V70 2004 D5 massive oil leak after grounding the engine

volvolife · Post by **volvolife** » 17 Jan 2024, 09:25

My poor parking skills on a French country road, caused the passengers side front wheel to be hanging in a small ditch. A friendly farmer towed me back out. 3 days and 300 km later, after a spell of rain, I noticed some oil on the parking lot. Dipping the oil indicated none left in the sump. I added a couple of liters and all was gone after half an hours drive. As this happened 2 days before Christmas, and no french garage able to have a look, I decided to make the 1000 km trip back, adding half a liter of oil every 60 km. Rear windscreen became a bit hazy. However made it back with a smooth running engine . The oil indicator light did not come on (and it is not faulty). Back home it seemed that most of the oil comes out of the small drain hole in the clutch housing - which lead me to believe a crack in the sump casing on the transmission side being the cause. I pulled the oil sump cover, expecting to find a crack, but cover seems fine flywheel has some oil on i (see picture). I am hopefull that the grounding/towing only cracked the seal and resealing the sumpcover will do the trick. If not what else could be going on ? Any ideas ?

Will refit sump cover with new sealant and check if this does the trick

Post by **scot850** » 17 Jan 2024, 14:29

Biggest problem you will have that on this side of the Atlantic we never got diesel engines other than early 1980's in the 240, so not many will have any experience with the D5 engine.

Looking at your pictures and the oil traces on the flywheel/flex-plate. As we are looking at the engine side it would suggest it is possibly the rear main seal has been compromised. AS to why that would be, the only thing could be somehow the ditch visit somehow jogged or damaged the rear main seal so causing it to leak. It does also appear there is some oil to the left in the picture on the drive axle.

I believe the D5 is a turbo diesel? If so it could be oil leaking from a feed pipe to the turbo? I'm going to assume no oil is leaking down from the back of the engine from the top of the cylinder head?

Neil.

volvolife · Post by **volvolife** » 18 Jan 2024, 02:01

Hi Neil,

Thanks for your fast reply

. Good to know that few diesel made it to the other side of the pond and hands-on Diesel experience may be somewhat limited.

There is no oil leaking from the top of the cylinder head at the back of the engine. I am going to look into the turbo pipes - to be honest this is a bit of learning curve as my own mechanical skills are from an amazone 144 GT with my Dad ( i was very young) and from my Landrovers series 2. Turbo is a new area....

I will post progress over the next days/weeks

Post by **vtl** » 18 Jan 2024, 07:19

Rear main seal?

volvolife · Post by **volvolife** » 18 Jan 2024, 11:27

Quick update: fitted oil sump cover. unfortunately one of the bolts cannot be tightened the problem is the bolt hole , as changing bolts ( with any of the 3 other ones) does not solve this problem.

As most of the engine oil seemingly leaked from the drain hole from the clutch housing, a dodgy bolt hole an inch away gives concern - I guess I cracked bolthole, will cause the bolt not to tighten and could leak oil ? However as can be seen on the first picture in this post - the bolt hole area of this dodgy bolt hole seems fine.

I will fill with oil tomorrow. if I am lucky and it was just a compromised seal - Any ideas on how to deal with a loose bolt ?

I guess that continued leaking means inspecting turbo, and if that is ok, taking the engine out for an inspection of the rear main seal

Post by **vtl** » 18 Jan 2024, 11:32

volvolife wrote: ↑18 Jan 2024, 11:27 I will fill with oil tomorrow. if I am lucky and it was just a compromised seal - Any ideas on how to deal with a loose bolt ?

Stripped threads -> Coil-sert/Time-sert/Heli-coil. Cracked block - I would find a donor engine. Welding it is possible, however it would require an extreme level of cleanliness, which is needed for TIG welding. Meaning, the engine is likely to be taken out, split apart...

volvolife wrote: ↑18 Jan 2024, 11:27 I guess that continued leaking means inspecting turbo, and if that is ok, taking the engine out for an inspection of the rear main seal

No need to drop the engine, only the transmission has to come off. Depending on your equipment. If you can afford having it on a lift and can drop the whole subframe - this would be easier than dropping just the transmission. But latter is DIY in garage without much specialty tools.