Volvo 850 R Project. Need advice on repairs.

[tryingbe]

Idles smooth but I still get a tiny puff of smoke at every start up.
Secondly, still get small puffs when I'm anywhere past half boost.

Sounds like your valve stem seals need to be changed out.

The Radiator is dated the 4th month/ week of 2015 so it's barely over a year old. maybe not volvo?

If an all aluminium radiator is not possible, I like a radiator I can locally warrantied, like the sold at Autozone.

There is also a hissing noise coming from somewhere around the vacuum tree, but I can't seem to locate it by feeling around. Is that normal at all?

Noise usually means vacuum leak. There is a o-ring under that street.

When boosting past 3/4 I get a fast, repetitive knocking sound around what sounds like the center/passenger side of the bay for about a second and then it goes away. any ideas? (by the way, I haven't been thrashing this thing around. There were 3 controlled tests)

That sounds like knocking, which is the sound of engine destroying itself. Are you using 91/93 octane? Got a code reader? Check engine code? Do you have a widebane gauge?

[ACarmona]

Hey Tryingbe, since I've gotten the car I've been using regular unleaded gas, which is probably 87-89. I did order a new Nissens radiator from EEuroparts when I got the car because at first I thought I needed to replace it and the all 4 cooler lines but turned out they just needed new o-rings but I guess I still need the radiator. Are there shops that will do the job with the parts that I have? or will that void their warranty and the like?

[tryingbe]

High performance engine calls for 91/93 octane for a reason, so they engine won't knock. Use the gas up, fill it with 91/93 and see if it happens.

I have no idea what the shops around you will do or will not do, you will have to call.

[ACarmona]

So I took another look at the bay today, but from below this time.
I do get a bit of a small puff of smoke upon start up, and from what I've been reading it sounds like valve stem seals. Its not too bad at the moment (fistful of smoke), but I heard that's a big job if it is those seals.

The good thing is that all leakable points on my turbo are dry on the outside, even after idling for a few. The weird thing is that it looks like theres fresh oil coming from the more passenger side of the back of the engine. I did just change the front cam seal so I guess this oil could be from the previous seal's leak, and there is so much dirt collected on the bottom and back of this engine like the previous owner only drove it off road, that it makes it impossible to locate the source/s. Would Brakleen be safe enough to use on everything back there to clean up the oil after scraping as mush dirt off as I can?

Also totally unrelated, can one simply remove the Cam position sensor and distributor cap to see if those seals are leaking too?

Thirdly, my heater core isn't leaking, but its definitely discolored. The cold air doesn't work but it will still blow hot to room temp air. The first mech I went to said my condenser was leaking but can't see any coolant on the road where its parked. Would I need to change out the whole heater hose set and firewall coupler as well as the core itself?

Lastly, can I replace the fuel vacuum line that goes into the manifold and the other hard plastic line that runs from the tree to under the battery/air box with silicone ones? And if so, should they be the same inner diameter? I've got 10ft of 5mm id on top of the new TCV lines I got from ipd.

[ACarmona]

Bump!! Really would love some advice so I can keep working on my car or else my roommate will have to keep giving me rides.

[abscate]

Ill get you some answers after this long dreary phone call I have to make...

High pressure water spray will get that grime off with no chemicals to worry about.
I would not sweat that oil smoke too much.

Get it clean so you can find the leak, or if there is one.

The condensor is part of the AC system, not the heater, so we need some clarification here. You will lose coolant and smell it if the heater core is leaking.

[tryingbe]

So I took another look at the bay today, but from below this time.
I do get a bit of a small puff of smoke upon start up, and from what I've been reading it sounds like valve stem seals. Its not too bad at the moment (fistful of smoke), but I heard that's a big job if it is those seals.

Not really a big job, just time consuming.

I did just change the front cam seal so I guess this oil could be from the previous seal's leak, and there is so much dirt collected on the bottom and back of this engine like the previous owner only drove it off road, that it makes it impossible to locate the source/s. Would Brakleen be safe enough to use on everything back there to clean up the oil after scraping as mush dirt off as I can?

You change just one cam shaft seal? There should be two cam shaft seals, and there is one front main seal. All can leak. Did you use Volvo or Corteco brand seal? I've use brake clean before, but I found pressure washing is cheaper and easier.

Also totally unrelated, can one simply remove the Cam position sensor and distributor cap to see if those seals are leaking too?

Yes.

Thirdly, my heater core isn't leaking, but its definitely discolored. The cold air doesn't work but it will still blow hot to room temp air. The first mech I went to said my condenser was leaking but can't see any coolant on the road where its parked. Would I need to change out the whole heater hose set and firewall coupler as well as the core itself?

If your a/c condenser leak, you won't see any trail of leaking, other than color dye if the system have any.

No, but that coupler are known to fail apart.

Lastly, can I replace the fuel vacuum line that goes into the manifold and the other hard plastic line that runs from the tree to under the battery/air box with silicone ones? And if so, should they be the same inner diameter? I've got 10ft of 5mm id on top of the new TCV lines I got from ipd.

Silicone is all I use for vacuum line. Not sure what size. Try them out yourself.

[mecheng]

Use atp-205, it got rid of my start up small puff of smoke.

[ACarmona]

Thanks everyone, so I will be ordering the parts to upgrade my PCV, replace the vac lines, and clean up the bay a little better. For the pcv, are there "hallways" that might be clogged in the block that you can't see from the ports after you take the oil separator off? Cause they weren't clogged at all really when I did change out the parts, and I tried to feel in there a little more but couldn't feel anything else blocking it up. I hope the upgraded hoses and vac line work.
Elring seals. The reason I only changed the front cam seal is cause it was really leaking but the others weren't. Also didn't really have too much time that day. I still have yet to check the driver side seals. Also we didn't have a good tool to put in the seal completely even so is there a tool out there meant for putting those in/taking out?
So there is now a little coolant leaking from the drivers side seam on the radiator after driving around for about 10 minutes. Also that metal line going under the rad/ic/condenser and connecting on the drivers side of the sandwich is loose, like the plastic is cracked through and can wiggle it around, but still bolted to the rad. This must have been one weird rad cause it's date stamp says 2015. The previous owner had put it in.
Should I try recharging the a/c to find out where its losing the charge? Also, when I turn on the blowers with the a/c button on auto, the compressor doesn't kick on or anything. Is it because there is no charge and the compressor could be fine but doesn't operate when there's no refrigerant?

[tryingbe]

For the pcv, are there "hallways" that might be clogged in the block that you can't see from the ports after you take the oil separator off?

PTC is a clog in itself. Drill it bigger.