1997 960 Changing Oil PUMP

Did you change the oil pressure switch first?!?! Maybe that's the problem!

If you've kept up with the oil changes the pump and filter are probably okay. I suggest starting with replacing the sender - much cheaper and easier, and likely to be the problem. However, don't drive the car until you have it sorted out for sure.

Mike

I am the second owner. The first owner put 62k on it and NEVER CHANGED THE Oil, she just kept adding when it got low. The engine is full of carbon and muck. For every 30 min. of run time the oil light comes on so stop the engine wait 15 min. and the light goes off for another 30 min. The car was given to me from her estate.

Hello Paul:

I've NO DOUBT that after 62K with no oil changes and just topping it up it is FULL of sludge and varnish.

Have you considered an engine flush? Many instant oil change shops have such a machine and push that particular service (at a cost of $60 to $90.) That said, in spite of what they will try to tell people it's basically a waste of money in my my opinion (and others') if the oil has been changed regularly.

However, if I were in your situation I'd consider it an essential first step. It may solve the problem and may not--but will certainly make it easier to diagnose any other issues....and could save you a lot of money. Any reputable shop is most likely going to insist on doing an engine flush anyway once you tell them the history of the car.

I did a bit of research a year ago when I first noticed these machines and heard about them. One thing nearly ALL in the industry agreed upon is that the Bilstein R-2000 is the best engine flushing machine, and noted that others are far behind in efficiency etc.

Another thing most agreed on is that for most cars it's not a necessary process and that how hard the sell is (especially at an independent shop or an oil change place) is probably related to how many payments they have left on the machine. I seem to recall the Bilstein unit costs somewhere between $6,000 and $9,000.

Here are two links to what the Car Talk Guys (radio show but apparently knowledgeable) had to say on the subject:

The machine has a heating unit and lines that are attached to the oil filter opening for pumping in and the drain plug on the pan for outflow. The Bilstein unit has a heater which operates at 110 degrees farenheit, thus warming a solution of mineral oil, detergents and solvents through the block, oil pump etc. The pumping is accomplished by means of a compressed air connection on the unit, thus forcing the solvents etc through the block, oil pump and passageways at 42 PSI.

On the return side, suction is used to pull the detritus back to a containment tank on the Bilstein unit.

I might be a bit off on the details, so here are links to info on the machine:

Again, If I were you (especially since the car was given to you) I'd spend the money for a Bilstein engine flush.

And yes, the machine is made by the same company we all know so well for their quality shocks and struts--and no, I don't work for them or any oil change outfit.

Note: if you do this and it solves the oil light issue, I'd be inclined to drive it for about 1,000 miles and then do another oil and filter change--but that's just me.

Also, you may have heard--and I do recall--of engine oil sludge issues on newer cars that resulted in catastrophic failure even when the owners had the vehicle regularly serviced and oil changed.

That's not been an issue with Volvos but has been for a few other manufacturers, most notably VW and Chrysler. Even regular engine flushes may not have solved the inherent issues of bad engineering and design on these cars. I seem to recall certain models of Toyota had a similar issue, but Toyota euphemistically referred to the issue as "oil gelling" and covered it even if the warranty had expired.

Chrysler and VW/Audi only covered out of warranty and in-warranty vehicles after threats of a "smack-down" from the US government

Here are a few links on "sludge issues" of that sort:

Note that most manufacturers blamed it all on the owner of the car and insisted on receipts and records for oil changes. Most people don't keep that sort of thing.

Final comment: If I were you I'd NOT drive the car except to have the engine flushed to see if it helps. If that does NOT solve it I'd take it in for oil pan removal and oil pump screen cleaning or replacement.

The 960 engine is tough--but does need oil and is apparently not getting what it needs now.

A final comment or two: from what I've read and after talking to two friends who have a combined 40 years as import repair shop owners, DON'T use a synthetic blend or full synthetic oil on your 960.

I put a syn blend in mine at the last oil change 800 miles and three weeks ago and within days had a few ounces of oil on the garage floor every morning--on a 240 with only 163K that had never leaked a drop.

Went back to my friend's shop on Friday and did another change--this time using decent quality (Castrol) 10-40. Guess what? Not even a drop on the floor since. My buddy, his brother, and 5 other shop owners on the same street all said the same thing "we see this all the time. Syn Oil is NOT recommended unless the manufacturer calls for it and even then only on certain engines.

I am certainly not trying to start some sort of flame war here--so if anyone reading this disagrees about synthetic oils please start a new thread.

Good Luck, and do let us know if the engine flush solves the problem.

Kindest Regards,

Doc

Oh, my! In that case....

Mike

Tks

Use synthetic if you want, but I don't and my engine is fine.

Change oil and filter frequently, more frequently than Volvo recommends.

Use a Mann filter.

IPD carries them.

All the best, Peter.