Taking a long time to build-up oil-pressure Topic is solved

[RichCrewe]

2002 S60 B5204T5 engine with about 195K miles.

I'm in the UK, which is in lock-down at the moment. The MOT on my Volvo expired three days before the start of the extension period, so I'm not really driving anywhere at the moment. In some attempt to splash oil around the engine to keep seals lubricated, etc. I'm starting the engine once a week and running for a couple of minutes.

After starting, it's taking about 10-seconds for the oil pressure warning light to go out. This is triggering the "No oil-pressure stop engine" warning. The engine sounds OK for a couple of seconds, then you can hear get a bit rattly, then it clears up as it gets oil pressure.

Is there a non-return valve in the oil-system?
Are there any seals in the oil system that are known to perish with age?

I'm wondering what could be causing this, it wasn't a problem when I last drove it in mid-March.

[ignatz]

My 2001 V70 had a delayed oil light, but not as bad as yours. Mine sounded OK if I drove it everyday, but if it sat for 2-3 days without starting, the engine had a 2-3 second delayed oil light. The engine would rattle, as if I was starting it up with a dry oil filter. I never got a message warning like you are getting.
I dropped the oil pan and all the oil pan o-rings looked good, but the o-ring for the oil pickup tube was visible and allowing the oil system to "break the straw" and let all the oil return to the sump. 3 seconds for my oil light to go out would have been the extreme longest time, but 2 seconds for sure if I let it sit for 2-3 days.
10 seconds is a long time.

[SuperHerman]

As ignatz states you most likely have a problem with the oil pan o-rings. I would not drive the car until the oil pressure issue is repaired. A forum member suffered complete engine failure from a failed o-ring.

Drop the pan and replace the rings. There are plenty of posts and DIYs on the subject.

[RichCrewe]

Took me two tries, about 4-hours each time. On the first attempt, I pinched an o-ring and it leaked oil, a lot.

Stuff the manual doesn't tell you:

• It's very hard to get the oil pan out-of and into position. Removing the engine-mount helps. Then it is just hard. (The engine mount doesn't carry any of the engine's weight, so provided the other three are in place it's OK to go under the engine with it removed.)

• The O-rings sealing the sump-to-block joins are a non-standard size and have a D-shaped cross-section. Use Volvo parts, they're not expensive. (If you're in the UK I'd recommend FRF-Volvo Swansea, their parts department is open for business, has excellent service and can get parts to you in a couple of days.)

• The bolts that secure the sump to the block are M7, not easy to find if you damage one.

• It's easy to miss the hole in the block with one of the long M7 bolts and thread it between the block and the flywheel damaging the bolt when you start the engine.

• The bolt that secures the fuel line bracket is just slightly shorter than the ones in the sump, easy to mix them up. You won't find out until you go to screw in the last bolt of the job.

[ignatz]

Glad its fixed!