So about a week ago I was driving along and got a CEL in my 96 volvo 850R. I didn't notice a change in the driveability of the car so I drove the 10 miles home. When I got there I read the cel and found this:
P0331 knock
p1310 misfire 1&2
p0304 cylinder 4 misfire
p0303 cylinder 3 misfire
p0300 multiple cylinder misfire

Also I found coolant in the oil(on the dipstick). Of course my first instinct was headgasket. I did a compression test and got 150psi on cylinders 1-4 and 120psi on cylinder 5. I did a exhaust gas test on the coolant and it came up negative. It appears to be burning some coolant too as it has a small amount of white smoke and a lot of condensation coming out the exhaust.

The only other two places it could mix are the turbo or the radiator(radiator/oil cooler combo). I don't see how just the two fluids mixing together in the radiator would cause all the CELs. Thinking maybe its in the turbo that its all happening, but dont want to spend the several hundred dollars to replace the turbo to find out its a headgasket. But is it possible the 120psi in cylinder 5 is enough to have a bad headgasket, but then why would it read misfires on all the other cylinders and not have exhaust gas in the coolant.

 

I don't know Volvos as much as I know Saabs... but I suspect some vague similarities between them.

Does the car have a physical knock sensor? Mine doesn't, because it uses ionization voltage at the spark gap to measure a few combustion things including knock & maybe misfiring.

If that's the case, the car should be rather sensitive to good spark plugs. The Saabs seem pretty sensitive to the brand of plugs as well.

But all that doesn't explain coolant in the oil. Can you smell the characteristic smell of antifreeze (crankcase or exhaust)? Can you rule out simple condensation because of cold weather?

If something is happening in the turbo or in the radiator, why would that go to cyl-5 only? The way the intake manifold branches come off?

 

Its definitely more than just condensation. The oil on the dipstick is frothy and has condensation all the way up the dipstick.

That's what I can't figure out, a lot of the volvo people suggested radiator, but that wouldn't explain all the CELs, and when asked about the CELs they never responded.

Not sure about the knock sensor, but even if the plugs were just bad, obviously there is still some problem causing the coolant in oil.

About to just call it quits and buy a new car.

 

I hope it is a Honda..I would not own a Volvo, BMW, Saab or anything close to it,,even if you gave it to me, it would have a for sale sign on it faster than you can say,,sell it. Hard to work on and lots of $$ when it breaks. Good luck.

 

Again, in the short time I had it - I got the miss-fire codes.....I think it was just a p0302 (cyl 2). I only got that at higher RPM's.

I pulled the plugs and didn't notice anything beside they were "somewhat" worn. I got new plugs and about a week or so later went to replace them. This time I had a bit more "dirt" on my fingers. When I rubbed my fingers on the "ceramic" part of the plugs I found hair line cracks on like 4 out of 5....worth another look, I would have never seen the crack had the dirt/oil from my fingers hadn't rubbed into the hairline crack(s)....there should be a post with picks around here somewhere.

I think you replace the oil lines to the rad.......so if you pull those and rent a rad pressure tester......can you get oil to come out the line connections, meaning the coolant leaks to the oil cooler and the comes out the oil line(s) connectors?

I'm reaching....only "tried" to take of the volvo for you for a short time and only messed with the saab a bit.

 

Here I went and found it: https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...k-plugs-58567/

Now in doing so, I knocked off one ot the intercooler hoses. Pretty sure that when I had the top of the air cleaner off it sucked the air filter in suck a way that it blocked air flow and caused a good "backfire" and that is what kicked/knocked the hose hose off - pretty sure at the end of the thread I posted the one that got kicked off.

But that still doesn't answer the oil and coolant. SO again, if you pop off the oil lines and put pressure into the rad.....does oil start to puch out where the lines connect - just reaching.

 

Just a side note....this is a very good friend of many of us. I learned a ton about volvo's while I was "tendering" one or two of his while he was "deployed". Then the wife found a "small, red, convertable" that she liked - saab 93. When she spoke those words, there was nothing I could say besides, let me test drive it and check it out - if ok you can have it. Besides the once every six months or so I get the trans range code - clear it and it goes away for another six months - no issues so far. In the low to mid range and you need/want to stomp on it - let that turbo spool up and hang on

I told "Rice' I did this - in his 96 volvo, a bit of brake touque - then nail it off the line and that thing would break the tires lose without even thinking twice.....not bad for a station wagon

 

I'll look at the plugs. Maybe they are two unrelated issues. In the field for ththe rest of the week now though.

 

I guess you found a ride yesterday

Also, again maybe it was just me but seating the air filter in the box was a bit of a pain....yes one time it didn't seat and "balled" up in the intake tube - I'm pretty sure that is what casued the one "turbo" hose to come off the intercooler.....causing me not to be able to get it to hold idle.....

 

Ok perhaps a bit rough on the ol guy,,everyone has there issues,,I do for sure..Good luck on the new ride.