1997 850 Problems after Change to Synthetic Oil

[plumsmooth]

My mechanic talked me into changing over my Wagon with 130,000 on it. I never did any research first. Now I realize some people experience various problems. A few days later after a cold night car wouldn't start. Car had to be towed down the street -- luckily -- to shop. Mechanic gives complete tune up to the sum of 350 dollars and there was water in Distributor cap and I guess some oil too he now says. HE finished the job, put in fuel filter, car still sputtering when left shop. Then car has puddle of oil this morning after warming up and seems shot for the moment. Looks like the Rear Cam Seal? Could the reaction to the Synthetic push the PCV system over the edge thereby creating the pressure to blow that seal. And most importantly what should I do now? Should I get the replacement PCV kit and have him replace that seal and the Breather Kit and stay synthetic. Should I go back to Dino. Is it too late. Should I be expecting a RMS leak too now? Thanks for any feedback. I should have done some research I would have never done it after the even few stories I have read!

[pedal2metal]

I switched my '98 over to Synth. (high miles) oil when I bought it 1.5 yrs. ago. I wouldn't think there should be any new leaks, unless he put in some really thin oil like a 0/40 weight. I know when I started putting in 0/40 wt in my Corrado, it did develop a leak at the oil pan (& the gasket was new). Here's a really good article that was in my handyman mag. recently:
http://www.familyhandyman.com/automotiv ... o/view-all

[precopster]

And all the stories are anecdotal.

There has been no real evidence that synthetic oils will damage seals or "push" them into failure.

At 130k miles with old seals you wouldn't be the first poster here with blown cam seals and in need of an RMS (if this happens soon)

We used dino oils in our 1995 850 and when she reached 80k miles rear cam seals needed replacement and at 85 k miles the RMS failed.....doesn't happen to all Volvos but is considered part of normal maintenance.

Our 2000 V70 was changed over to synthetic when purchased at 158 k miles and now has 193 k miles and is still leak free.

We're going to stay synthetic for our turbos or semi synthetic for our non turbos (except when I find a great deal on synthetic) for the life of our vehicles.
My way of thinking is if synthetic oils dissolve sludge and carbon it will end up in the filter and get thrown away at next oil change. If carbon and sludge reside on engine surfaces you want that stuff out of there.

[matthew1]

I switched my 850 to synthetic oil at 55k miles, when I bought it. No problems with leaks for years.

[FLXC90]

In response to lead post- no, you should do your own cam seals and PCV, really, you can do them! But if not inclined, yes get them done ASAP.
The switch in oil didn't push the PCV over the edge, the synthetic is just slipperier enough to have found it's way past the seals. They were already shot.
How was your oil before the change? gunky and black from a previous owner's neglect, or clean because you have had the chance to get it that way? Please don't read an accusation, more a reflection question. (history of the car)
After the service is done, internal engine pressure will be reduced and other seals "should" be okay if they're not leaking now. I had good luck with a seal plasticizer (ATP) purchased from amazon when I did my car with 223k and questionable PO maintenance. It seems to have cleared up a slight RMS leak. dry for 1,000 or so miles at 25-a-day. Did you flush with sea-foam or Lubro-Moly or anything when you switched over?

[cn90]

You probably had a blocked PCV to start with, the switch to synthetic just makes the leak more pronounced.

Best is to...

1. Overhaul PCV, info in forum.

2. Then replace Rear cam seals. Then consider new Bosch cap, rotor. Maybe new Bougicord. Also new spark plugs, I use NGK Iridium.

[draser]

Sounds like postponed maintenance that surfaced now. Synthetic flows better but that's only good for the engine.

[plumsmooth]

Car's oil has been pretty regularly changed never gone beyond 4,000 since I got from my Aunt original owner in Florida at 68,000.

I, however, do not think she ever did the PCV as I got it at 68,000 driven up here from Florida to Vermont.

I am not technically a car mechanic and maybe have little business being here but I am so frustrated after a change to synthetic, then a complete tune-up and within days a rear cam seal leak that took the mechanic a full tune up to figure out. And he is still calling it a distributor cap seal which should say something about his current consciousness level with 90's 850's.

I believe I may be under a misunderstanding in that I am thinking the PCV handles more than just gases. So an almost clogged PCV couldn't end up 'physically' plugged up after a change to synthetic?

The timing is too weird I have had a speck of oil in my driveway since I got this wagon 8 years ago!
Now I have a puddle a week after a change to synthetic.

No, the mechanic put in no seafoam or made any preparatory moves for this change.
Just said he runs synthetic in all his vehicles and talked me into it and I did NO Research!

I'm just worried on Monday if he replaces the Cam seal next to the distributor cap then if there is a current excessive level of pressure -- another seal like RMS will then go.

The vehicle was running just fine before this I tell you no leaks -- maybe a PCV system in need of overhaul. But no puddle of oil in my driveway from blown rear cam seals!

It has been very cold here and believe me I am ready to become a car mechanic after this, but right now with no garage I do not think this is the time to take on a job like this...
Of course last year when I was quoted 1,700 dollars to repair rusting pipes on my forced hot water boiler I went out bought a torch and a huge wrench and somehow managed to replace everything including things I can not remember the names of a year later and it's running perfectly!

If you guys [or ladies] help I promise this spring to get my first set of Volvo 850 maintenance tools [i.e. metric socket set etc.] and stop depending on people who do not know exactly what they are doing to help me get from point A to point B.

This is the dilemma with so-called professionalism [and I digress]. I tired to explain the occasional problems that may appear after these sudden changes to Synthetic and he just got angry with me. And I then tried to tell him it was the "rear cam seal" not a distributor seal -- which I believe went out with the 760's? And he said the PCV system was "just a hose".... Ha Ha...

Some mechanic are threatened by customers who try and participate in the game.

Now I am sitting here with a car that won't even start! And I want to learn badly because it is so very satisfying to Do It Oneself!

[FLXC90]

That is the best thing about this forum-the knowledge and helpfulness of the people. There are step-by-step picture tutorials on most of the common repairs you will perform. You will perform. If your current mechanic is not Volvo savvy, find another that is. These cars have some peculiarities, based on overkill engineering. So far, his advice to switch to synthetic etc are good. But Volvo ownership is a participation sport

[dosbricks]

I have had similar experience with shops that work on all cars and purport to know how to fix Volvos, but in fact don't know how to do it right.

Right now the blown cam seal is relieving pressure on the crankcase and pushing moisture into the distributor with it. But if you fix it without doing the PCV repair, then you put the rear main seal in jeopardy, and you don't want that one to blow =$$$. So pull your dipstick out about an inch, wrap a rag loosely around it, and secure it. This will relieve the pressure from the clogged PCV. Then you can replace the intake rear cam seal and solve your oil and condensation problem in the distributor cap and get your car back on the road. Replacing this seal is very easy to do and you will find how-to for it here in the repair archives. Use only a Volvo OE or SKF brand seal unless you want to repeat the process in short order.

Replacing the PCV is a bit more complex and would be a challenge in Vermont winter without a garage. Probably best to locate a qualified Volvo shop to do it. Good luck. Winter is what makes Vermonters strong, and summer is what makes South Texans tough (or at least sweat a lot).