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This can't be good...

2K views 25 replies 15 participants last post by  mgotts 
#1 ·
I have watched small cracks develop around the base of the vertical rubber piece within the mount and had it looked at by my dealer's tech the other day. The mount was given a clean bill of health despite these visible cracks (I quote, "it's not broken until its broken" - yeah, thanks buddy). I didn't like this assessment and took a much closer look at the mount today. To my surprise, I found a LARGE open crack along the front inner edge of the opening. The crack was large enough for me to easily slide a pair of locking tweazers through with zero resistance. To those of you who have the same hairline cracks as I do, make sure you crane your neck further (with a flashlight) to see what's going on in the difficult-to-see areas!







On a side note, does anyone have an idea what is causing the brown discoloration around the mount (on the metal bracket)?

- Tryg
 
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#4 ·
Re: This can't be good... (RainyS60R)

Quote, originally posted by RainyS60R »
I was elated to purchase a black Evolve bushing on eBay for a good price, only to hear back from the seller who told me he no longer had black and instead offered me blue.


- Tryg

Also Volvo changed the engine bushings with new ones,you can ask your dealer.I use them and pleased till now.

I can't say about Evolve bushings because haven''t used.But don't think that there are so much difference.
 
#5 ·
Re: This can't be good... (RainyS60R)

The bushing is much thinner at the front and rear. I would be more concerned about the top and bottom of the bushing being cracked. The top mount bushing has been a problem on these cars since the 850 was released in '92.
 
#6 ·
Re: This can't be good... (xenophobic)

Quote, originally posted by xenophobic »
Also Volvo changed the engine bushings with new ones,you can ask your dealer.I use them and pleased till now.

I can't say about Evolve bushings because haven''t used.But don't think that there are so much difference.

There is a huge difference between stock and something like the powerflex bushing. Huge.

Tyrg:

If you want a new stock one, bring it back. They'll change it now. Ask to keep the old part (in case you want Evolve, powerflex, etc.)

Or just get Evolve, Powerflex now. The removal / installation is EASY.
 
#7 ·
Re: This can't be good... (RainyS60R)

That's nothing.
That probably started within 5K miles.
It will take a while before it's cracked completely through. However, this is totally confusing why though they just didn't replace it, they will in another few thousand miles anyway
 
#9 ·
Re: This can't be good... (cloaked)

Yeah, we'll see if I get my eBay funds back in the next few hours... I don't think I want to go with the Evolve blue given what I have heard with regard to vibrations, etc.

I assure you all that I am not attempting to open the "which-bushing-should-I-go-with" debate again.


- Tryg
 
#10 ·
the discoloration arises due to the heat and gradual decomposition of the bushing.

it's radial cracks you need to worry about. ones that make it easier for the pin to move all the way to the mount.
 
#11 ·
Re: This can't be good... (RainyS60R)

The part of the bushing that your tweezers are going through usually has a very thin piece of rubber which is not critical to the bushing. The part to worry about is the top and bottom where the main bushing contacts the outer ring. Mine was cracked pretty badly on the bottom, and my dealer replaced it with the new square bushing which I like much more than the original stock unit.

Shifts are smoother and a bit less vibration makes its way into the cabin.

I punched my bushing with a screwdriver in the same spot where your tweezers went through - the rubber in that spot is purely cosmetic.
 
#13 ·
Re: This can't be good... (kr900)

Quote, originally posted by kr900 »
Hey Tryg-

Sandberg told me the same thing about my upper mount with hairline cracks when I was in there last month. "It' ain't broke enough to fix."

Likely will be totally failed at about 50,000.1 miles.

Kevin

That's why I'm defecting to Barrier next week for the next oil change...


- Tryg
 
#14 ·
Re: This can't be good... (RainyS60R)

I would agree with the tech. It isn't broken until it's broken. And your's is NOT broken at all.

Grendel pretty much hit the nail on the head.

You've got an old-style upper engine mount. The area where you pushed your pliers through only has a very thin amount of rubber that is left over from the mold. Unless it is cracked at the very top-center, and/or very bottom-center, it's not broken.

An easy way to test if it is broken is to take a screwdriver and pry in between the black metal and the silver metal to see if you can get the black piece to move sideways. If the mount is broken, you'll see it quite easily this way.

Nevertheless, if you want to replace it, the Evolve option is a good one.
 
#15 ·
Re: This can't be good... (R Salesman)

Quote, originally posted by R Salesman »

You've got an old-style upper engine mount. The area where you pushed your pliers through only has a very thin amount of rubber that is left over from the mold. Unless it is cracked at the very top-center, and/or very bottom-center, it's not broken.

Do you mean like this...

http://forums.swedespeed.com/zerothread?id=59520

The tweezers covered this up in the recent photos - the cracks at the top and bottom are roughly 50% worse than when I typed/photographed the above post. Fortunately, I *just* received my refund from (gulp) Alamo Motorsports for the Evolve bushing they "mysteriously lost" after I purchased it on eBay. I'll be buying a legit black mount from Evolve shortly.

- Tryg
 
#16 ·
Re: This can't be good... (RainyS60R)

That is normal. There shouldn't be any material in that area, only a small film/residu of the moulding process.
I do see a small crack in the lower part of the bushing in the 2nd picture but often this starts in the very early stages.

Bushing appears to be in reasonable state.
 
#17 ·
Re: This can't be good... (RainyS60R)

Quote, originally posted by RainyS60R »
I was elated to purchase a black Evolve bushing on eBay for a good price, only to hear back from the seller who told me he no longer had black and instead offered me blue.


- Tryg
blue should be slightly stiffer, but better for MT, anyway.
 
#18 ·
Re: This can't be good... (Cicada)

I have freinds who are techs/mgr's at many different dealers and brands.

Disclaimer:
Now someone may want to get on here and say "I got it all wrong."
"I got my head up my arse," etc.. I ain't talking about "What they've seen at this one dealer, blah blah blah.. I'm talking about a tendancy that's industry wide from what I've seen from the inside both working at and later working with dealers while running an independant tuning business.

What you have is a dealer is given a tier level that allows them to either pretty much make warranty repairs without question from mfr, ..Or at the opposite end; virtually can't so much as change a light bulb without getting a factory service rep to approve it. What happens most often is dealers have perhaps a service manager that's friendly towards turning work into warranty repairs. (Most often as it should be.) Occasionaly, questionable work also.. but hey, it pays the bills, keeps techs in the money versus sitting around making zilch. (It happens) Although not as lucrative to a dealer personnel as a customer retail job. They get both, a longer rate of pay for job such as 3 hrs versus 1.5.. the advantage is say tech finishes job in 1.25 hrs, he goes on to next job.. hence making more money and a much more profitable hourly scale. i.e. mfr pays out $40 hr versus customer retail of $80 per hour. As you can see this benefits not only tech but mgr's commisison and dealer gross as well, ..and the mfr is not paying out for warranty repair. They ALL win, ...Joe Q customer, is the only one who is much lighter in the wallet.


So anyway, back to friendly service mgr, either owner is greedy and has meeting with mgr and says either increase revenue (ala turn more work into retail and less warranty) or suddenly dealer owner get's a call from mfr saying they are going to change their status, this will of course SLOW DOWN all work orders and hence cause customer disgruntlement and thus bad PR, likely loss of some customers.
This will of course draw prompt action from owner/general mgr. Either service mgr will change his persepective, or perhaps change his employment status.
(It's a cruel business!!
) But that's often how it goes.

I sat in a meeting where the owner said, .."sales are down, we expect they will remain down for the next month, service, you need to make $1 million more next month than you have been making to make up for sales."
Now how the hell does one virtually double the tickets in one month?
(Well, I've explained how that trick get's done.
)

So endsum, from time to time you find good dealers who walk the line between good customer care and dealing with mfr's, occasionally it's very good personnel who make the difference.. who for that reason don't stick around long enough. But I'd bet if you had said, "just replace the mount, I'll pay for it." It would have been done on the spot.
Unless, ..they really were swamped or had much more lucrative work to be done. They would in that case though, probably just take your car in and keep it longer. Doing big $$ work first, not changing a mount.

That's the nature of the beast
 
#19 ·
Re: This can't be good... (Dzljet)

Also remember that ALL dealers have a goodwill fund.
If you happen to bring your car in towards the end of the month and that fund is either low or still liquid, really can make the difference on whether you get a freebie or a turn down on a questionable (so so) warranty item
 
#20 ·
Re: This can't be good... (Dzljet)

While you've got a good grasp of the situation, there's one thing you're leaving out: Quality Control on the warranty process from the manufacturer.

Here's how the warranty process actually works from a cash-flow perspective. Customer A brings in his car for a warranty repair X. Dealer performs warranty repair X. Dealer submits to manufacturer said warranty repair, and about two months later, IF the warranty repair is approved by manufacturer, the manufacturer reimburses the dealer. So for every warranty repair done, the dealer is actually out that money until, two months later, they receive reimbursement from the manufacturer.

Now, the manufacturer isn't just going to take every warranty submission at face value. They do spot checks. And depending on a retailer's status, it could be anywhere from EVERY warranty repair is reviewed, to 1 in 100, etc.

Let's take for example the topic in this thread. The engine mount isn't actually broken. Let's say that, just to be nice, the dealer decides to go ahead and replace that mount under warranty. So they replace the mount, and send the customer on his way. What then happens is, a month later, Volvo asks to see that mount. So the retailer ships it to Volvo. Some Volvo rep looks at the mount and says, "This thing isn't broken! Warranty claim denied." So then a month later, when the retailer is supposed to be getting they're money, they don't.

Now, I fully realize that nobody cares about the retailer at all. But let me ask you this: how much business sense does it make to do work for free? From a business perspective, before you do any work, you need to make darn sure you're going to get paid for it, otherwise you won't stay in business.

And I know A LOT of you guys complain about how far away your dealer is, blah blah blah . . . well, imagine how much MORE of a pain going to the dealer would be if they went out of business. Just food for thought.
 
#21 ·
Re: This can't be good... (JRL)

In my experience, goodwill is primarily reserved for repeat customers who have a documented complaint (with no problem found) during the warranty period that becomes a problem after warranty expiration.
 
#22 ·
Re: This can't be good... (R Salesman)

Quote, originally posted by R Salesman »
In my experience, goodwill is primarily reserved for repeat customers who have a documented complaint (with no problem found) during the warranty period that becomes a problem after warranty expiration.
True, but, fror some reason they have some left at the end of the month you can get lucky.
Isn't it a use it or lose it deal?
It doesn't carry over like Cingular minutes
 
#23 ·
Re: This can't be good... (R Salesman)

Quote, originally posted by R Salesman »


What then happens is, a month later, Volvo asks to see that mount. So the retailer ships it to Volvo. Some Volvo rep looks at the mount and says, "This thing isn't broken! Warranty claim denied." So then a month later, when the retailer is supposed to be getting they're money, they don't.

Now, I fully realize that nobody cares about the retailer at all.


Interesting- how long does a dealer have to hold onto parts that have been replaced under warranty? Just until they get reimbursed?

I don't agree with your comment about nobody caring about the retailer- it is sad that has been your experience.
 
#24 ·
Re: This can't be good... (Wayne T5)

Quote, originally posted by Wayne T5 »
Interesting- how long does a dealer have to hold onto parts that have been replaced under warranty? Just until they get reimbursed?

I think it can be for up to 90 days, I believe.
 
#26 ·
Re: This can't be good... (RainyS60R)

I got the same "it must be completely broken" cr*p from my dealer as well. Mine was 3/4 cracked on one end and 1/2 to 2/3 cracked through on the other. I replaced it myself 18 months ago or so with the Evolve black bushing and never looked back.

Oh, and BTW, as others have noted, what you show in the picture is *not* broken. The bushing is an I-beam of rubber in a circular, metal mount. The "flashing" of rubber on either side has nothing to do with the function of the bushing and is left over from the molding process. Mine was cracked through the *rubber I-beam* and, on the top, hanging on by a piece of material 1/8-th inch wide.

Apparently Volvo feels it is the customer's responsibility to deal with their bad design so that Volvo doesn't lose too much money making it right
. They need to realize that it is the petty little sh*t that really makes customers mad, and it would be worth it for them to replace clearly failed engine-mount bushings, no questions asked.
 
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