Oil Under Spark Plug Cover

[bigdaddylee82]

I have the same problem with my 1995 850, there is oil all inside under the spark plug cover.

Typically this is from a bad oil filler cap gasket leaking, or sloppy/careless oil changes. If you or whoever changes the oil misses the hole while filling with a quart of oil then the oil spilled typically collects on top of the head under the plastic cover.

Ajwgator, seems to be missing a part/plug that is at least the primary causing his issue.


- Lee

[ajwgator]

I have the same problem with my 1995 850, there is oil all inside under the spark plug cover.

Typically this is from a bad oil filler cap gasket leaking, or sloppy/careless oil changes. If you or whoever changes the oil misses the hole while filling with a quart of oil then the oil spilled typically collects on top of the head under the plastic cover.

Ajwgator, seems to be missing a part/plug that is at least the primary causing his issue.


- Lee

That is correct Lee. There has not ever been anythng in that port (tube or plug) since I have owned the car. In Volvospeed forum they are saying most likely the head has been apart and someone did an inadequate job of sealing the cam cover to the head.

That hole is not used on turbo motors, the anaerobic sealer used to seal the top half of the head to the bottom half of the head seals it off, but often when taken apart if you don't use enough sealer or don't apply it correctly it will leak. Either way the only fix is it remove the top cam cover and reseal it.

For now, I am going the route to make a plug for it like you did on yours.

[bigdaddylee82]

That hole is not used on turbo motors, the anaerobic sealer used to seal the top half of the head to the bottom half of the head seals it off, but often when taken apart if you don't use enough sealer or don't apply it correctly it will leak. Either way the only fix is it remove the top cam cover and reseal it.

For now, I am going the route to make a plug for it like you did on yours.

If you or the previous owner had major work done to the car, i.e. head rebuilt/replaced they could have possibly put a n/a head on your engine, or at least the top half of a head, I'm speculating here. I believe I still have the top half of the head from my old engine so I'll take a look at it after work, but I am positive that it doesn't have the hole or any kind of plug in it. If I remember correctly there is a raised boss there, but no machined hole. So I would suspect that at least the upper half of the head on your car isn't original to the car.

- Lee

[vjaneczko]

Saw this on volvoforums.org.uk - seems to be the same issue:

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthrea ... e+plug+oil

To summarize;

"I went to the Volvo dealer in my town and that hole is for those who have a "air pump" of some sort. And my car does not have that.
Also there should be no leak from that hole but it can begin to leak if the glue breaks between the layers.
Volvo DID have a solution, they do have a plug with bushing to attach!

European number of this artifact is: VO986815 and VO11996.

He goes on to post:

Anyways, I got my parts from Volvo/Bilia today and they ordered the wrong part. They don't have a clue on what plug I need so they can't really help me...

So it's gotta be something we can plug on this side of the Big Pond.

[bigdaddylee82]

Forget what I said about there being a different head on your engine. I think the links/quotes that vjaneczko posted is the answer to your problem. I dug the top half of the head from my old motor out of the scrap bin, and it has a hole there too. I could have, and would have, swore it didn't, but it does.

Plug it and forget about it .

- Lee

[pkc303]

For what it's worth, we have two turbo 850's and a spare head. All three have the hole, nothing comes out of it.

[polskamafia mjl]

OzarkLee needs to take a look at this. A couple months ago he replaced an exhaust manifold so he's really familiar with that side of the engine...

[ajwgator]

OK Lee, today I made a cap for the hole. I took a short piece of 1/2" copper tubing, fashioned a flat piece of copper plate to match the opening inbetween the spark plug holes, drilled the plate to match the two bolt holes, soddered the tube to the plate and put an O-ring on the tubing. Placed it in the hole and bolted it down. I will watch it for a while but I think that will take care of the issue for now. If and when I ever need to pull the cam cover I will check it out further but for now I think this is a good fix just as is yours. Thanks for all your help! And everyone else's too.

Jay

[vjaneczko]

OK Lee, today I made a cap for the hole.

Sounds like you may have just started a specialty parts store; 'cause I'm sure you're not the only one with this problem!

[marginal]

My car is a '95 GLT so No Turbo.- Lee

I'd rather say: Your car is a '95 GLT so it's a turbo one, the "T" in the GLT stands for Turbo.
The non - Turbo models are the GLE ...