2008 XC90 V8 Oil Leak Help (Pictures!)

shaneb · Post by **shaneb** » 30 Dec 2018, 19:08

My 2008 XC90 V8 has an oil leak at the front of the engine near the clamp for the coolant hose.
See pictures attached - I have clouded the area I am talking about - looks like valve cover gasket?
My questions
1. Does this indicate the valve cover gasket needs replaced? If not, what may be the culprit?
2. After understanding what the actual leak is coming from (if not likely valve cover) is there anything else I should be doing while I have it apart and are there any tips for completing this you might be able to share?

Thanks

: oilleakFarback.png (1.24 MiB) Viewed 10041 times

: oilleakcloseup.png (1.56 MiB) Viewed 10041 times

Post by **ggleavitt** » 31 Dec 2018, 14:32

Mileage?

Internet search "volvo b8444s valve cover gasket replacement", pretty much every single V8 will require this job at some point. Gets mighty warm under that hood, heat cycle a few thousand times over 10+ years, flexible things will harden up.

The rear bank starts to leak before the front in my personal experience. As it gets worse, oil may leak onto the alternator and add insult to injury. Full seal kit is sold on FCP, I would add PCV and cross hose plus injector O-rings plus maybe a fuel pressure sensor.

Depending on mileage, you'll probably be wanting to think about the serp belt and all the rotating parts (idler, tensioner) sometime soon if they're still original.

Putting this in perspective, the "extra" cost of ownership with a 5/6-cylinder is knowing you'll need to do a PCV job at some point. For the V8 it's valve covers.

shaneb · Post by **shaneb** » 31 Dec 2018, 17:39

Thank you
About 160,000 on it

The leak in the front seems to have gotten worse this week, still have to drive 600 miles back home later in the week but will keep it topped up on oil (on holiday)
I will get the kit ordered or at least use as a good reference. There seems to be a lot of “while there do this too” items from what I’ve searched.

Post by **jimmy57** » 31 Dec 2018, 18:26

Those rubber VC seals have limited crush applied and they shrink. There are sleeves in the bolts that will not let you snug them down to slow the seepage..

Masscomguru · Post by **Masscomguru** » 31 Dec 2018, 20:00

There have been a few of these that puked due to elevation changes. Depending on where you traveled may have just finished it in.

shaneb · Post by **shaneb** » 16 Jul 2019, 17:18

Just to offer some closure - I did replace the valve cover gaskets, all associated stuff that comes with the FCEuro kit (but odered OEM parts) as well as sparks and some other gaskets recommended in other threads.
It was a pain, took a long couple of days to get it all back together.

That being said, there is still a slow leak, about a quart every 2+ months...enough to keep a puddle in my driveway. It doesn't appear to be coming from the valve cover gaskets. I am weary its the rear main seal..

Post by **MoVolvos** » 17 Jul 2019, 00:01

shaneb wrote: ↑16 Jul 2019, 17:18 Just to offer some closure - I did replace the valve cover gaskets, all associated stuff that comes with the FCEuro kit (but odered OEM parts) as well as sparks and some other gaskets recommended in other threads.
It was a pain, took a long couple of days to get it all back together.

That being said, there is still a slow leak, about a quart every 2+ months...enough to keep a puddle in my driveway. It doesn't appear to be coming from the valve cover gaskets. I am weary its the rear main seal..

If it is leaking that much you need to take it to the car wash and have the top and bottom of the engine gently rinsed and then add dye to the system. Could still be coming from your recent work as it did slow the original leak.

I replaced a crushed oil pan while at Acura in 96. Forgot to remove a guide pin of some kind and just deformed the new pan snugging it down. Puddle in the customer's driveway. He was courteous enough to wait a couple of days of leaking as the oil filters on those are upside down and always drains all over the block. There are gullies that the oil flows into and unless it is cleaned very thoroughly there will be oil leaking for a bit on the driveway. You just never know till you do some more diagnosis.

Post by **Roger_850T** » 18 Jul 2019, 18:21

shaneb wrote: ↑16 Jul 2019, 17:18 Just to offer some closure - I did replace the valve cover gaskets, all associated stuff that comes with the FCEuro kit (but odered OEM parts) as well as sparks and some other gaskets recommended in other threads.
It was a pain, took a long couple of days to get it all back together.

That being said, there is still a slow leak, about a quart every 2+ months...enough to keep a puddle in my driveway. It doesn't appear to be coming from the valve cover gaskets. I am weary its the rear main seal..

If your power steering pump is leaking, it will make it's way down and out, and eventually look like it's coming from the rear main seal. (It comes out of the same weep hole between the engine and transmission.) Clean it up well, then look very closely at the fluid that comes out. It's easier if you didn't just change your oil, as dirty oil makes it easier to tell the difference. Good luck!

Roger

tjmotter · Post by **tjmotter** » 13 Dec 2019, 20:06

When you say "cross hose" do you mean the one that connects the two heads over top of the lower intake? I have an '08 apart and flagged this hose for replacement. It is pretty hard so I don't think it has much life left. Only problem is the local dealer can't find it on any of his parts lists. Anyone know what the part number is for this or can I just sub some generic hose?

thx
Todd

ggleavitt wrote: ↑31 Dec 2018, 14:32 Mileage?

Internet search "volvo b8444s valve cover gasket replacement", pretty much every single V8 will require this job at some point. Gets mighty warm under that hood, heat cycle a few thousand times over 10+ years, flexible things will harden up.

The rear bank starts to leak before the front in my personal experience. As it gets worse, oil may leak onto the alternator and add insult to injury. Full seal kit is sold on FCP, I would add PCV and cross hose plus injector O-rings plus maybe a fuel pressure sensor.

Depending on mileage, you'll probably be wanting to think about the serp belt and all the rotating parts (idler, tensioner) sometime soon if they're still original.

Putting this in perspective, the "extra" cost of ownership with a 5/6-cylinder is knowing you'll need to do a PCV job at some point. For the V8 it's valve covers.

tjmotter · Post by **tjmotter** » 16 Dec 2019, 14:53

I ended up finding the correct part. So to close this loop for anyone else looking for this, the correct Volvo part number is: 30720098

tjmotter wrote: ↑13 Dec 2019, 20:06 When you say "cross hose" do you mean the one that connects the two heads over top of the lower intake? I have an '08 apart and flagged this hose for replacement. It is pretty hard so I don't think it has much life left. Only problem is the local dealer can't find it on any of his parts lists. Anyone know what the part number is for this or can I just sub some generic hose?

thx
Todd