Oil Light Flickering in stop-start traffic.

Post by **taxidad** » 19 Aug 2011, 22:02

Hi all, just had my car serviced last week. 205,000 KMs (approx. 130K miles). Last night I picked up my son after a week kayaking & camping. We were in stop-start traffice for about 15 minutes. The oil light started flickering. Not on steadily. Picked up dinner, started her up. No Flicker & drove for about 15 minutes in some stop-start traffic. Made another stop. Started up. Most of the way home, no flicker. About 5 mins from home started flickering again with no stop-start traffic.

Head Gasket replaced 3 months ago. All camshaft oil seals were replaced & a crankshaft oil seal kit was applied by an experienced & trusted mechanic I've used for years. Does that cover everything?

Later I had a look underneath. Definitely some oil leak, but not dripping constantly. Checked engine & transmission oil levels - OK. The car drives & idles OK. I've heard the pick-up pipe can get clogged occassionally after oil replacement. Then when it sits for a while it clears. Is it as simple as that, or should I worry about other things?

Love learning about my Volvo, really enjoy this forum. Thanks in advance!

Post by **anodyne** » 19 Aug 2011, 22:18

I have no idea if you have a problem or not, but I have the same thing. For me, it's at a stop only. When driving, no light. I was reading through the owner's manual and it actually stated that it's Ok if the light flickers while at a stop but it should go out while driving. Go figure...

Post by **jblackburn** » 19 Aug 2011, 22:26

How noisy are your litters if you barely tap the gas from an idle in drive?

You probably are in need of oil pan pickup tube o rings. Do a search and you should turn up ecbsykes's writeup for replacing them.

Post by **precopster** » 19 Aug 2011, 23:02

There is a relief valve spring in the oil pump. If this is sticking the same symptom can occur.

Better to replace the oil pickup O rings first as this is most common.

If you would like to have a look at an engine on a stand I have at my place I can show you exactly where to replace them and what they look like.

The job can be done at home.

Post by **taxidad** » 19 Aug 2011, 23:04

Thanks jbb, yes there was a different noise, but i didn't really listen hard to what it was, & haven't been game to start the car today.

I found the thread. https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=30811 Pity I live in an apartment block, or I would have a shot at it, it doesn't look too difficult, except lifting the engine, getting the right sealant, o rings, & loosening/ tightning bolts in the right order & pressure. Well actually that does sound 'difficult' lol. It would be an ambitious project for a novice like me I think. Next year we are moving into the country, & I actually will have some time & space to do jobs like this - need to tool-up as well. Calling my mechanic Monday, certainly sounds and looks like new o'rings are in order. Hope the oil pump is OK. thanks for the direction, it's good to see a detailed pictorial discription of the job, & also put my mind at rest somewhat.

Post by **taxidad** » 19 Aug 2011, 23:08

Thanks precopster, between the kids, work & the apartment block issue, I'm not going to be doing the job myself, otherwise I might just do that, although, ecbsykes had some pretty clear pictures on his thread so I got a good idea of everything. That's a very generous offer. You never know, sometime down the track!!

Post by **precopster** » 20 Aug 2011, 00:20

No worries, I would find out exactly what oil viscosity was used in the service and see if it's something new the mechanic hasn't used before.

When we purchased my wife's 850 with only 112K (kilometres, that is) the oil light was on as soon as the engine warmed up.

Once the oil was replaced with 10W-40 semi-synthetic the problem has not occurred since.

Post by **taxidad** » 20 Aug 2011, 01:05

That's interesting. I had my wife's car (Corolla) serviced there yesterday & noticed the new service sticker was Shell instead of Castrol. Mine was serviced last week & has a Castrol sticker. Maybe he's switched & hadn't used up his Castrol stickers. I'll have to ask him. The oil certainly looks very thin, but I wouldn't know much about it just from looking at the oil on the dip stick. I need to check it for bubbles too by what I've read. There's certainly a reasonable leak under the car.

I've read that a V70 turbo needs to have fully-synthetic oil. Perhaps that's not as important as regular oil changes & a slightly thicker oil might not push past older o rings so much. Do you think a 10w-40 semi-synthetic is OK on a V70 turbo? I think I'll still get him to put a kit through it so it's done, with all the other work I've had done on it this year. Thanks for the info.

Post by **taxidad** » 20 Aug 2011, 03:57

Just a quick note. I started the car this evening, & didn't hear any tapping lifters. What I did hear was a loud wirring 1 second noise like a band-saw - stopped suddenly & everything normal. I took it for a 7 mile drive, with two stops on the trip. No flickering oil light even once, dip stick levels OK, no bubbles noticed. What I did hear occasionally with the window down, driving past a fence or wall, even at idle, was a faint version of that band-saw sound. It changed fequency with the engine - bit like the buzzing sound you get through an old car stereo that changes with the engine revs. Since it's happened the day after the flickering oil light, I think it's related. Could it be an oil-starved turbo or the oil pump or something else perhaps? .... It just never ends at the moment! Any ideas. Other than that, the car is running beautifully.

Post by **jreed** » 20 Aug 2011, 05:42

The 'whirring' sound on startup could be the air pump, part of the "SAS" system to force air into the catalytic converter to help it reach operating temperature more quickly. I'm not sure if your car has one but my '97 855 does, and it always runs for a few seconds at startup.