oil collecting in lower intercooler hose

rhanke · Post by **rhanke** » 14 Mar 2011, 09:32

Couple weeks ago started noticing nitely coffee can size oil drip puddle roughly under radiator of my 97 850 T5 w/160K on it. After reading some great forum posts have now spent 2 weekends disassembling/cleaning in order to determine exactly where it is coming from. As described in a number of posts it is actually collecting in the hose attached to the bottom of the intercooler and then draining into intercooler and out its weep hole and then into undercover and then out slot in undercover to spray whole rest of engine underside while driving apparently.

So I know my options arent good from what I have read but do want to make sure I understand them all since had just been trying to nurse this car along for a couple more years til all my kids were out of college.

First question is if this definitely means the turbo is leaking oil from one of its seals since that is only way that much oil could make it into intercooler hose? If so then presume it is safe assumption that even if I wanted to put up with current leak size that it is likely to continue to get worse so cant just put my head in the sand with this one?

Got price from local Volvo dealer already on volvo rebuilt turbo repair of $1600 which is definitely not worth it on this car due to other issues it has. And afraid from what I have read on going the used or salvage yard route with getting a used turbo since so hard to tell once out of car if they are in good shape or not apparently. Plus would be paying someone to install it anyway so total cost would still add up.

Other thought I heard from someone was to bypass turbo which is fine since certainly would be willing to go without it. But curious how feasible this really is? Most I could get from Volvo was that they wouldnt do it but could talk to outside shop. Just guessing that due to turbo electrical connection modification to prevent it from turning on, creating alternate engine air intake route, possible removing/plugging turbo oil lines, probably leaving coolant lines alone, that paying for a bypass of the turbo is also not cheap by any means?

So definitely hoping more knowledgeable folks than myself could confirm if there are any other options? And which of the options really would be cheapest way to go along with a better assessment of the risk associated with that option.

Post by **pkc303** » 14 Mar 2011, 11:47

If you are capable of removing the turbo, we had ours rebuilt at turbochargers.com

The turbo was in descent shape, but it ending up costing several hundred dollars. It is cheaper than the buying a new or rebuilt one. They can tell you if it is worth repairing.

rhanke · Post by **rhanke** » 14 Mar 2011, 11:58

No, wouldnt be comfortable removing the turbo myself mainly because that would mean I would be responsible for the reinstall, which I know I am not comfortable doing! Was just reading again about how a clogged up PVC system can lead to oil in the intercooler hoses as well as oil discoloration on dipstick. For years my oil on the dipstick has been lighter colored and a bit foamy as described, though when I change the oil it comes out the expected dark color. I had originally written the PVC possibility off since didnt seem to match couple of my symptoms. The fact the coffee can size puddle started suddenly couple weeks ago. And the fact that the coffee can size puddle meant I had more than just a coating of oil inside my intercooler lines. But would love to consider the PCV repair if there is any chance it could possibly explain my symptoms? Sounded like there was one posting that everyone referred to as describing all the PVC cleaning/replacing steps, but didnt seem to come across it myself. If there is one could someone please point me to it.

Post by **jblackburn** » 14 Mar 2011, 12:07

The PCV can indeed do it!

My hose on the top of the engine block was loose, along with the stubborn vacuum hose to the PTC connection and I (think) it was causing all the oil in my intercooler hoses - it seems to have decreased now as I no longer see it dripping on the ground after my car has been parked. I'm sure the turbo is still old and has some play in it, but if the PCV is clogged that should be your first step.

Here is the write-up that I did for it. It's pinned to the top of the 850 forum until we can find someplace better to put it.
https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=28487

rhanke · Post by **rhanke** » 14 Mar 2011, 17:07

Thank you for pointing me back to that great description of yours for PCV system clean/replace. Now have reread it and come to same conclusion as before. No way I am comfortable pulling the intake manifold myself. And hesitate paying someone the $300-400 I read people were getting as repair estimates to have someone do this job. Especially since there is no way it sounds like to be sure the PCV system is the real root cause of my 2 week old coffee can size oil puddles. So still could be left with leaking turbo seal problem even after paying for a PCV system repair it sounds like. If my problem is due to the PCV system I am just guessing that must mean at least one of the lines went from partially clogged to very clogged or completely clogged? If so does it make any sense that I could do something to attempt to clear that clog without pulling the intake manifold? By just touching hoses or ends of hoses that are external to intake manifold?? Or are normal culprits all internal to it so this wouldnt make any sense?

wjhandy850 · Post by **wjhandy850** » 14 Mar 2011, 18:20

Check your cooler hoses. They may be leaking or even both ends you dipstick. This will lend to a clogged PCV system.

gilhuly · Post by **gilhuly** » 14 Mar 2011, 20:19

I'll rebuild your turbo and do your PCV for $900 plus parts

Post by **jblackburn** » 14 Mar 2011, 21:02

Check to see if the system is clogged via the dipstick smoke test/placing a balloon over the opening. If you see smoke or see the balloon inflate, the system is for sure clogged and probably the most likely cause of the oil in the turbo.

Some oil escapes past the seals in the turbo; if that PCV system isn't pulling out the vapors from the side of the turbo, the oil just gets blown around through the system and sits in your hoses, leaks from the intercooler, makes a huge mess, and gets burned in the engine.

You may want to start with just removing the intake snorkel from the turbo and cleaning out that PTC valve - it's usually clogged up pretty good. Once you do that, you can re-check and see if the entire breather box needs to be replaced under the intake manfiold.

rhanke · Post by **rhanke** » 15 Mar 2011, 11:59

Excellent advice, going thru your steps again I see how the PTC valve cleaning is a completely separate step from PCV system replacement. So will do that and the balloon test to get a much better idea if it is clogged PCV or output turbo seal leaking. Read how you could check the play on your turbo compressor wheel shaft while it is in car to make sure it doesnt have too much side to side play. Would accessing that be relatively easy once I have removed the turbo intake snorkel to get to PTC valve anyway? Is there any way to determine while the turbo is still in car if the output turbo seal is leaking enough suddenly to produce a coffee can size puddle thru intercooler weep hole each nite? Just looking for anything I can check externally while stripping off hoses to the turbo anyway to get a better idea if it is my turbo leaking all the oil.

Post by **jblackburn** » 15 Mar 2011, 12:29

Yes, you will be able to check for shaft play once you pull that intake hose off. If it moves side to side a lot, it needs to be rebuilt.