2004 V70 AWD - Head gasket or ?

[mwhyte]

Hi all --

First time on the forum, so wanted to say I'm grateful for all the knowledge and expertise to be found here.

I drive a 2004 V70 AWD 2.5T with about 125,000 miles on it. Here's my problem:

The other day, I was driving a winding country road. Every time I hit a sharp turn, my oil pressure light would come on. When I straightened out, it went out and was fine until the next sharp turn.

The first gas station I hit, I checked the oil. Not registering on the dip stick at all (last oil change was several months ago, though don't know why it was dry vs dirty).

Anyway, I put a few quarts in and headed for home. No more oil pressure light, no overheating, nothing. Car was running as normal (though in my paranoid mind it might have seemed a little sluggish).

To be sure, I stopped on the way back home (about a 3 hr drive) to get the oil + filter changed, to be safe (just used a Minit Lube type place). The kid (like 19 yrs old) said I had a "main gasket" leak that would need to be fixed.

I assumed he meant a head gasket, but that didn't make sense to me, because:

A. The coolant is perfectly clear (no oil contamination)
B. The coolant is not leaking (has been at or near the full line since I last filled it, several months ago)
C. The oil was not milky or sludgy, but dry

Then I remembered: About 10 days ago, I started the car in the morning and it produced a ton of white smoke. This went on for a couple of minutes, then went away and has never come back since. Like I said -- no overheating, no coolant loss, no coolant contaimination, car running completely as normal.

Any idea what the heck is going on with this thing?

Thanks in advance to everyone.

[T5&D5]

Last time I had the white smoke it turned out to be a turbocharger spindle with too much play (end float) on the spindle , which leaked oil past the seal onto the red hot impeller which resulted in a a huge cloud of white/grey smoke . occasionally.
Take the inlet hose of the turbo , grab the spindle nut , it can move up and down a bit (not enough that the blades touch the housing) but should not move in and out more than 1mm.

[mwhyte]

Great advice T5. Hoping that's the case. Will report back once I have a look. Thanks again!

[abscate]

You were so low on oil, your oil pump was sucking air instead of oil when you cornered. That's really bad for your motor.

Forget what the oil change guy said and roll underneath and look for oil leaks. My T5 seeps oil in the back of the motor ( technically the right side) and uses about 1 liter every 2500 miles. If you drive 15000 miles a year, you need to check oil once a month minimum, and every week if you have consumption like mine.

If you rolled out of this without engine damage you have done well, beating 20-80 odds

[fixer333]

just bought a 2007 xc70( 135000 mi) with the same problem( using a quart every 1000 miles). Car is a creampuff inside and out, but open the hood and yuck, no maintenance. Never had a the trans fluid changed, timing belt , and probably infrequent oil changes. I still have to check it out in more detail , wont run it until I get a new timing belt installed. No large leaks,so might be the turbo or rings. It was a pig in a poke , but very cheap.

[abscate]

It was a pig in a poke ,

Been a few years since I heard that one....

[fixer333]

yes I am old

[jonesg]

Hope its not rear main seal,
but really sounds like turbo passing oil into exh , just went through that myself.

If the turbo bearings are shot you can get new turbo cartridge for $174 from ebay, it works very well.
But you absolutely have to get under there and trace the oil loss first , we can't have an intelligent conversation til then.

[fixer333]

Wow much cheaper than new or even used turbo, what seller do you recommend on ebay.
As soon as my timing belt is changed , Im off to the car wash with ramps and 4 cans of gunk.
No liquid oil, but old oil and dirt all over the top of the engine.I found an old / the original oil dipstick plug wedged down in the engine compartment , without the metal dipstick part. Who knows how long it ran with the dipstick hole open.

[jonesg]

It might have blown the dipstick out, better inspect rear main seal.
Did you trace the leak?
Oil on top of engine could be excess crankcase pressure blowing oil past the filler cap.