearbox and engine oil leaks are MOT failure points anyway. If they were, a lot of old cars would fail. Granted the other two items potentially are, but only if serious enough. Otherwise they're advisories.

The word "Oil Leak" only appears 4 times in the tester's manual ( Bible )

twice in the steering rack/box section and twice in the braking system for Additional Braking Devices..
They are having us on !

[Laird Scooby]

Great minds etc - i was going to search the online testers manual for the same. Been told verbally a serious oil leak will fail by testers in the past but was a few years back.
Thanks for saving me some web-trawling!

[bgarston]

Originally Posted by classicswede

The only time I have see them rust through is on boats. Even 240,s from the 70's are fine.

I know, I am going to drop the loan car off so will take a look myself.

Thanks

[bgarston]

Originally Posted by Joe of Loath

How about fitting a used sump between now and January? You can get one from a breaker for peanuts.

Thanks, good thought.

[bgarston]

Originally Posted by Joe of Loath

A previous owner could have hit debris on the road at some point?

Good thinking BUT the car was previously was owned by my father since it was 18 months old. We have all the history for it since new, it's not had so much as a car park ding.

[Whyman]

As others have said this seems very strange reason for failure. Have you noticed it using oil or dripping oil where you park the car?

If the sump has to come off anyway why not get it welded as a temporary repair and then fit the new one at your leisure.

[bgarston]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Put it in for a test somewhere else. If the oil leak is severe then yes they can fail it but if it was that severe then the engine would have seized by now from lack of oil.

Like others have said, it's highly unusual for a sump to rot out, after all it has the best anti-rust mixture floating about in it all the time and usually things like that rot from the inside out because of condensation. As the inside is full of oil it's doubtful it is corroded.

It's possible i'm wrong but it sounds like that garage has been excessively picky and/or drumming up work for themselves - an MoT at a different (preferably recommended) garage might be the answer.

Out of interest, what is their MoT fee?

To be fair I knew either our V70 or the 940 had been loosing oil when parked on our drive (it's on a slope) but didn't know which one. Nether has been loosing fast amounts that the oil loss registers on the dip stick and neither was loosing oil when parked on the flat or though general motoring.

The front desk people at MRG are not the "Volvo people" you'd have found at MRG in the past; not since it has been taken over by Chippenham Motor Company. I believe the techy's are however. As I have said in a previous response I will take a look at the car myself on Saturday and make a call then....

[bgarston]

Originally Posted by Dirty Rooster

Yup.
Some of those fails are pretty rare conditions ... I smell a rat.

Agreed, The corroded brake hoses have been noted before so that's not a surprise. Likewise with the leaking steering rack there has been an intermittent judder through the steering wheel at low revs, slow speed that was originally investigated back in 2009 and again in 2014.

The leaking rear seal on the gearbox was a surprise as it was only out of the car last year when they change the clutch - the seal would be cheep it will be the labour for this that will hurt.

I've never heard of a corroded oil sump causing an oil leak, for that matter neither have my dad nor has father in law either and they've both driven cars more cheaply built than a 940!

[bgarston]

Originally Posted by Whyman

If the sump has to come off anyway why not get it welded as a temporary repair and then fit the new one at your leisure.

I only suggested to MRG today but thanks for the thought.