No Oil Pressure Stop Immediately. Huge Oil Leak

S-lime · Post by **S-lime** » 09 Mar 2016, 01:55

2001 S60 T5. Got this message while driving today and the oil light started flashing on and off. Immediately pulled over and shut the car off. It was not over heated. Looked under the car and it was dumping oil.. It was completely out within minutes. I got it towed home and started looking. It looks like it was leaking from somewhere around the passenger side of the engine near the timing belt. The timing belt was throwing oil all over the place under the hood so it's somewhere close. Removed the timing belt cover but couldn't see anything obvious. Doesn't look like its from the head, or the valve cover. Any idea where to start looking? Any oil related parts prone to failure and causing massive instant leakage?

EDIT: Entire PCV system was replaced less than 15,000KM ago.

Post by **precopster** » 09 Mar 2016, 04:28

Intake side cam seal is the usual culprit. As you only have CVVT on exhaust side it should be quite easy to look through the intake sprocket and see the popped seal.

Otherwise it will be the exhaust side seal which is much harder to.spot with that CVVT hub in the way. Just went through this myself on my 2001 V70 T5. There wasn't a dry spot under the car.

Let us know what you find.

Pittsjock · Post by **Pittsjock** » 09 Mar 2016, 05:03

When did you service your PCV system last?

If it hasn't been serviced, it is likely clogged and the internal pressure pushed out either the cam seal or the crank seal. I would replace the entire PCV system, drop the oil pan and clean it well (including the PCV oil return passages, replace the oil pan o-rings and do the timing belt while you are there since the oil is no good for it. Not a hard job, but will take you a day or so the first time.

Good luck.

Post by **precopster** » 09 Mar 2016, 05:43

Good advice above however restore the seal then test for PCV pressure. Could just be a poor brand of seal such as Elring or other. Use OEM or Corteco to replace the seal.

Pittsjock · Post by **Pittsjock** » 09 Mar 2016, 06:01

So much for the PCV. Did you clean the return passages when you did the PCV?

Did you replace seals then?

Doesn't make sense that these seals would just fail without internal pressure of some sort.

S-lime · Post by **S-lime** » 09 Mar 2016, 11:06

Pittsjock wrote:So much for the PCV. Did you clean the return passages when you did the PCV?

Did you replace seals then?

Doesn't make sense that these seals would just fail without internal pressure of some sort.

It was replaced by a shop when the previous owner had the car. I'm not sure to what extent they did the change.

S-lime · Post by **S-lime** » 09 Mar 2016, 11:46

Just found the intake cam seal pushed all the way out.. Can I push it back into the engine with a punch or something and seal it back in or do I need to remove the timing belt, cam sprockets, valve cover etc???

Post by **abscate** » 09 Mar 2016, 11:50

Its probably been pushed out be excess pressure in your crankcase, so you need to deal with that first - or else it will just blow out again.

Post by **precopster** » 09 Mar 2016, 12:24

I disagree. Why proceed to repair PCV system without any evidence? Degrease the area with brake or throttle cleaner and push it back in evenly with something flat that won't bend the seal's edge THEN check the PCV system by doing a glove test on the oil cap seal when motor is warm.

If it fails the glove test THEN proceed to repair the PCV system. If it passes buy a good Corteco OEM or Genuine Volvo seal and replace it. Non genuine seals are well known poppers.

There is a good chance there was a slight overheat on that day. Volvo engines respond to overheat by overpressurising the PCV system. The car's temp guage may not have gone very high because it has a very small deflection over a large coolant temperature range. . Check coolant and hook up an OBDII device to ensure the cooling fan is doing its job at the correct activating temperature. of 221deg F with A/C off.

Do spend good money on a couple of cans of throttle cleaner to degrease the belt area fully.

Pittsjock · Post by **Pittsjock** » 10 Mar 2016, 04:41

Sounds like the shop did not do the PCV correctly. Any chance there is a receipt and parts list? Sometimes shops clean rather than replace PCV components - from experience, not worth it.

I agree with Precopster - gently work the seal back in and do the glove test. If it fails, get the oil pan down and also inspect the PCV system.