Reseal engine in car

Mavrick1798 · Post by **Mavrick1798** » 26 Jul 2018, 10:25

I have a 2002 V40 and had the classic PCV system clogged up problem. Replaced all hoses and the trap but being it was an emergency fix I didn't have time to fix all the seals that went. It's so messy in there right now so there's no way to tell if the rear main seal also failed until I can clean up but being I don't have a place to pull the engine I was thinking of removing the have and rebuilding it with the block still in the car. Only hesitation I have is the rear main seal. Is there any way to replace it without pulling the engine?

Also on a side note, where have you guys had success in finding wiring diagrams for these cars? The owner before did a lot of his own wiring and funny enough a lot of it doesn't work

Post by **alschnertz** » 26 Jul 2018, 15:36

You did the "glove test" to confirm that you have excess pressure in the crankcase, right?
Not sure what you mean by "removing the have and rebuilding it with the block still in the car".
Maybe you mean removing the "head"?
Why are you considering removing the head? (If that's what you mean)

It may be prudent to find out exactly where it's leaking before diving into a rear main seal (RMS) replacement.

You do not have to remove the engine to replace the RMS.
You do have to remove the transmission to replace the RMS.

Mavrick1798 · Post by **Mavrick1798** » 26 Jul 2018, 16:09

Thanks for the reply alshnertz, yes I did mean "head" but auto correct is a pain. Doesn't take a detective to figure out what I meant though. I wouldn't be diving into anything either. I know of all the different locations oil is leaking and it seems that the RMS is one of them. I'm going to do a full reseal of the engine while I'm at it for longevity purposes. My question was more specifically aimed towards how to replace the RMS without a cherry picker and shop as I do not have either of those things. You say remove the transmission. Have you done this before and can give any tips or tricks to help things go smoother?

Post by **mrbrian200** » 26 Jul 2018, 16:13

google "volvo wiring diagrams" all one word without the spaces. It's the first .com link at the top of the search. I'm not sure if we're supposed to direct link to it in the forums. Matt at some point had communication from Volvo to some effect over diagrams on the site. I'm don't know the specifics of what is or is not ok. All I know is that it is ok to screen capture part of a page/annotate a specific circuit if it is relevant to the topic at hand.

Mavrick1798 wrote: ↑26 Jul 2018, 10:25 The owner before did a lot of his own wiring and funny enough a lot of it doesn't work

Electrical work is best left to experience/experts. Especially if it's wiring around the engine compartment or exterior due to the environment.
A PO of my car hacked in an aftermarket high pressure headlamp washer pump. Not sealed up, the copper corroded and rotted 6-8 inches up into the harness. I had to chop out more than a foot and splice in clean wires/OEM plug (and a used OEM pump) from a salvage vehicle to get those working again. If you want it to last you have to treat everything as if it were an underwater saltwater environment. Because in the winter it might as well be.

Mavrick1798 · Post by **Mavrick1798** » 26 Jul 2018, 16:25

Mrbrian200, thanks I'll give that a try! I've seen/fixed my fair share of bad wiring jobs so hopefully it's nothing too bad!

Post by **amblerman** » 26 Jul 2018, 16:34

Mavrick1798 wrote: ↑26 Jul 2018, 16:09 Thanks for the reply alshnertz, yes I did mean "head" but auto correct is a pain. Doesn't take a detective to figure out what I meant though. I wouldn't be diving into anything either. I know of all the different locations oil is leaking and it seems that the RMS is one of them. I'm going to do a full reseal of the engine while I'm at it for longevity purposes. My question was more specifically aimed towards how to replace the RMS without a cherry picker and shop as I do not have either of those things. You say remove the transmission. Have you done this before and can give any tips or tricks to help things go smoother?

I do not have an s40. But I have dropped the transmission in an s70 (which gives me access to the RMS as well).

You don't need a cherry picker but you do need SOME way to support the engine. I used an engine support bar.
Like this:

: enginesupportbar.png (632.28 KiB) Viewed 966 times

As you can see, it rests on the fenders and then uses chain to attach to the engine.
The general process (super high level overview) would be:
1) attach engine support bar and tighten up to remove slack.
2) remove things like drive axles, control arms, tie rod ends from hubs, etc
3) unbolt engine and accessories from subframe (so the engine and trans now are free to move.).
4) use jack to lift engine/trans up a couple of inches. Tighten up the chain again...
5) lower jack so engine and trans now hang freely.
6) attach some sort of support system to transmission (I used straps to the engine support bar and a jack under transmission)
7) disconnect transmission from engine

remove transmission from drivers side wheel well.
9. you now have access to RMS.

I did this in a driveway only with jack stands and that engine support bar. This was on a manual and I was only harvesting the transmission from a donor car so I didn't put everything back together.

You definitely do not need a cherry picker but you absolutely do need a safe way to support the engine from overhead, good (safe) jack stands, and a good jack (or two).
It's a big job. no doubt about that.

The reason I gave you a high level overview and not exact steps is I have an s70 and not an s40. The process would be similar but not exactly the same.

Btw. as noted... when I did this, it was a donor car so I didn't have to rush things. It's not a quick job. Especially the first time you do something like this. I bet I could do it in 1/10th the time now.

Post by **alschnertz** » 26 Jul 2018, 18:33

Mavrick1798 wrote: ↑26 Jul 2018, 16:09I know of all the different locations oil is leaking and it seems that the RMS is one of them. I'm going to do a full reseal of the engine while I'm at it for longevity purposes. My question was more specifically aimed towards how to replace the RMS without a cherry picker and shop as I do not have either of those things. You say remove the transmission. Have you done this before and can give any tips or tricks to help things go smoother?

Yes, I have removed/replaced the transmission on my '01 S40 in my garage. Not a professional "shop", I'm just a shadetree, but I do have a decent collection of tools.
I did need an engine hoist to make things easier. I'm over 50 and just not as strong as I used to be.
I'm kind of meticulous and take my time. I wouldn't be able to do it in an afternoon.

I referred to a thread on S40concepts on-line. I don't even know if that site is still available.
Regardless, it was a tedious procedure. Not the worst repair I ever did, but pretty close.

That's why I alluded to making sure the RMS is the issue before delving into that repair.