PCV and PTC were clean still have pressure. 850R 1996

TAJavelin · Post by **TAJavelin** » 21 Aug 2012, 14:40

Hello all,
Well I used a short term fix to keep the leak from the cam cover sealed, it worked well. In fact so well the car is now spitting oil from the oil filler. Tried a new gasket but that did not work.
Ordered a full PCV set up (hoses trap etc..), I found the job pretty easy so far, which was just the disassembly. Did the PTC first, it was a little bit oil covered but no clogging, cleaned with carb cleaner and re-assembled. Then proceeded to get to the oil trap. Removed that and checked the block holes. No clogs either or thick residue. I am at a small standstill as I need to order fuel injector caps and top seals. Besides the one thing that I am afraid to hear (valves) is there anything that I may have missed ?
This car idles and runs unbelievably smooth and has great power.
Thank you
Bob

Post by **jblackburn** » 21 Aug 2012, 14:52

Run a compression test.

Your rings may be worn down to the point you need a catch can setup to help with excess pressure.

TAJavelin · Post by **TAJavelin** » 21 Aug 2012, 15:03

Thanks for the quick reply, I'll have to run out and pick up a metric compression tester tonight. I'll post tomorrow what I find.
Bob

TAJavelin · Post by **TAJavelin** » 28 Aug 2012, 18:43

Ok buttoned it all up today, 4 out of 5 caps on the fuel injectors were cracked badly, one missing entirely. One pin on a fuel injector I cracked off.. Oh well 26$ a piece for remanufactured with all seals and caps.
While I was removing the hoses. The trap to ptc I heard a snap. I could figure out what cracked like that. But it after looking I pulled on the larger hard plastic hose (trap>ptc) it was broken in half covered in old oil. I am sure I helped the crack snap off completely but from the oil on it I had one major air leak as well. Replaced the oil cap seal as well. Stant new cap ($5). Had it running for an hour cycling through rpm's no smoke or pressure from the dipstick, no crazy spitting from the oil filler.
Did notice that a previous mechanic blocked off that hole in the valve cover that looks similar to the one used for the pcv trap line. I am unsure if I should remove it or let sleeping dogs lie. I'll know tomorrow with a real roadtest if I repaired the problem.
I have a compression tester on hand if it is still a bloated volvo.

Post by **rspi** » 29 Aug 2012, 07:27

OK, the title says that you still have pressure??? Looks like you changed the PCV system and you still have pressure?

byeboy · Post by **byeboy** » 29 Aug 2012, 09:21

...and your compression readings (dry, then wet) were..??? (and you can post them in psi, no need to get a special Metric gauge).

Post by **boosted5cyl** » 29 Aug 2012, 09:55

A leakdown or a cylinder pressure test (simply add compressed air to cylinder at TDC) is what you should be doing IMO. Ive encountered a few cases where cranking psi in the cylinders is fine but when the motor is running there is excessive leakage past the rings. This will show up on a leakdown test.

There should be one PCV vent hole and hose setup to the left of the motor as you are looking at it. That is between cylinders 2and3 I think. There is another hole nearer the flywheel end but it is not connected.

TAJavelin · Post by **TAJavelin** » 31 Aug 2012, 11:11

Ok so here we go, I sent the car to it's home. As I had some other things to do til the weekend. So tomorrow I am going to hit all the cars for a bit of maintenance. Including a compression test.I agree with the leak down, just bought the otc compression tester as the old tester I had only had one fitting. I told the son-in-law (owner of the 850r) to take it easy and I'll go over the car again on Saturday. In the mean while just drive my wife's car. I get a call back from him still leaking up top.. Ok be cool I tell him I'll fix it. I then get another call from the wife... The oil is coming slowly out of the bottom of a bolt by the spark plug. (now I am thinking, here is a woman who likes to be co-pilot diagnosing), so she says she touched the bolt and it was loose. So she tightened it a little with a wrench and the leak stopped. I am still floored, I have been wrenching for over 30yrs. We got that 850r for $2000 and I was expecting some work to be done. But seriously ? The cam cover bolts were not even torqued ? That is the last place I would have checked and only if I was going to do the head (truthfully). I am going to torque them all down tomorrow, as well as a wet and dry comp. test. Now that I know that I have to suspect everything to be amiss. Luckily the son-in-law stopped freaking out and wants to restore it.
Sorry for the long venting post, I'll have some numbers for you all over the weekend. I am starting to try to think of why this may have been loose and why did the previous mechanic plugged the vent as well as take the cover off. I am going to check the timing now as well as run a mileage check off the computer. the odo says 117k.
Have a great weekend all, I appreciate your comments and help.
Bob

Post by **jblackburn** » 31 Aug 2012, 11:14

But seriously ? The cam cover bolts were not even torqued ? That is the last place I would have checked and only if I was going to do the head (truthfully). I am going to torque them all down tomorrow, as well as a wet and dry comp. test.

Yeah, the idiots that replaced the camshaft in my car left me with 3 loose cam cover bolts leaking oil and a messed up seal on a spark plug hole that filled the chamber with oil.

They did not put on the gasket right at all, so this one kept leaking.

TAJavelin · Post by **TAJavelin** » 31 Aug 2012, 12:07

We may have had the same mechanic.. For a moment I thought that was a picture of our engine! My quick fix till I got the pcv system squared was to spray the exhaust side of the cam cover with permatex copper. I did three coats on a taped off cam cover to lower head seam. Not the prettiest fix mind you, but it held up enough to let the oil to come through the loose cam cover bolt. When I do the timing belt/water pump I think I am going to get that 175$ ebay cam cover tool and just do it the right way. I just can't get past the feeling that the further I get into it the more things I am going to find.