2002 XC-70 Oil Leak front of engine above oil pan

VTXTC · Post by **VTXTC** » 05 Dec 2016, 16:06

Hi all,
I have a 02 XC-70 with about 135,000 miles on it. I have owned it for about a year,
and have put about 10,000 miles on it. It has leaked oil since the day I bought it, and
I have done a lot of work to try to fix the issues.
It leaks oil from the front side of the engine (towards the radiator).
I have already replaced the cam seals, front main seal, oil dipstick seal, and
dropped & resealed the oil pan, and replaced the oil cap

I have a feeling that it is probably related to the PCV system, but except for the oil
leak I'm not getting any of the other related symptoms.

With the under engine tray removed, I can see oil leaking down the front of the block when the engine is running, & I can tell that it is coming from well above the oil pan.

It leaves a serious puddle wherever I park it, so it's something I need to fix ASAP.

Besides the PCV system, is there anything else that could be causing such a big oil leak?

It's my only vehicle currently, so I don't want to start tearing stuff apart until I have a better idea of what needs repair/replacement

Thanks!

Post by **jonesg** » 06 Dec 2016, 17:40

Oil cooler?

VTXTC · Post by **VTXTC** » 07 Dec 2016, 00:10

Wouldn't be the oil cooler, that's on the back of the oil pan. Wrong side of engine & way too low

Post by **abscate** » 07 Dec 2016, 04:54

It's not PVC if it is puddling oil idle. Look with a borescope at your head gasket on the front of the engine to see if it's wet with oil to trace.

Post by **chrism** » 07 Dec 2016, 08:34

A couple ideas....

Follow the hose that runs from the top of the engine, down between the intake manifold runners, to the top of the breather box. They are known for rupturing just above the box.

Check that the PCV system is functioning properly (pulling a vacuum on the crankcase) by doing a rubber glove test on the dip stick tube or oil filler neck.

Any chance the oil is over-filled? (Check the part number on the dip stick and make sure you have the right one for your engine.)

Also, there are a couple ports where the breather box connects to the side of the engine (facing radiator). If the rubber connector on one of those, especially the lower one, aren't sealing fairly well, and if your PCV system is clogged up, it might be forcing oil out. You almost have to remove the intake manifold unless you're real handy with a mirror.