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How long can a B230 engine run after starting diesel-lite noise symptoms? I have put on 20K+ miles on my 1991 940T since the problem and repair described below, with good performance. I feel lucky but I'm wondering how long it will last. I hear that it will just keep-on running until something else fails or happens. Please respond with your experience, thoughts, or rumors.
My 940T now has over 300K miles and I still enjoy its power and reliability. Last October, I helped my daughter move, pulling a 3500-lb trailer&load from Wash.DC to Atlanta. During the return, a cylindar(#4) dropped out, the engine sucked a lot of oil and gas, BUT got me home including the trailer on 3 cylindars.
After a checkout by my good Volvo shop, they found a valve had worn down and stopped closing all the way. There was just burnt oil on the valve face but no 'burnt' spot as I expected. I had a valve job done. This included complete inspection of the head, new guides, new turbo seals, oil seals, gaskets, etc. all around. An interesting note, after 290K miles it was still easy to see the origional hone swirl-marks in the cylindar walls, all around top to bottom.
The engine ran and seemed normal when I picked up the car. A week or so later, I started to hear a clicking sound, which reminded me of loose valve clearence. I went back to the shop, had them check, and they reported the valves were fine but the engine probably had noise from a loose wrist-pin, worn piston skirt, or possibly a connecting rod bearing.
At this point, I visited the Brickboard and learned about the diesel-lite syndrome and some experience of others. I expected some change over time but the engine has 'stabilized' with a typical clicking, mostly at idle I think.
The engine pulls hard at low and high RPM, oil consumption is way down (~2000 mi/qt), and it seems fine except the clicking at low RPM with the windows open. When the windows are closed, I can barely hear the clicking and most people don't notice it. It sounds like a stuck hydraulic-lifter on a US engine.
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