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Update to misfiring '97 960

1K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  Nato740 
#1 ·
Well, I replaced the ignition coil as folks on this board recommended. But she sure is a knockin.
I drove less than two miles with the firing condition. I didn't ever rev heavily, but I'm sure just driving it wasn't to kind.
Worst case scenerio: How much would you estimate the repair bill might be?
Merry Volvo Christmas
 
#2 ·
Re: Update to misfiring '97 960 (RearWheelPaul)

Let me give a bit more detail about my dilema. I drove the car two miles....spittered, sputtered. No banging or clanging at this time. Came home, plugged in my diagnostic tool that said #3 was misfiring. I removed #3 plug. Wet with gas. Reinstalled. It was at this point, after restarting that that the banging started. I didn't drive anywhere when it did this. Immediately turned car off. Now, I've installed a new ignigiton coil. Still making the noise, but now the car at least turns over. Could this possibly be a situation where codes need to be reset?
Any help would be appreciated here. Thanks.
 
#3 ·
Re: Update to misfiring '97 960 (bolgar01)

Humm you need to do or have a compression test done on the eng. Number 3 is the one you might look harder at, but see if more then one is lower then should be. Next thing that confuses me is you state it was quiet other then spitter and sputtering till you shut it off? Now once you restart it, it is banging and knocking only now? Might have thrown a rod/bearing/wristpin with teh missfiring and DRIVING IT! or it might have broken rings from MISFIRING and driving and that upon shutdown fell part in cyl 3. Also outside chance you egged a cyl and rings and rods are now happily clanging away in there in 3. Most likely that you DID DO DAMAGE. And it now jsut a mattter of finding out how bad or if it is even fixable. Sorry about the Xmas JOY but sadley it is true. Anything more then jsut small spark pinging like you would get with a bad tank of gas, or a slight stumble and then clears up and comes back a few times as you drive home. MEANS pull over now and shut down NOW not after you get home. I also take it that "the car at least turns over" means that it runs but has the knock and no miss.
 
#4 ·
Re: Update to misfiring '97 960 (bolgar01)

My experience is with a '95 960 now with 290,000 km

By knocking, exactly what do you mean? Could it be a hydraulic valve lifter that has leaked down while the engine was stoped? This will cause what I would call clatter on start-up (often happens after the engine has been stopped for more than overnight). This will normally clear after a brief period of idle. In rarer cases, such as after prolonged storage it may only clear after driving for a few km/miles. You might be able to pin down the source a little using the mechanics stethescope (long screwdriver) held in contact with various locations like the top of the engine (front middle, rear of the cam carrier) or lower on the block. A sharper clatter from the top would indicate the valve train as the cause.

I find it hard to imagine a more serious problem like a con rod/piston/cylinder failure of some kind unless the engine was operated badly overheated or without oil pressure. This is a pretty solid, tough engine.
 
#5 ·
Re: Update to misfiring '97 960 (960junkie)

I agree junkie that they are robust engines. But like any eng they can be blown up if a few things acure at teh same time. Since we have no way of knowing jsut really what he did or did not do. Just from his statements it appears that he should not have done major damage. BUT I have found that what you think you did and what you REALLY did are two things many times. It does not take allot of missuse to make a simple thing into a major mess. Heck the Chrysler Slant 6 225 eng was as bullit proof a eng as ever there was. BUT it could be as well toasted by a simple thing left to multiply into a mess. You could over heat them terriably and they would keep on ticking like a timex. You could run them low and back again on oil over and over again. And they would keep on ticking like timex. But then one day one too many low oils and low coolents end up on the same day and bang a rod goes south thru teh block. Odd yes for a 225 for sure. BUT it could be done with lack of care and common sense. I am sure with a google search of teh dodge sites one could come up with a few posts for the bone head of teh year for the 225 slant 6. I am sure that he is not that bad with his 960 as that. But anything can and might happen on ANY given day of the week with ANY car. Main issue is NOT how good the eng is, but how bad the damage he did was. IS it fixable and is it worth it. Not I think i did not do this. I also ASSUME he knows the differnece between a washed out/wiped out Hydrolic lifter tap and a ROD KNOCK! I do not see but i might be wrong him saying he changed the oil yet or even looked at it. Very badley diluted with gas form a miss firing eng could yes cause a lifter to fail or tap. But I like I said assume he knows the difference in sounds? Or if he does not, might need to stop right where he is. Step away form the 960 and put down the manual and screwdriver steythascope. And let someone whom DOES, decide what he did and did not do now. The time for mightihave,doyouthink,couldihave is over.
 
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