Gap in oil pan? 2007 XC70 Topic is solved

[cmayo1]

Not sure if this helps anyone understand what I'm looking at on the engine block, but this is the area where the gap lives

[BlackBart]

Got your PM -
Blacklab’s photo is describing the “plan view” of the shape, or you could say the X-Y dimensions. You seem to be saying there is a gap in the Z direction, or up and down.

The block and pan surfaces should be flat flat…like steel straight edge flat. There should be no up-down gap in the block.

I don’t know if you’re saying someone broke a chunk out of the block skirt (or pan?) in a previous repair..?

How much does it leak, how long has it been leaking?

Is it possible something hard -a washer, a nut - got stuck in the goo when you were lifting the pan up and got clamped in there, so you never tightened the pan all the way flat against the block?

We need a picture or three.

[Blacklab467]

Feel free to use my picture MoVolvos, cmayo1, we’re going to need a picture of both the block and the oil pan, this doesn’t make any sense unless there’s a chunk of iron broken off or something as BlackBart suggested.

[cmayo1]

I'll probably be able to get a picture of it tomorrow, trying to take a break from cars this weekend

[Krons]

I feel really stupid.

I recently dropped the oil pan on my Volvo. everything came out fine and the oil pan looked really good. I didn't end up buying the kit from FCP Euro and only bought the sealant. probably dumb but too late now.

I I resealed everything and while I was doing it I saw a little gap between the oil pan and the engine block. it's near the oil filter closest to the passenger side tire and has a bolt almost directly beneath it. I know it's a gap because the machine steel is much cleaner than the oil pan. I'm not currently with the car but I can get a picture .

I have no idea what this gap is. there's no way that I put this oil pan on wrong because I can't see any other way of putting it on. what am I missing? has anybody run into this problem before?

to explain it better, there's a piece of the engine block that is exposed and not touching the oil pan. it's not a gap between the sealant and The engine block. it is a protrusion that sticks out and leaks oil when the car is running. it's as if the oil pan is misaligned, but all of the bolts are in and secure. how else could it have gone on? what did I do wrong?

thanks in advance

So because of the gap, you’ll be pulling the pan again so I’d get the kit. The orings on the oil pickup tube are known to get hard and crusty causing the oil pump to suck air resulting in low oil pressure. Happened on my 02 S60 2.4t at around 200k miles.

As for root cause of the gap, I’d bet you a McDonalds $5 McDouble meal deal an oring got out of place and wedged between the pan and block. As others said, that is a super flat machined fit so the only logical thing I can think of.

[Blacklab467]

I think Krons is correct, I hadn't thought of this possibility before. I'm guessing you probably didn't achieve the proper torque on all the bolts when you tightened it?

[cmayo1]

They definitely didn't get torqued all the way, because when tightening the bolt down after the oil leak, oil squeezed through the gap. I looked at a couple pictures of the engine block with the oil pan off, and it looks like the gap is right where an O ring is supposed to go (maybe for oil pickup), so it's quite possible it's wedged or missing and it's causing that leak.

I've come to the unfortunate realization that I'm going to have to go through the process again, but do it right this time. It's the first time I've dropped an oil pan. I'm slowly getting over it haha. Live and learn.

I really appreciate everyone on this forum. The amount of people on here who are willing to take the time out of there day to help a novice is incredible.


I'll still get you guys a picture to see what's going on.

Cheers

[Krons]

When you finish next time pay attention to the torque sequence…I can’t recall if you cinch it sideways against the transmission first or do the pan to block then the transmission…the sequence is on the end of this thread:
viewtopic.php?p=632557

[cmayo1]

There was a sequence of the four corners then the two transmission bolts that i followed. I believe I found a manual online.

Here are the photos. No edges on the oil pan feel like they've broken off.

[Blacklab467]

I see what you mean now, mine has the same thing. I don't know what that "flange" is for on the block but it is obviously not used. Probably there to provide casting commonality between engines. In any event, it is not a bolthole and doesn't affect sealing of the pan. It might just be a coincidence that yours leaked there, particularly if you didn't torque things properly or in proper sequence, additionally theres likely an old o ring that got between the pan and block being that you reused the old ones.

pan gap.jpg (66.29 KiB) Viewed 154 times