Oil Leak 2001 S60

JimLev · Post by **JimLev** » 31 Jan 2010, 15:09

I saw a few drops of what looked like motor oil on the garage floor. After jacking it up I see it appears to be coming from a lower front suspension bushing in the A-frame (if that's what Volvo calls them).
Anyone know if I can just buy a new bushing and press the old one out and the new one it?
Or do I need to buy a complete new lower A-frame, ouch.
Here's a pic, I cleaned the oil up before I took the pic. There is no oil anywhere above or around this bushing so I'm positive this must be an oil filled bushing. Let me know if I'm wrong. It's got 90K on it.

Checksix · Post by **Checksix** » 31 Jan 2010, 16:07

I think I remember a previous post that the bushing has an oil fill, but am not too sure. I also heard that you can replace the bush, but requires specialized adaptor and a big press. Others have posted its not much more to just buy an A arm assembly. Good Luck!

Jerry

Post by **OEMVolvoParts** » 01 Feb 2010, 09:31

You can buy either the whole control arm or just the bushings. It is required to have a press when doing the bushings only. For most people it will be much easier to just change the whole arm. Part numbers are 30635229 and 30635230. (left and right)

rbodor3 · Post by **rbodor3** » 01 Feb 2010, 11:01

It's not an oil-filled bushing. Your oil leak must be coming from elsewhere. I've replaced many of these bushings and also cut thru many of them, so I can tell you they are not oil-filled. Solid rubber with a metal sleeving.

JimLev · Post by **JimLev** » 01 Feb 2010, 21:27

I'll look again, but nothing above, or around this bushing was leaking oil. It's my wifes S60, so I figured she just hit one too many pot holes and blew out the bushing.
If it's not oiled fill that's good to know, just can't figure out where the oil came from. I'll keep looking.

rbodor3 · Post by **rbodor3** » 03 Feb 2010, 11:11

I can't imagine how oil could have possibly got all over the bushing like that from any place but the road. Possibly a CV boot, but it looks like everything wasn't covered in it, and that stuff doesn't look thick enough to be CV grease.

I would definitely bank on the fact that she drove through some mud or dirt or some other crap that has soiled the bushing. If you can get a close-up shot of the bushing it'll be easy to tell if it's bad or not. To be honest it doesn't look bad in the picture but the light/oil are making it difficult to tell. Considering it's a 2001 if the control arm bushings have never been replaced then I guarantee they need to be either way.

Post by **OEMVolvoParts** » 03 Feb 2010, 12:22

I can tell you for sure these ARE oil filled bushings. When you press them in and screw up, they will break open with fluid pooring out and then of course they are no good. 100% sure they have fluid inside, part number 9465971. The other ones which are circular do not have any fluid they are just rubber, part number 8630604 for 2wd and 8630605 for awd.

JimLev · Post by **JimLev** » 08 Feb 2010, 09:17

The car has sat in the garage for the last 7 days, we were away. The previous pic I posted was after I cleaned all the oil off the bushing. I'm convinced that this is an oil filled bushing. Here is the pic I just took. There is no oil anywhere else. The drops on the garage floor are a thick black oil, much thicker that the 5w30 synthetic oil I use in the engine.
Thanks for the p/n's MVPO.

JimLev · Post by **JimLev** » 12 Feb 2010, 06:55

Anyone know how difficult it is to press these bushings out? I do have a lot of toolsa big vise, and big C-clamps. I was thinking about using a large deep well socket as a sleeve to push the bushing out and the new one in. In theory it should work.
Probably could saw the old one out, lube the new one and press it in.
If that doesn't work there is a repair shop in the next town that had a 20 ton press.