Revealing the Effects of Rod Bearing Failure in a Volvo Engine with Detailed Teardown Analysis

Detecting and Preventing Rod Bearing Failure in Your Engine

When individuals mention the breakdown of rod bearings, the initial thought that arises is the sudden and devastating damage that can occur within an engine without any forewarning. However, there are instances where bearing malfunction can slowly take place over a period of time, eventually leading to the engine’s demise after covering thousands of miles. This particular situation occurred with a Volvo engine.

Eric, the host of I Do Cars on YouTube, recently acquired a damaged 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine and decided to disassemble it in order to determine the cause of its failure. The engine was supposedly removed from a 2015 Volvo XC60, which required a new engine. This suggests that this particular engine has some serious issues that led to its replacement.

At first glance, this engine appears to be in good condition. There are no visible cracks or evidence of excessive heat on the block’s surface. After carefully disassembling the cylinder head, signs of varnished parts and carbon buildup are found, which is expected for a direct-injection engine with similar mileage. However, upon further examination, Eric comes across a slight layer of silver paste in the head’s valleys, indicating wear on the bearings.

After Eric removes the oil pan from the block, it becomes apparent that a significant amount of the high-grade metal paste can be seen. He believes that this engine probably functioned for a considerable period before completely breaking down, allowing the bearing material to gradually deteriorate and wreak havoc on the rest of the engine.

At a certain juncture, the bearings had reached their limit and ultimately gave way, rotating on the crankshaft and causing irreparable damage to the engine. Surprisingly, the bearings in the third cylinder even spun on top of one another, resulting in significant devastation. Upon further inspection, Eric discovered sizable pieces of metal within the oil pickup tube. It is safe to assume that this engine was functioning perfectly until the pivotal moment when the bearings failed.

DEAD AT JUST 100K! 2015 Volvo XC60 T5 2.0L Engine Bites The Dust