Serious front of engine oil leak '04 XC70

[abscate]

Correct. The oil cooler went from radiator to a separate unit behind ( technically, right side, lower) the engine in 1999

[BlackBart]

Bumping this back up because I finally got a chance to dive into this job. Just got everything uncovered - haven't even started the real cam seal job. My garage is cold and I'm taking my time.

My experiences and questions so far, which might help someone down the road -

1. The airbox to turbo hose is really in the way at the back of the head. I took off the airbox end but was probably too cautious about pulling the turbo end with hard-to-get-to clamps / vac lines / hard to see down there. Probably should just pull the whole airbox assembly as well.

2. The electrical trunk line from the fuse box is in the way. I snipped the zip tie at the intake cam position sensor housing, and the clamp there. I really don't like shoving and flexing old wiring.

3. The upper engine mount / torque mount bracket has some hard to reach bolts. The bundle of vacuum lines below there and their fittings are in the way of that lower 14mm bolt. The plastic coil pack cover needs to come off to get one 14mm bolt out. Steel bolts through aluminum brackets could use some anti-seize. The lower alum bracket sits on two steel pins in the back of the head - you have to do some wiggling and careful prying to slide it out away from the head.

4. Once the cam position sensor housings are off, there are steel cup-shaped pieces on the back of each cam. These are the tone rings or reluctor wheels that send the signal to the pick up. They come off with a deep 10mm socket - BUT....they turn the cam a bit when you break them loose. That really concerned me about timing, or that I was spinning the VVT unit at the front. In reading thru F250's write-up, I see he mentions this and doesn't seem worried. I'm assuming the rotating of the engine clockwise gets everything into sync until you lock it.

5. He mentions pulling the cable housing at the passenger (right) side strut tower in order to get to the cam bolt with a breaker bar. Is this others experience as well? This has to move?

I'm watching that very good VVT video linked earlier, and of course the engine is sitting loose on a shop floor, so none of the two hours of taking shit off is dealt with, or not being able to get your hands in there.

Does anyone have trouble lining up the cam wheel timing marks sticking your head down next to the strut tower? The plastic cover is a ways away from the wheels and it doesn't seem that exact to me. I'll try a couple more spins and see how it sits again.

What is the serpentine tensioner fitting shape? I used a T-55 and it worked - not sure if that's correct.

Thanks -

[jonesg]

Bumping this back up because I finally got a chance to dive into this job. Just got everything uncovered - haven't even started the real cam seal job. My garage is cold and I'm taking my time.

My experiences and questions so far, which might help someone down the road -

1. The airbox to turbo hose is really in the way at the back of the head. I took off the airbox end but was probably too cautious about pulling the turbo end with hard-to-get-to clamps / vac lines / hard to see down there. Probably should just pull the whole airbox assembly as well.

2. The electrical trunk line from the fuse box is in the way. I snipped the zip tie at the intake cam position sensor housing, and the clamp there. I really don't like shoving and flexing old wiring.

3. The upper engine mount / torque mount bracket has some hard to reach bolts. The bundle of vacuum lines below there and their fittings are in the way of that lower 14mm bolt. The plastic coil pack cover needs to come off to get one 14mm bolt out. Steel bolts through aluminum brackets could use some anti-seize. The lower alum bracket sits on two steel pins in the back of the head - you have to do some wiggling and careful prying to slide it out away from the head.

4. Once the cam position sensor housings are off, there are steel cup-shaped pieces on the back of each cam. These are the tone rings or reluctor wheels that send the signal to the pick up. They come off with a deep 10mm socket - BUT....they turn the cam a bit when you break them loose. That really concerned me about timing, or that I was spinning the VVT unit at the front. In reading thru F250's write-up, I see he mentions this and doesn't seem worried. I'm assuming the rotating of the engine clockwise gets everything into sync until you lock it.

5. He mentions pulling the cable housing at the passenger (right) side strut tower in order to get to the cam bolt with a breaker bar. Is this others experience as well? This has to move?

I'm watching that very good VVT video linked earlier, and of course the engine is sitting loose on a shop floor, so none of the two hours of taking shit off is dealt with, or not being able to get your hands in there.

Does anyone have trouble lining up the cam wheel timing marks sticking your head down next to the strut tower? The plastic cover is a ways away from the wheels and it doesn't seem that exact to me. I'll try a couple more spins and see how it sits again.

What is the serpentine tensioner fitting shape? I used a T-55 and it worked - not sure if that's correct.

Thanks -

You're in montana? Damn it's cold there.

Looks like you're doing well so far.
The cam hub bolt closest to the firewall was the worst part for me, had to pull the wire harness loose from the strut tower and horse it aside just enough to get the breaker bar on that big torx cam bolt.

I held the torx bit in alignment in the bolt as my buddy broke it loose at the handle end of pry bar. 83ft lbs ?
Yeh, felt like it too.

My car ran fine, assuming timing marks were good from the outset I just marked the cam sprockets where they looked good, impossible to get your head in there so...

Some belt tensioners do use torx , some are square drive. Mine is torx.

The turbo hose behind the head isn't so bad, mostly just get good lighting so you can see where the clamp bolt is pointing, I find a socket on a long extention a bit easier than a screwdriver. Screwdriver slips off, socket stays on. I like using an elec ratchet there.

It really helps to put some rubber mat on the engine do you can lie on top of the head and get close enough to see properly, standing on milkcrates is not fun.

I don't see anything out of the ordinary in what you've done.
I'm in northern maine, cold here too.

[abscate]

5. He mentions pulling the cable housing at the passenger (right) side strut tower in order to get to the cam bolt with a breaker bar. Is this others experience as well? This has to move?

Yes, this is documented in VIDA. You might have a low profile tool that will fit, but the risk of breaking the harness and carrier is high if you apply high torque and are touching it. Move it.

[BlackBart]

Thanks guys! OK, turbo hose off and wiring housing off - I'll do it. I have the three colored vac lines to replace, so I might as well do that while I'm back there. I was glad to read further that rotating the engine CW resets the cams, which turn a hair when you break the tone ring bolts loose.

Lighting is always the problem for me! NAPA has some tiny little LED pencil lights with a magnet bottom - I'm tempted. I love the doormat idea - hanging over the fender is always hard on the hamstrings!

Northern Maine, not Boston? I have good friends in Portland ME and it gets pretty chilly there. I'm in Missoula on the far west, the temperate part of MT! Often very Seattle-like (my former home), although it's snowing hard right now.

[BlackBart]

You might have a low profile tool that will fit,

Oh, y'know...the T-55 is a 3/8, the breaker bar is a 1/2, so I'll need the reducer in there and I won't have much room.

[abscate]

You might have a low profile tool that will fit,

Oh, y'know...the T-55 is a 3/8, the breaker bar is a 1/2, so I'll need the reducer in there and I won't have much room.

Yeah that won't fit. I cracked it with the breaker, then actually ratcheted it off with the bit being turned by a ratcheting box end on the hex end of the socket due to low clearance, Clarance

Did a 5 year stint in BZN - that was cold country all right

[BlackBart]

Yeah, Bozeman is cold! I went to school there. My dad grew up in Livingston, his dad was the Sheriff in the 20s.

No sailing in Bozeman! We go to Flathead Lake.

[jonesg]

Thanks guys! OK, turbo hose off and wiring housing off - I'll do it. I have the three colored vac lines to replace, so I might as well do that while I'm back there. I was glad to read further that rotating the engine CW resets the cams, which turn a hair when you break the tone ring bolts loose.

Lighting is always the problem for me! NAPA has some tiny little LED pencil lights with a magnet bottom - I'm tempted. I love the doormat idea - hanging over the fender is always hard on the hamstrings!

Northern Maine, not Boston? I have good friends in Portland ME and it gets pretty chilly there. I'm in Missoula on the far west, the temperate part of MT! Often very Seattle-like (my former home), although it's snowing hard right now.

Wal-Mart has led headlights, you wear it and wherever you are looking you get hi intensity light same as those penlights but your hands are free. Mine was $15.

I moved up here last fall, near houlton.
Montana is nice, I went fishing in jellystone a few yrs back.

[BlackBart]

Jellystone is spectacular. We are near Glacier, which is sometimes otherworldly.