Could use some help with troubleshooting my V70.

[slowlvo]

Hello everyone,

First of all, thanks for having me. This is my first Volvo and after the fun i've had with this car, I doubt it will be my last. Having said that, you can probably guess this is my first time getting down and dirty with Volvo maintenance. Fortunately, I have decent experience with mechanic work, more specifically with japanese cars like hondas, acuras, and toyotas.

My Volvo is a 2000 V70 with 232k miles, no check lights and it runs really smoothly. Absolutely beautiful car.

So, the root of my woes is an oil leak that popped up about 5 days after I got the car. It's located on the passenger side, coming from what appears to be somewhere in the area the cams are found. I have my theories: PCV system needs to be replaced, maybe a cam seal is bad, etc.

For a few days now, I've been researching the PCV system, how to replace it, different kits, and even a DIY 5/8's heater hose upgrade. Up until this point the only things that made me thing it was the PCV system being clogged was the fact that I THINK my cam seal is leaking. I figured if i replace that, I'll be killing two birds with one stone: no more leak (possibly) and check off an important maintenance item. I did the dipstick test and got no smoke, but the PCV hose by the fuel rail was hard. Plus, I had oil all under the timing cover and spark plug cover. My oil cap seems to be leaking too (the gasket is worn, im sure.)

Anyway, I FINALLY did the glove test today. I let my car run for about 15 minutes and then slapped a large sized nitrile glove on the oil fill port and got mixed results. It didn't seem to blow up at all. In fact, i feel like I got a bit of suction, just not very strong or obvious.

Now i'm in a stalemate. I've no idea what the leak means in conjunction with a PCV that seems to be fine (for now). I suppose it possible that the came seal is just bad and needs to be replaced, but I would prefer not to take it to a shop (an independent Volvo only shop quoted me $800 dollars for a timing belt swap and replacing all the seals.) because I feel like I could probably just do it myself. I just happen to have a fear of doing timing work.

At this point, I need advice from real owners who know a thing or two. That's why I came here.
What would MVS suggest?

- Is my car safe to drive with this leak?

- Am i risking blowing the main seal by driving it?

- Is the PCV fine?

- What does the glove test passing mean for my leak?

As a side note, I haven't lifted the car up yet and actually tried to trace the leak. I just noticed a small droplet had formed and was dripping at a very slow pace.

If you've read this far, I thank you for your time and patience! Any help or suggestions would be greatly valued and appreciated!

[sleddriver]

Welcome! The glove should suck in indicating proper crankcase vacuum is present. No worries there.

Second, the camshaft seals will cause a leak on the engine "front" and the oil will run into the TB cover. Doing this repair on a 2000 however entails the use of a camshaft locking tool on the rear, to prevent the camshafts from getting out of timing. As my 98 doesn't require this, it's easier to do.

Someone else will chime in that owns a 2000 and advise you further!

[slowlvo]

Welcome! The glove should suck in indicating proper crankcase vacuum is present. No worries there.

Second, the camshaft seals will cause a leak on the engine "front" and the oil will run into the TB cover. Doing this repair on a 2000 however entails the use of a camshaft locking tool on the rear, to prevent the camshafts from getting out of timing. As my 98 doesn't require this, it's easier to do.

Someone else will chime in that owns a 2000 and advise you further!

Thanks, sleddriver! Good to hear about the crankcase vacuum being in the green. As I said, I haven't been driving the car since I found the leak. My main concern has been blowing the main seal which I know is a costly, costly repair. Multiple people have told me that I wont blow a main seal and I've heard from others that it's a big possibility. In your own opinion, what's the likelihood of this happening?

Also, I've never used a cam locking tool, does it make the timing work as easy as it sounds? Do they prevent the loss of cam gear positioning or is it just a holding tool? If they work well, I suppose i should just change the timing belt while I'm at it, too.

[JeffHicks]

Welcome! The glove should suck in indicating proper crankcase vacuum is present. No worries there.

Second, the camshaft seals will cause a leak on the engine "front" and the oil will run into the TB cover. Doing this repair on a 2000 however entails the use of a camshaft locking tool on the rear, to prevent the camshafts from getting out of timing. As my 98 doesn't require this, it's easier to do.

Someone else will chime in that owns a 2000 and advise you further!

^ This.

The fact that the glove does not inflate tells you what you need to know. Lack of aggressive suction is no big deal.

I'd bet my money on a front cam seal leaking. It's a very common problem. And the fix isn't too difficult. I did the job on my '02XC without the locking tool, but took specific measures (marking the belt, etc) to make sure everything was okay.

You can pull the timing belt cover and, with a flashlight, look for any oil leak while the car is running.

The second mostly likely suspect, for an oil leak in that area, is a front crankshaft seal - which is a far more extensive repair.

[rspi]

Hi and welcome to the site.

A timing belt job is not that big a deal. Front cam seal replacement is not that bad on the standard cams, but will require the cam locking tool if you need to replace seal(s) behind a VVT hub cam.