Volvo dealer used abrasive wheel to clean engine sump
- Thread starter Astro14
- Start date
Flat rate is the cause of this. Factory trained techs should have been taught the right way - but choose not to do it right so they get the "easy" money by finishing faster than "book".
This is such a shame as it was completely avoidable IF the shop did what they where supposed to. RA is real important, and the factory would not call for the procedure they use unless it was necessary to ensure long life.
Good luck.
This is such a shame as it was completely avoidable IF the shop did what they where supposed to. RA is real important, and the factory would not call for the procedure they use unless it was necessary to ensure long life.
Good luck.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
Maybe have wwillson towing tow your car to wwillson auto repair shop in the future if anything else happens to it?
Would this disaster have you consider keeping a lesser car where you can't maintain it yourself? Something that wouldn't cause so much angst if a repair was mucked up?
Would this disaster have you consider keeping a lesser car where you can't maintain it yourself? Something that wouldn't cause so much angst if a repair was mucked up?
Here's the video on what abrasives can to do to engine internals if proper cleaning/scraping methods aren't followed
The streak from the particle on those bearings made me recoil
Aluminum oxide particles (present in most 3M sanding products) are AWFUL for bearings
After learning this, I'm very much more cautious about using a ScotchBrite pad or a Roloc disc when doing a valve cover gaskets
Same for the cooling system, all this grit when cleaning the water outlet flange can't be good for the pump seal
I'm gonna invest in a tube of gasket dissolver, and some quality scrapers
I've got plenty of fresh razor blades on hand
DO NOT use a razor blade haphazardly either, for it can round off combustion chamber edges
This Olds Quad 4 training video covers in detail better practices for gasket removal
This may seem elementary to some, but all we can do from this is learn
OP should get some sort of restitution, and I hope that happens promptly and professionally
Because if I walked into the service department after this, I might leave in restraints
Is a brand new long block direct from Volvo still available on this model?
The streak from the particle on those bearings made me recoil
Aluminum oxide particles (present in most 3M sanding products) are AWFUL for bearings
After learning this, I'm very much more cautious about using a ScotchBrite pad or a Roloc disc when doing a valve cover gaskets
Same for the cooling system, all this grit when cleaning the water outlet flange can't be good for the pump seal
I'm gonna invest in a tube of gasket dissolver, and some quality scrapers
I've got plenty of fresh razor blades on hand
DO NOT use a razor blade haphazardly either, for it can round off combustion chamber edges
This Olds Quad 4 training video covers in detail better practices for gasket removal
This may seem elementary to some, but all we can do from this is learn
OP should get some sort of restitution, and I hope that happens promptly and professionally
Because if I walked into the service department after this, I might leave in restraints
Is a brand new long block direct from Volvo still available on this model?
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If they took it over to the bench to wire wheel it, then ran through the parts washer and a good wipe down
That would be totally fine
But literally forcing debris right up and in is flat out poor work
I'm definitely rethinking how I do my open engine work after this, we can all learn something from this ignorance
No filter will catch those particles.
Sucks to hear 
Might want to scope the cylinder walls to see if anything was rubbing?
Might want to scope the cylinder walls to see if anything was rubbing?
Working on commission creates the mindset of shortcuts and using the obviously damaging method of cleaning a gasket surface. I’ve seen it all of my career. Our techs didn’t earn big bucks but they were paid a fixed salary with perks for a achieving a minimum of Labor hours turned. Not saying we were always ahead of the curve on return issues but we never contaminated our work. Lives depended on our fleet…
The dealer service manager and techs are living in a fantasy world if they believe an oil filter will catch anything left behind by an abrasive cleaning.
Evidently the dealer and techs have a gross misunderstanding of how the oiling system and oil filter handles cold or cool engine oil and the high pressures involved. Oil filters have by-pass valves and some oiling system have by-pass valves so when the oil is very thick and hard to push through the filter element, the bearings and valve train will still get some oil and the by-pass also relieves pressure in the system so filters don't blow up. Under high RPMs, even when the oil is hot, some by-pass valves will open because there is too much differential pressure across the filter element during times of very high flow.
The other possibility is even worse, they know how the oiling system works and don't care.
I'll promise you that the very first time they started your car, the oil was by-passing the filter. During by-pass, all the abrasive bits were pumped throughout your engine.
We shook our heads in disbelieve that any tech would use an abrasive wheel on an open engine and I still shake my head at a service department's ignorance of the operation of the very engines they work on.
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wemay
Site Donor 2023
Astro, I hope your attention to detail caught this in time so no serious damage occurred. I would be just as upset and, in addition, paranoid...attributing any new sounds or engine issues to this demarcation point. Even if entirely generated elsewhere.
ARGH!!
ARGH!!
If they took it over to the bench to wire wheel it, then ran through the parts washer and a good wipe down
That would be totally fine
But literally forcing debris right up and in is flat out poor work
I'm definitely rethinking how I do my open engine work after this, we can all learn something from this ignorance
It's fine for the pan, but not the engine block or transmission case! You can't run those through the parts washer.
The OP was told by the shop foreman that this is standard practice in their shop.
gut feeling here is that you got on this quickly before any notable, lasting damage occurred. And the second filter/magnet results suggest this too. You could also do a compression check wet/dry but I’ll bet it tells you a good story. These blocks are pretty stout.
It's standard practice in a lot of shops, doesn't make it right.
JHZR2
Staff member
Wow, that’s terrible. Sorry to read all this.
I think the first oil that was drained I’d want a particle count on in addition to UOA.
Some wear was likely done, bummer you couldn’t drain it sooner somehow, but you did the right thing to change it.
Now I’d document, document, document, and consider what a fair outcome might be if conditions come to that.
I think the first oil that was drained I’d want a particle count on in addition to UOA.
Some wear was likely done, bummer you couldn’t drain it sooner somehow, but you did the right thing to change it.
Now I’d document, document, document, and consider what a fair outcome might be if conditions come to that.
Astro14, I would at the very least write a letter to Volvo's USA headquarters, Office of the President (or whatever they call the head honcho) detailing your experience and your conversation with the Service Manager and Shop Foreman, and your dissatisfaction in how you and your vehicle were treated and that you want Volvo to warrant the engine because the Volvo dealership's service department did not follow the Volvo factory service manual and may well have damaged your engine. Also, send the letter Certified, Return Receipt Requested.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
Because we know they did the pan with the disk and we know they didn't put it in the parts washer. The dealer is going to say they parts washered the pan all day. I say the filter media with all the bits in it tells the real story.
The pan has nothing to do with this, they probably did run it through the parts washer. It's the fact they used it on the block! They can't run that through the parts washer.