Smoking dipstick, could it be bad rings?

Post by **erikv11** » 16 Jul 2019, 09:38

An often overlooked achilles heel of the DIY heater hose approach to PCV lines is that the heater hose gets kinked under the tight confines of the intake manifold. For that reason I greatly prefer a prefab hose with a 90 degree bend if you go that route. Better yet use a heavier hose that won't kink. Anyway, I'd give that a check for sure.

callahanoffroad · Post by **callahanoffroad** » 16 Jul 2019, 17:17

Thanks guys or should I say brain trust

Guys I've cleaned this thing twice in a year. Scrubbed the place spotless. I've performed two tests by sucking through the three openings to ensure flow. I even checked the hose that connects to the intake. There is no issue with flow in the tubing, or oil trap (catch can). The only place left that could possibly be a problem is the actual elbow connection on the intake. It's leaking oil. Well more like seeping. There's no actual flame trap in the connection. So I'm going to rebuild it. I had ordered a flame trap kit from FCP Euro, but some how when I checked out it fell out of my cart. Oops.

So I think I'll do some brain waving and see if I can't puzzle out a superior solution tonight.

Post by **dalel** » 16 Jul 2019, 18:31

May I ask a dumb question? What would happen if you ran an engine (in park, sitting still) with the dipstick removed?

If such a thing can be done you might be able to validate/eliminate the leak at the elbow connection.

Post by **Kara503** » 16 Jul 2019, 18:38

greg850r wrote: 16 Jul 2019, 07:13 Did you clean out the passage in the bottom of the block when you had the PCV box off? They usually clog up inside the block where the bottom of the breather box mates to the front of the motor. I use copper A/C refrigerant line to replace the big hose. I just take the new elbows and the insulating cover off that hard plastic one they give you with the kit and throw it away.

I think it might be this. That lower block passage is a pooper. You can check to see if it's clogged by blowing into it with a length of hose and listening for bubbles in the oil pan- though even then it might be super constricted. Definately also do the large PCV hose mod. If you suspect your rings are worn it can only help to have more PCV flow for the increased blowby.

Post by **cn90** » 16 Jul 2019, 20:32

Take your time and read though this PCV Mod, which I wrote in 2012 (time flies!).

Basically 5/8-inch hose mod to take care of the extra crankcase gas in high mileage engines...

DIY: 1998 Volvo S70 GLT PCV Modification, how to get rid of smoking dipstick!

viewtopic.php?t=53448

Post by **erikv11** » 16 Jul 2019, 22:00

callahanoffroad wrote: 16 Jul 2019, 17:17 ... Truthiness! ... It can't be the PCV flow because, well, I don't think that's the problem even though the symptoms say it may be ...

It's easy for a soft heater hose to kink/flatten only when the IM is installed. Just sayin.

Understood that on your car the PCV may be fine in the end but I still recommend the post by tryingbe, he nailed it, his posts describe the best DIY for PCV: viewtopic.php?t=81582 (note his is a turbo; adjust accordingly).

Post by **MoVolvos** » 17 Jul 2019, 00:18

-
Have you done the glove test yet?

Post by **Clemens** » 17 Jul 2019, 05:38

The key is to run the new hose up through the IM, curve slightly to the righty and then loop it over the IM and put it next to the throttle linkage down to the PTC. I mgith take a picture later and post it.

callahanoffroad · Post by **callahanoffroad** » 17 Jul 2019, 06:58

cn90 wrote: 16 Jul 2019, 20:32 Take your time and read though this PCV Mod, which I wrote in 2012 (time flies!).

Basically 5/8-inch hose mod to take care of the extra crankcase gas in high mileage engines...

DIY: 1998 Volvo S70 GLT PCV Modification, how to get rid of smoking dipstick!

viewtopic.php?t=53448

I actually copied this setup precisely.

So let me try and answer the myriad of questions.

1st, Herman is a '94 NON-TURBO, with a manual transmission, which means he has V-VIS. This in itself creates a myriad of other issues.
They do not make the pre-bent hard-line for this model anymore so that was never an option. I had to custom make a pipe. I originally used the soft flex hose that IPD provided. But just like RSPI said originally it was a POS. So i pulled everything and re-did it fall of 2018. I used CN90's modification. I cannot recall if I used heater hose or fuel line. I made the line slightly too long so there wouldn't be a kink, but not so long that it bunched up. Now after 20,000 miles who knows if there is a kink at the oil trap (catch can) or not. Because V-VIS intakes are so freaking huge it is impossible to look under the intake manifold without physically removing it. Maybe if I had a flexible snake camera.

All in all here are my thoughts. This is a really dumb design. I love the idea that the oil automatically drains back into the block from the catch can. But that creates an extra port to clog. So here's what I am thinking I am going to do.

1: Remove factory Oil Trap

2: Block off the lower oil return port from the oil trap.

3: Run two new 5/8" hoses from the block to a single brass T connector

4: run this line to a new aluminum oil catch can mounted somewhere new. Maybe down low by the Charcoal canister.

5: Run the return line back to the intake manifold, but instead of the cheap plastic flame trap elbow (which leaks), cut and drill this out with a new brass fitting, nut, and washer to bolt it down, facing away from the engine block and towards the intake filter.

That's currently what I'm thinking anyways.

Post by **erikv11** » 17 Jul 2019, 08:15

Sorry if it seems like we are piling on, we aren't!! I hope you can get it fixed without too much hassle.

callahanoffroad wrote: 17 Jul 2019, 06:58 ... I cannot recall if I used heater hose or fuel line. I made the line slightly too long so there wouldn't be a kink, but not so long that it bunched up. Now after 20,000 miles who knows if there is a kink at the oil trap (catch can) or not. ...

1: Remove factory Oil Trap

2: Block off the lower oil return port from the oil trap.

3: Run two new 5/8" hoses from the block to a single brass T connector

4: run this line to a new aluminum oil catch can mounted somewhere new. Maybe down low by the Charcoal canister.

5: Run the return line back to the intake manifold, but instead of the cheap plastic flame trap elbow (which leaks), cut and drill this out with a new brass fitting, nut, and washer to bolt it down, facing away from the engine block and towards the intake filter.

That's currently what I'm thinking anyways.

0. If you use quality line and a hard elbow like in tryingbe's post, there will not be a kink. Guaranteed! Doing that will eliminate this as a possible issue (you will be able to recall what line you used, you will know it is not kinked). At least use a pre-formed 90 degree bend hose if you insist on heater hose. Yes his car is a turbo but it doesn't matter, read the post you can very easily use his methods for your car!!!!

1. and 2. This is a really bad idea, IMO.

3. and 4. have been tried many times and a few people have made it work well for them. If you end up going this route at least read through all those threads - they are mostly from performance minded people and on other sites (VS, Swedespeed), which means they have turbo cars but again the basic setup (oil trap) is the same as your NA.

5. Everyone with an NA has a flame trap elbow, not all of them leak. But I agree this is a weak spot. A hose clamp and RTV will fix the leaks too.

And what MoVolvos said - how does it perform in a glove test?