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1998 Volvo V70 AWD - Dipstick still smoking after PCV change

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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thedawgfather
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Re: 1998 Volvo V70 AWD - Dipstick still smoking after PCV ch

Post by thedawgfather »

Thanks for your response Lee...after thinking about it, I believe I did the compression test wrong, so those numbers are probably too low. By not taking out all the spark plugs in the begining, the cylinder I was testing would not read the correct pressure because the crankshaft is not freely rotating, because with the rest of the spark plugs in, it's fighting the compression in the other cylinders since their spark plugs are still in.

I'll redo the test and post the new numbers...

precopster
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Post by precopster »

The main reason for removing other plugs while testing for compression is to increase the turning speed of the engine while cranking.

If you have a strong battery and quick cranking was achieved (with compression numbers that low it's likely it was turning fast enough) it's likely that is all this engine has to give.

It wouldn't hurt to try again. You may get 10% more out of the numbers. One of speciialist Volvo garages I was doing work for had a '99 v70 with numbers that low. The car ran and started and of course had the massive blow-by.

With numbers that low your car would be very sluggish and will struggle with hills and will always be gearing down for ascents. You may have become used to it's sluggish ways.
Current cars VW Transporter 2.5TDI, 2010 XC90 D5 R Design

thedawgfather
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Post by thedawgfather »

You are right precopster...the numbers didn't change much by taking all of the spark plugs out.

The car runs and drives fine, but like you say, maybe I'm just used to it?

I ended up releasing the pressure build up with a snorkel off the oil filler cap and a vent tube off of the dipstick tube as wheelsup suggested.

I attached a picture of the snorkel 1.0
Attachments
Snorkel 1.0 off oil filler cap
Snorkel 1.0 off oil filler cap

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erikv11
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Post by erikv11 »

Looks like a clean engine bay!

Couple thoughts on the snorkel:
- Won't that fill up with oil?
- Its exhaust seems rather close to the fresh air intake for the cabin.
'95 854 T-5R, Motronic 4.4, 185k
'98 V70, T5 tune-injectors-turbo, LPT engine, 304k, daily driver
'06 S60 R, 197k
'07 XC70, black, 205k
'07 XC70, willow green, 212k
'99 Camry V6 :shock: 153k
gone: '96 NA 850 210k, '98 NA V70 182k, '98 S70 NA 225k, '96 855 NA 169k

precopster
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Post by precopster »

Might be time to try some "snake oil" :D:D
Current cars VW Transporter 2.5TDI, 2010 XC90 D5 R Design

thedawgfather
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Post by thedawgfather »

The engine bay is clean because I've had to pressure wash it several times due to oil spraying all over:)

Snorkel 1.0:
-Ideally the pipe is at a slight angle so the oil that does build up will drain backwards from the last 90 degree elbow in the hose, plus I'm hoping that breather filter stops the oil?
-I bet the exhaust will be a problem with the fresh air cabin intake, hopefully it's angled enough away from the intake?
-that's why it's snorkel 1.0....I'm sure there are going to need to be improvements:)

Thanks for your feedback..and where do I get this "snake oil"? Do traveling salemen come around from town to town and sell it out of the back of there buggies?
Last edited by thedawgfather on 09 Mar 2015, 15:18, edited 1 time in total.

Ben850
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Post by Ben850 »

thedawgfather wrote:You are right precopster...the numbers didn't change much by taking all of the spark plugs out.

The car runs and drives fine, but like you say, maybe I'm just used to it?

I ended up releasing the pressure build up with a snorkel off the oil filler cap and a vent tube off of the dipstick tube as wheelsup suggested.

I attached a picture of the snorkel 1.0
That "Snorkel" is creative, and is venting directly to the area of your cabin air intake.
Just wanted to point that out. I see you have noticed that while reading back.

If the passage to the sump from the oil separator has been cleared, the only other alteration I have had, or wanted to do, is to simply use a hose from the oil separator back to the induction tube.
The wagon. The first time.
The wagon. The first time.
It appeared to have been done once already to the wagon before I had taken ownership. PCV replacement. Cleaning? I don't know.

This was my cleaning and re-routing immediately after taking ownership.
You can see my routing on the Turbo wagon to the PTC nipple running below the intake.
You can see my routing on the Turbo wagon to the PTC nipple running below the intake.
PTC nipple with the original induction tube with 5/8" heater hose.
PTC nipple with the original induction tube with 5/8" heater hose.
The blue hose crossing the intake is coming from the oil trap to the PTC nipple.
The blue hose crossing the intake is coming from the oil trap to the PTC nipple.
PTC nipple on the 3" induction tube. 5/8" blue heater hose.
PTC nipple on the 3" induction tube. 5/8" blue heater hose.
This is the '96 Turbo wagon after the 3" intake upgrade. (Above.)

Below is the N/A ''93. Not as pretty.
'93 before. It was bad.
'93 before. It was bad.
IMG_1129.JPG (167.41 KiB) Viewed 1618 times
5/8" heater hose over the injectors for the'93 N/A to the intake tube at flame trap delete.
5/8" heater hose over the injectors for the'93 N/A to the intake tube at flame trap delete.
IMG_1122.JPG (108.17 KiB) Viewed 1619 times
The Turbo is running at a substantially higher performance rating than "stock" at this point.
It had all the normal symptoms of clogged oil separator passage to sump.
Since cleaning that sufficiently, and adding a simple hose to delete the hard plastic tube, all is fine.

I have a '98 LPT like yours that I will be doing all the same things to, likely next month. I will update you then.

One last Photo.
The T-5R I also will be doing the same to seemed to have been hastily modified to be killed as a track car. The previous owner had almost succeeded. I have some frame and body work to do as well.

I will have to get the manifold off to make sense of the hoses, but I believe they are all simply dumping crankcase vapor.
T-5R Lack of PCV "system"?
T-5R Lack of PCV "system"?
1993 850 GLT , You wouldn't know it.
1996 850 Turbo Wagon White.
1995 T-5R Black. New work in progress.
1998 V70 XC Cross Country White.
1994 850 N/A Wagon Black.
1997 850 Sedan Black.
1996 850R Wagon White.
1997 850 Sedan Red ( not white or black!)

thedawgfather
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Post by thedawgfather »

Answer these questions please:

(1) It's seems to me that the pressure build up from the top of the engine would be routed down by the hose that going down in between the intake manifold to the oil separator box that once the vapor enters the oil separator box that in fact the oil separates out of the vapor and the oil drains down through the box into the crankcase/oil pan and the vapor rises and gets pulled through the hose that runs out of the oil separator box, around the engine block to the PTC where the vacuum line that comes from the intake manifold (under the heater hose that run into the thermostat) attaches to the PTC nipple and vacuums the vapors into the intake manifold to be combusted in the combustion chamber/cylinders and exhausts through the exhaust system out into the world with all the rest of the exhaust. Now if that's the case, and if I wasn't worried about saving oil, I'd run the hose from the top of the engine to the vacuum nipple on the side of the intake manifold, right? (I know I'd need adapters but I'm talking about the concept)

(2) My other question that wasn't answered yet about the fact that I secure a rubber glove around the oil filler hose and the glove stands up at idle and gets sucked down upon reeving the engine, same as when the smoke from the dipstick tube stopping upon reeving the engine...would that indicate that in fact the vacuum that is provided at the vacuum line attached to the intake manifold is, in fact providing enough vacuum to do it's job?

I'm thinking of my new Snorkel 2.0 modification and I think since there are so many people that are concerned about my well being and that I don't pass out from oil vapors while driving i.e. the fact that the snorkel exhaust is near the cabin fresh air intake, that I'm thinking that I should run a hose connecting the breather filter/snorkel exhaust with a empty nipple on the vacuum tree?

Ben850
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Post by Ben850 »

OK,
# 1. If you look at the photo of my '93, that hose was not even utilized yet as a means of ventilation.
I believe it may have been added later to relieve pressure from valve seals.
If it were (venting), sending it directly to the induction tube would not be a good idea.

I have been collecting service manuals over the past couple years. I have not yet found the one in which this system is dealt.

#2. No. Since you have now provided a "Snorkel", it is no longer a closed "System" as it was designed.
The applied vacuum is no longer doing what it was designed for. That being said, the solenoids actuated by said vacuum are also invalid.
1993 850 GLT , You wouldn't know it.
1996 850 Turbo Wagon White.
1995 T-5R Black. New work in progress.
1998 V70 XC Cross Country White.
1994 850 N/A Wagon Black.
1997 850 Sedan Black.
1996 850R Wagon White.
1997 850 Sedan Red ( not white or black!)

Ben850
Posts: 1613
Joined: 8 September 2011
Year and Model: 1996 850 R Wagon
Location: Michigan
Been thanked: 7 times

Post by Ben850 »

OK,
# 1. If you look at the photo of my '93, that hose was not even utilized yet as a means of ventilation.
I believe it may have been added later to relieve pressure from valve seals.
If it were (venting), sending it directly to the induction tube would not be a good idea.
To this day, there is no venting from the head of my '93. No smoke. No blown seals since cleaning and " Flame Trap" delete. (n/a)

I have been collecting service manuals over the past couple years. I have not yet found the one in which this system is dealt.

#2. No. Since you have now provided a "Snorkel", it is no longer a closed "System" as it was designed.
The applied vacuum is no longer doing what it was designed for. That being said, the solenoids actuated by said vacuum are also invalid.
Last edited by Ben850 on 09 Mar 2015, 19:08, edited 1 time in total.
1993 850 GLT , You wouldn't know it.
1996 850 Turbo Wagon White.
1995 T-5R Black. New work in progress.
1998 V70 XC Cross Country White.
1994 850 N/A Wagon Black.
1997 850 Sedan Black.
1996 850R Wagon White.
1997 850 Sedan Red ( not white or black!)

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