Do you have a 2007 D5 185bhp with more than 150k miles?

[jamie1131]

Just dropped it off at the local Volvo dealer. I'll post an update when they report their findings!

[osullivant]

Originally Posted by jamie1131

Just dropped it off at the local Volvo dealer. I'll post an update when they report their findings!

Do please, my updates are in my compression test thread on diesel engine forum.....

[jamie1131]

The car is still with Volvo. The tech called me to say they had stripped the exhaust and inlet off the turbo and in his opinion there was no sign of it being faulty, no wet oil around the turbo itself and no play.
The compression and leak down tests will be done in the morning but the tech said to me that at this point if it was his car he would be fitting new rings.

So for everyone banging on about how reliable this engine is.... my car has a full Volvo service history and at 162k the engine is junk. I'm not the only one in this boat. I haven't seen any posts here from anyone with a higher mileage 185bhp D5244T4. The 163bhp engine might be reliable but stear clear of the newer DPF equipped engine. Its almost certainly been compromised by over injecting diesel to get the DPF to regenerate.

I'll be ringing around tomorrow for quotes for a recon engine, failing that I'll trade it in.

[laundryman]

My 185Hp 2008 made just short of 170K before getting attacked and written off. I used to change the oil between normal 18K services but never put any other oil in it. Maybe it helped that my daily 25 mile commute is nearly all dual carriageway so i can get it up to temp. As many posters say, the short journeys in town, especially using a heary right foot block up DPFs, which the system then tries to clean using diesel injection and so the whole thing goes round in a circle......
Also what appears to happen is that if people do their own servicing they are shocked at the price of fully synthetic oil and buy cheap which produces loads of ash and keep filling it with supermarket fuel some of which is borderline.
All my oil changes were done with top quality oil (Castrol edge at £8/litre) and i fuelled with regular doses of Shell V power. one in 5 tanks. Consequently no problems!

[osullivant]

Originally Posted by jamie1131

The car is still with Volvo. The tech called me to say they had stripped the exhaust and inlet off the turbo and in his opinion there was no sign of it being faulty, no wet oil around the turbo itself and no play.
The compression and leak down tests will be done in the morning but the tech said to me that at this point if it was his car he would be fitting new rings.

So for everyone banging on about how reliable this engine is.... my car has a full Volvo service history and at 162k the engine is junk. I'm not the only one in this boat. I haven't seen any posts here from anyone with a higher mileage 185bhp D5244T4. The 163bhp engine might be reliable but stear clear of the newer DPF equipped engine. Its almost certainly been compromised by over injecting diesel to get the DPF to regenerate.

I'll be ringing around tomorrow for quotes for a recon engine, failing that I'll trade it in.

Yep looks like we are in the same boat, with hindsight the work that I have done was influenced by posters praising the d5 185 as being bullet proof, I could have taken out the lump and rebuilt it twice over for the cost and time involved in pricking around with turbos,maps, maffs, intercooler, sensors, compression testing, not to mention umteen gallons of top spec oil and filters.....vida,dice etc...

so I guess this thread may act as a warning....

But I am still a bit mystified about the cause, is it the extra heat in the cylinders generated to clear the DPF, which is the cause, does the newer version inject fuel directly into the DPF to do a burn and is therefore better,

my suspicion is that it is the DPF blowing waste that has carbon particles in it into the cylinders which acts as an abrasive on the bores...

Eitherway if you are going to have your head off Id be curious to hear the results...

[TruckbusUK]

Originally Posted by jamie1131

So for everyone banging on about how reliable this engine is.... my car has a full Volvo service history and at 162k the engine is junk. I'm not the only one in this boat. I haven't seen any posts here from anyone with a higher mileage 185bhp D5244T4.

I understand your feeling, but don't forget, you will only ever hear of the "problems" your unlikely to hear from the many thousands that have this engine with little or no issue, hence its reputation for reliability, not easy reading if your one of the owners that are experiencing issues.

I really hope it works out for you in the end.

[jamie1131]

Thanks guys. This engine has the most comprehensive service history of any car I have ever owned, it really is meticulous. Its all Volvo Main Dealer and all the paper work quotes the correct oil being used.

my suspicion is the extra diesel injected to regenerate the DPF degrades the oil properties and causes premature wear on the bores.

I'll probably not bother taking the head off this engine, I really don't want to throw good money after bad so I'm waiting for a call back from an independent for a quote to fit a reconditioned engine.

What I would say to anyone considering one of these engines is that they certainly are not bullet proof and when you look around one its very difficult to know any thing is wrong. Mine only smokes under very specific conditions and only when fully warmed up. It starts perfectly and has bags of power. Be very cautious if you are looking at one of these cars, you could very easily get stuck with an expensive piece of junk!
I absolutely love the car itself and the way it drives, if I can't get a new engine fitted for a reasonable price I will buy a newer/lower mileage XC90.

[osullivant]

Originally Posted by jamie1131

I'll probably not bother taking the head off this engine, I really don't want to throw good money after bad so I'm waiting for a call back from an independent for a quote to fit a reconditioned engine.

.

if the indy is doing rebuilds perhaps he will eventually get a look into the bores,

I think I will have get a look into mine soon, just cannot face the task of taking out the engine and having the big blue lump on blocks in the back garden for a few weeks and me with black hands and face.....

Anyone want to buy it as is.... €4,000 euros subject to it leaving Ireland, I'll drive it over to uk... (new tires and new turbo worth over a thousand )

[jamie1131]

So the conclusion is no fault found. Compression and leak down tests showed no problems. The figure was 20bar for all cylinders which they said was within spec. 20 bar is approximately 290psi.

They said the next step would be to pull the head off but they didn't reccomend it because it is likely to be inconclusive again anyway.

The car is going to the independent garage on Monday who will quote for a new engine. The owner wanted to do some diagnosis (for free) first as he didn't believe it could need a new motor at this mileage. So I'll post another update on Monday :-/

[osullivant]

Originally Posted by jamie1131

So the conclusion is no fault found. Compression and leak down tests showed no problems. The figure was 20bar for all cylinders which they said was within spec. 20 bar is approximately 290psi.

They said the next step would be to pull the head off but they didn't reccomend it because it is likely to be inconclusive again anyway.

The car is going to the independent garage on Monday who will quote for a new engine. The owner wanted to do some diagnosis (for free) first as he didn't believe it could need a new motor at this mileage. So I'll post another update on Monday :-/

that figure is pretty close to what I had, but according to Cheshire5 quoting Haynes....

"Not checked Vida but from Haynes converted from bar.....
Min 319 psi
Nominal 348-449 psi
Max variance between cylinders 72 psi"

With a wet bore on a hot engine I got 340.... close to the suggested nominal

Who to believe????

Engine rebuilder guy here said he has seen a few with worn bores, 900 euros to bore and sleeve block and supply head gasket and bolts and set of rings....