This is out of my friend's 94 940. He just bought the car used and the previous owner stopped changing the oil a long time ago. There was so much crud in the engine that it finally came loose during a long multi-state trip and plugged up the oil pump screen. The oil light came on and the car started making a loud knocking noise.

You can see how the lower half of the connecting rod is black. This is not crud or dirt - the metal has discolored from heat:


Here you can see the top half of the bearing. It melted and began to wrap around the bearing journal. There are pieces of it missing, too:


The bottom half of the bearing, you can see how stressed it got:


This engine was trashed! We installed a used one from a junkyard.
--
Matt L. -- Cary, NC -- '91 740 wagon

Dear Matt,

Good p.m. and hope you're well. Marvelous photos. Might I suggest you submit them for inclusion in the FAQs, as an object lesson to show that happens, when maintenance is neglected.

Yours faithfully,

spook

Great pictures Matt.

Out of curiousity where are good junkyards for Volvos in the Triangle. I live in Durham and was wondering. Big football game this weekend! Let's hope the tailgating's more peaceful.

Mike

There aren't any Volvo junkyards in the Triangle (I've been looking for 5 years).

The replacement engine came from autozone. They can order parts from everdrive which is a distribution channel for used parts from junkyards all over the country (www.everdrive.com). The engine was $869, which is a high price as far as used engines go, but that price includes cleaning/testing, delivery to the local autozone store, and a 1 year warranty. My friend felt that it was the best option for him, not knowing what to look for at a junkyard, and I didn't have the time to try to hunt down an engine myself.

--
Matt L. -- Cary, NC -- '91 740 wagon

Matt, this is information you already know. eusmlle, there are about 5 junk yards on 70 past Mebane, Haw River area and about that many in N Durham. I had talked to all of them in Haw River plus a few more in some other areas. One junk yard owner is even Volvo driver. He went from a 240 to 740 and loves them. They run high dollars at the auctions and there is not a market for Volvo parts in this area, not like there is in the DC area or the NE. The Volvos at the salvage auctions here, end up going north. Now if you need a chevy or truck part... Another thing, not many folks works on their own cars any more, not like the “old days”. Most people don’t even change their own oil. I guess if you have a newer car, you can’t work on them.

eusmlle, I didn’t see the low rider in Hillsborough. I guess that means you passed it up. :o(

Matt, great info and pics.

--
Tom F. Three 940s. The '93 T-Rex (Regina) is now running very well. Mods, RainX & cup holders. Lien holder on two more (the kid's). Rust In Pieces, '78 245

Nice photos, Matt. Thanks.
--
'88 244GL, '89 244GL, '90 244DL, '91 244, '92 244

I gave my sister a piston from her 740 as a Christmas present. That was after I had replaced the engine from which it originated. I didn't give her the one with the broken bearing cap, rather I gave her one that didn't break. The bad one went through the block, making for a fun picture, though.

Funny the things people do with cars. Like oil (or the changing thereof) is so expensive or tough. $10 and you're on the way for another 3000+ miles.

Great pics, by the way!