158 replies to this topic

[volvos60t5x]

Hey guys, well i will need some nice advice here. After all this years and 138k miles on my car, i still in love with it, i was thinking to trade it for an used R but to be honest i really like how this car is served me all this time, too many emotions involved, was my first volvo and also my first car that i did pay with my own money on 2003. You can see in my signature all the mods that i have on it. I have BSR Stage 3 flash, downpipe, catback, snapp intake, ipd coils, etc, etc. Im really considering change to ARD flash, Lucky is a really good friend and i think it will be an amazing option for a new flash, maybe with a 19T??? lol.

After different things, i decided to make some compression test which i will post pictures here. Cylinder 1 gave me 95 psi, 2-145. 3-145, 4-145, 5-95 psi. So i did order headgaskets, bearings, pistons rings, seals, gaskets etc, etc so i can open the engine, and replace all necessary hardware so i have a refresh engine. The S60 feels really good, power, torque was always there.

After we removed the head(one of the screws gave us really hard time!!!!!, 4 cracked sockets)I drop the head to a good friends shop so he can work on it, today he told me that 2 exhaust valves were a little bend, but needs to be replaced, got new ones for $40 both. Tomorrow my head will be done ready to install. Everything for $150 usd.

today also we remove the pistons and we found something that i was not expecting, cylinder 1 and 5 with cracked pistons, good news? well at least my cylinder walls are in perfect condition, no sing of imperfections around on cylinder 1 and 5, so at least no mayor work will be made.

Here is where i need your opinions, i was considering ordering stock pistons(if the block still in std of course) or goes with something more performance, dont know if it will worth if i keep stop rods. It will be almost impossible at this time to replace my rods cause im getting short of money with all the repair and some home issues. So i guess getting just the pistons will be the option. My question is where can i have them?. Which brand?, should i go different bore?.

Hope your experience will give me good options and i really appreciate all the time and help on this thread.

Here is some pics.








pics of the cylinder 1-5, the interesting thing was that 1 and 5 were alwasy dry, and 2-4 wet, maybe thats why i got i little bit more of compression:

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.

[Keaton85]

Looks like you skipped timing, those marks on the pistons are from the exhaust valves. or someone didn't know how to install a timing belt!

Are you 100% sure those are cracks?

[volvos60t5x]

broken pistons and cylinder walls.

Looks like you skipped timing, those marks on the pistons are from the exhaust valves. or someone didn't know how to install a timing belt!

Are you 100% sure those are cracks?

Thanks for your comment Keaton, a like a year ago or bit more one mechanic didnt have the experience on the timing belt, like 2 weeks later the dealer(my mechanic) did everything to put the timing again ok.

[volvos60t5x]

now a good idea should be, which pistons, where, std size?. what else should i consider.

[wizzard_al]

I've got the same car, and I'm in the process of building a spare engine, a 2.5 LPT engine, and it will have some definite mods, mostly head work, H beam ronds, and larger turbo.

For your car, if you could afford them both, I'd go aftermarket pistons, but that is what, $750? and then H beam rods, getting the 147 mm rods, which were in the '02 and later engines. Better rod length/stroke ratio, and you need the pistons made to match that rod length. If you simply can't afford rods, then I'd be sure to have Lucky tune it, you need to be certain that you don't develop too much boost at low rpm, or your rods will croak.

Pinstons - measure your block carefully, you might need a slight overbore. If you need to bore the engine, I"d consider pistons from RSI in Portland area. They are Wiesco pistons, good quality, but I don't know how quickly you can get them.

Personally, I've read stock pistons can get up to 350-400 hp, and your mods won't get that far, so rods would be a better choice if you don't have to bore the engine. I'd consider stock pistons for the 2 broken ones if the bore was fine, and then spend on rods. CXRacing has some dynamite prices, just got a set of 143 mm rods for just under $300 (rods for 93.2 mm crank) Rods for your size (139.5 mm) are running more, around $380? And the 147 mm rods are somewhere in the same price range, if they offer them.

The 81 mm bore block is stronger than the 83 mm block, so if you bore, I'd go the stock .4mm oversize from Volvo (.016"), or it would probably be cheaper to go .010" or .020" oversize because those would be aftermarket pistons.

[Commander Riker]

Doubt anyone here would say this isn't a good idea. I commend it. You love your car, and it shows.

Yet, have you thought about putting an R motor in?

[volvos60t5x]

well, checked the bore with the machine show, and good news, everything looks like new, i will need STD size of pistons. They were a bit surprised to see how the cylinder walls looks after 138k miles.

guys any source to get std size, i saw wiseco online but just .25mm more not std.

[volvos60t5x]

is this the oem part #?


Piston kit. Stock Code 274133 Fitment Notes

[Jardim]

Look at the timing belt cover, Look for the code that starts with B523...use that whole code to find pistons to match that code.

Should be a 81 mm bore piston, but you should reconsider a slight overbore with a hone to the cylinder walls to ensure everything will seal correctly once you install everything.

[volvos60t5x]

Thanks Jardim, now the main question is should i go oem, the 5 volvo pistons will cost me about $600 with rings sets. I know custom or je will cost about 750-800.

[Jardim]

I never seen anyone with JE on volvo's so i can't say anything about em, Hussein (lookforjoe) is running Wieseco pistons on his XR, despite recent engine failiure due to ever revving i dont think his pistons had any problems, maybe they would cost roughly the same as JE pistons.

Mahle makes good stuff too.....

[volvos60t5x]

oem are mahle isnt?. Im considering going stock, dont know yet cause is almost impossible to get 81mm std pistons from what i see. I dont want to use OS pistons because my cylinder walls are in perfect condition after all this miles, hard to believe but it does.

for the 320 hp that aprox my car did have a while back i gues stock internals should be fine. I was thinking to put a 19T and allow lucky to make me a file for it.

[Jardim]

A tune from lucky will make running a 19T rather safe so no need to get rods, Yes mahle are OEM (i thought they just made the OS pistons for volvo but i guess its all of them) Measure your cylnder walls, it will help

[volvos60t5x]

I did Jardin, i will need std 81mm pistons. The cylinder wall still has the cross lines after all this miles.

[volvos60t5x]

interesting....found that the piston kit from volvo comes with ring, wrist pin.....o im saving money on the ring sets alone. IT will cost me $540 shipped. No bad.

[andyb5]

How do you know your cylinder bores are perfect...?

Just looking at the crosshatch isn't good enough, you need to have a machinist measure them

[volvos60t5x]

hey Andy, the machine shop guy check all the cylinder walls. And yes he did use the tool for it, it was perfect measure across all the cylinders. I think i was lucky this time.

[andyb5]

Wow, good stuff. First time I've read about that happening

Most people just do a " I can still se the crosshatch, so they're ok" and then get surprised when they have problems later. Didn't want to see that happen to your nice T5

[volvos60t5x]

yeah, believe me he was shock about it, lol i did show the odometer cause he didnt believe that the car has 138k miles. I guess good oil changes, etc did good job there. Thanks for your kind of words, im really considering the 19T with Lucky tune, this car is really fun with stock 16T but i guess is time to feel more power .

[volvos60t5x]

Pics, checking the cylinder bore: