DIY: 1998 V70 REAR Cam Seals using SKF 11809 9443310

[xHeart]

If the flame trap is still in there, take it out and throw it away! Then clean up the area and watch again.

The white plastic strainer, like the one in a utility-sink drain?

[xHeart]

It looses a quart of engine oil. I check it before each oil change. It is a recurring problem for past three years. The PCV parts replacement, although it was clogged, did not cure.

It has been steadily deteriorating while idling in D, rumbles at each stop light.
Took two hours last night to get this far.
I am replacing both REAR cam seals with Volvo's.

The cap is deformed, while there, I will replace cap, rotor, wires, and five spark plugs. The top of new Volvo spark plug has three arching metal tips 120º apart, NOT usual one "L" shaped. The date on wire is 02/50. It is time!?

Do I take compression reading at each cylinder?

REAR cam seal at intake...

[xHeart]

The old seal is drilled a little for the sheet metal screw, see white arrow and the dust at the ring below

After 1mm or so, the drill bit is against a hard metal, it is shinny, I stopped.
Left is the new Volvo seal the surface thickness is close to 1mm.
Am I drilling into the block?

Anyone with the help on anatomy of object?

new volvo seal - old cam seal at intake

[erikv11]

Yes, hard shiny metal behind the seal is the head, you do not want to scuff or mar that at all.

You want the screw to go straight back, so that it goes through the seal but the point does not scratch the head. Once it is through the seal just a little, it can be used to pull out the seal.

Looks like you have a bad cam seal leak. You still want to throw away the strainer thing.

[erikv11]

About the spark plugs: 3-prong is the standard Volvo type for an NA. You don't need to gap them.

You can check compression, not sure you need to but it wouldn't hurt and I might do since the plugs are coming out today. Remember though you want to do it on a fully warmed up engine.

[xHeart]

Yes, hard shiny metal behind the seal is the head, you do not want to scuff or mar that at all.

You want the screw to go straight back, so that it goes through the seal but the point does not scratch the head. Once it is through the seal just a little, it can be used to pull out the seal.

Looks like you have a bad cam seal leak. You still want to throw away the strainer thing.

Thanks!

After poking with a prying needle at the edges around the drilled surface, the needle tip disappears behind the seal surface into a hollow, hence it feels the drill bit is at the hard metal surface of the seal itself.

The depth of the sealing wall at the new volvo seal suggests there is close to a 6mm hollow space before the head surface is reached.
I would imagine carefully drilling another mm or so make the necessary eyelet for the screw to thread, and catch it strongly so it could be pulled outward. Any thoughts?

Would spraying carb cleaner help with loosening the 17 years of oil buildup at the mating surface and around the seal before pulling outward?

[xHeart]

I am back running.
Sheet metal screw method rocks!!!
Thank you!

[JimBee]

Just surfing here. Sorry,I haven't read the whole post and my comments are after the fact, but might be useful for future reference.

Glad to see people benefitting from the sheet metal screw technique. While it might be a little more tedious and fussy I doubt there's a safer way to pull an old CS seal. Digging it out around the edges can scratch the camshaft or the aluminum head cavity where the seal does its work. Those scratches could cause a leak which probably couldn't be repaired.

On the other hand, you don't need to worry about contacting the back of the seal cavity with the drill bit, as oil just pools back there behind the seal, though you don't want to drill deeply into the head as at some point you'd probably get into a galley. You can feel when you get through the metal in the seal.

Then if you use a hefty enough screw, relative to the hole size, just grind it in against the back of the cavity and the seal will relieve from its seat and lift right out. No pulling needed.

I've done a half dozen this way.

JB

[xHeart]

Useful thoughts Jim.

I took out the battery as well. It was like ballpark of a space to work.

Sheet metal screw with a screwdriver is the magic, not a ratchet wrench. I struggled a little with the intake seal, the 36mm socket had pushed the seal in quickly.

For exhaust, I used 1/2" x 6" wood dowel to help tap in the seal after initially pressing it in with my thumbs. The manner was similar to using punch with a hammer.

I observed a leaking seal is also pushed outward, hence we find it sitting close to the edge, where a fully installed seal is pushed against the head which then sits at 3mm from the edge.

That would mean, greater the leak outward the seal.

The cap, rotor, wires and plugs were bonus. It doesn't rumble at stop lights, i.e. idles like N in D.

[erikv11]

How far in to push the cam seal is largely a matter of preference. From the factory they come flush with the outer surface of the head, a lot of DIYers like to push them all the way in.