Crazy to have a 92 940 D24tic engine rebuild?

[jor]

Apologies if I've missed something, but are you sure a rebuild is needed? The engines are considered to be hgihly reliable, so unless your car has ultra high mileage, or had the wrong oil used (!), or has been neglected (which does not appear to be the case) then it is unlikely to have low compression. If it starts ok and does around 35 mpg there cannot be a lot wrong with it. Smoking on startup is a feature of all examples. For a thorough discussion on smoking see the manual or if you do not have a busy life spend a week looking at the d24 list (http://lists.subtend.net/mailman/listinfo/d24)
If someone has removed all the injectors and given you a printout of the results from a compression test then I would believe compression is low, smoking on its' own is probably a pump/timing/injector/unknown thing.
From your previous post it would surely be worthwhile to have another go at trying to establish who changed the cambelt, as this will save you £175 or so, which you can then spend on other things.

jor

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by jor

Apologies if I've missed something, but are you sure a rebuild is needed? The engines are considered to be hgihly reliable, so unless your car has ultra high mileage, or had the wrong oil used (!), or has been neglected (which does not appear to be the case) then it is unlikely to have low compression. If it starts ok and does around 35 mpg there cannot be a lot wrong with it. Smoking on startup is a feature of all examples. For a thorough discussion on smoking see the manual or if you do not have a busy life spend a week looking at the d24 list (http://lists.subtend.net/mailman/listinfo/d24)
If someone has removed all the injectors and given you a printout of the results from a compression test then I would believe compression is low, smoking on its' own is probably a pump/timing/injector/unknown thing.
From your previous post it would surely be worthwhile to have another go at trying to establish who changed the cambelt, as this will save you £175 or so, which you can then spend on other things.

jor

I take your point about the pump timing, its something that will be done soon but my gut feeling tells me it will make little difference but I hope you are right and it does. I will also look at the green manual, have it downloaded now but can't open the file yet despite having Adobe. My engine is still strong but not right. A lot of intermittent water loss with no trace, not heater matrix or anything else, probably head gasket just starting to go (between a cylinder & water jacket?), quite a bit of smoking if pushed hard in 1st, 2nd, lots if floored top end, some after motorway driving. Better up hills than I thought if you drive it v hard once warmed up but then quite a lot of smoking. Uphills before the engine is warmed up its foot to the floor just to crawl up it. I know this is really a motorway car, she gets a good run once a week but at the moment most of my driving is town, she does 28 point something if driven hard, nearly 32 if driven carefully and I've still room for improvement, I would love to get 40mpg motorway at constant 55-60, will be doing a big run soon to find out. Gut feeling tells me the seller lied, he cannot provide invoice or garage name, cambelt definitely not done but it's still a lot of car for £480, my personalised number plate starts K940, the rest of the number plate is also a bit special, my number plate alone has value. Find the smoking a bit unacceptable, I am really a bit of an environmentalist (in every way but motoring I do everything I can for the environment, put myself out time and money wise) but needs be financially, think the mpg I save is covering all the extra servicing required for a diesel but not a rebuild but with a rebuild I think it would be an excellent vehicle if serviced properly for years and would probably hold a decent value? I think if looked after I could recoup the money from the rebuild over a period of time. Love the 940, the seating, the vision, the suspension, brakes, steering, who says you can't throw them around (in the dry), the space, have fitted it with a full size roofrack and I'm a sucker for a big bonnet, lol.., I have zero rot or rust absolutely anywhere. Of course, if my engine starts all winter, passes mot (not to worried about that, ways around emissions), doesn't die on me, then maybe I could run the car cheaply for a few years until it died...

Hope I've not bored everyone to tears, have covered the engine's different problems over other threads

[jor]

All I can say is that, in common with the other members who have replied, this is a car that definitely grows on you with time. I got mine 3 years ago and apart from changing the oil and filters have not been required to do anything except replace a numberplate bulb for a MOT. So I think it is definitely worth finding out what needs doing on this car. As you have got a reasonable quote for cambelt replacement could you not get this chap to check for a headgasket leak and make decisions from there? The other way is to have the rebore outfit do the inspection and then proceed as necessary but this would require a degree of trust on your part. I have not seen any accounts or recommendations from forum users relating to rebuilds. I'm sure the 940 register keeper could be of help.
As per a previous post I do know a reliable garage but a long way from you (Wembley Motor Parts).
I was getting about 39 mpg from mine, but this was avoiding short runs, avoiding rush hour traffic and not exceeding 65 mph so as you can imagine I could hardly believe it having changed from a 940 LPT. Were the worst to happen I would definitely go for a rebuild/replacement engine rather than consider a different model.
BTW have a look at the air filter and chuck half a bottle of non synthetic ATF into a full tank before you do your long run.


jor

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by SeanO'Connor

I didn't mean on HP, I never get one that way either, what I meant was use your engine rebuild money and your volvo in a part ex deal. As for my engine it is a DI engine , not common rail.

I obviously need to gem up on newer models and their engines and what they've got on them in terms of extra expense. Thanks

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by jor

All I can say is that, in common with the other members who have replied, this is a car that definitely grows on you with time. I got mine 3 years ago and apart from changing the oil and filters have not been required to do anything except replace a numberplate bulb for a MOT. So I think it is definitely worth finding out what needs doing on this car. As you have got a reasonable quote for cambelt replacement could you not get this chap to check for a headgasket leak and make decisions from there? The other way is to have the rebore outfit do the inspection and then proceed as necessary but this would require a degree of trust on your part. I have not seen any accounts or recommendations from forum users relating to rebuilds. I'm sure the 940 register keeper could be of help.
As per a previous post I do know a reliable garage but a long way from you (Wembley Motor Parts).
I was getting about 39 mpg from mine, but this was avoiding short runs, avoiding rush hour traffic and not exceeding 65 mph so as you can imagine I could hardly believe it having changed from a 940 LPT. Were the worst to happen I would definitely go for a rebuild/replacement engine rather than consider a different model.
BTW have a look at the air filter and chuck half a bottle of non synthetic ATF into a full tank before you do your long run.


jor

Hi Jor

I changed my air filter, it was as if it had been in the Sahara for years, all the muck was underneath it and some has obviously got into the engine. The new air filter has made no difference to economy nor performance but I guess the engine must feel a bit better for a bit of clean air. I also forgot to mention another problem, she only had white smoke and never burned oil but since the diesel specialists got hold of her she now burns oil too and I've also got black smoke. Unhappy about this, I was going to use them to time my pump up but won't now, in time I want to try and do this myself. Yes, I will ask the garage doing the cambelt for their verdict on the head gasket but my gut feeling knows its that, I was hopeful when another mechanic told me it wasn't and that it was simply the turbo using water but this idea has been thoroughly rubbished on here, my first time with a turbo, I am a little ignorant still about workings of but another member has now explained. I wouldn't trust the engine rebuilders to diagnose my engine I'm afraid! Thanks for all the good advice and nice to know I'm not the only one who really likes this strange engined Volvo! Oh, by the way, I had a smoke test done at the diesel specialist who were recommended to me by a VW diesel mechanic and they diagnosed nothing wrong with the pump, injectors etc.., they diagnosed low compression but being as they thrashed the guts out of her cold and since then she's been worse, who knows if they're also not so specialist?

[jor]

Hope you stick with it as said before you are welcome to a loan of the timing stuff, cam tool and LARGE torque wrench if you are minded to get your hands dirty.
As it sounds likely that several bits may be needed for the car keep a lookout for a spare engine, which if you are lucky will have pump plus pipes etc. Last one I saw was from a seller by the name of "dogydave" but he does not appear to have any items on sale at the moment so it may have gone.
BTW if the gasket has gone compression readings will be out won't they?
A replacement injector will be approx £30 on a replacement basis.

jor

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by jor

Hope you stick with it as said before you are welcome to a loan of the timing stuff, cam tool and LARGE torque wrench if you are minded to get your hands dirty.
As it sounds likely that several bits may be needed for the car keep a lookout for a spare engine, which if you are lucky will have pump plus pipes etc. Last one I saw was from a seller by the name of "dogydave" but he does not appear to have any items on sale at the moment so it may have gone.
BTW if the gasket has gone compression readings will be out won't they?
A replacement injector will be approx £30 on a replacement basis.

jor

I'm now one hundred percent sure that my head gasket is not right because I am clearly heavily using coolant on motorway driving and the constant white exhaust emissions then are no doubt steam, my coolant going. Still no overheating though but I only do short motorway runs. I guess my next move is to get her looked at to confirm the head gasket problem and see if it is that causing the low compression or if that is also caused by worn ring gear? I am wondering if I have both problems if it is going to cost as much to do both as to have a complete rebuild, which will take me some time to save up for. (Someone on here mentioned the possibility of a rebore on one of these engines). I'm assuming a proper complete rebuild should not include a rebore but replacement of original worn parts?? Will check with the company concerned. The car is still going well and strong, I just have to be meticulous in checking my coolant. I've had to rule out a very long motorway run due in October, I don't fancy stopping every 100 miles or so and topping up coolant nor risking wrecking what is still a very usable engine. I am going to get the RAC recommended garage to diagnose my engine problems before they fit the cam belt the week after next, (perhaps as someone said I am wasting money having the cam belt done on this engine but I will have to continue running this engine whilst I save up for rebuild or replacement and would be gutted if the cam belt went in the meantime)

Will let you know the result of an engine diagnosis. I will also get them to quote me for putting in another engine as well as works required. If I am lucky enough to simply need a new head gasket and the head itself is ok, or if I decide to have the head gasket done and not any other work such as ring gear that requires doing, does anyone know how many hours labour this should take? Many thanks

[SeanO'Connor]

If you are loosing water into a cylinder through the head gasket, then yes you will have low compression, get the head fixed and your car will be transformed, don't waste money on an expensive rebuild.

[Laney760]

She was booked in on the 16th for the cambelt change with the diesel garage recommended by the RAC. The cam belt is now cancelled and she is booked in for diagnosis, they said it sounds like she is burning water in the cylinders but couldn't rule out water pump as she is burning water under load. If it is the head gasket they will put in a new headgasket and replace the cam belt for £600 plus vat which is pretty good so I will have some idea by the 16th what is wrong and think I can raise the money by the beginning of November. Getting excited about getting this engine up to scratch and then looking forward to having a tune up like Peter Milnes, lol, pushed her in first and second last night which I don't normally do to avoid smoking and was amazed how very fast she is as in 0-60 but now I'll behave and nurse her around until she is up to scratch! Will post this also on my other thread relevant to this, the head gasket or turbo using water thread and then update that when I have diagnosis as to what is wrong with her

[John Davies]

I bought a D24T engined car a while ago that was smoking and using water. A new steel head gasket, pump timing filters and standard service - oil and air filters changed etc. - swapping the injectors and regapping the valve clearances tranformed the situation. The MPG got a lot better as well.

I wouldn't go for a full rebuild unless there is significant bore wear and/or bottom end rattle. Water pumps etc are often cheap on ebay, but buy a Volvo head gasket. £90 ish, but worth it.

Be interested to hear how you get on

John Davies