2008 V50 1.6d (109 HP) - Oil on top of the valve cover and PCV failure symptoms

xTremeTitan · Post by **xTremeTitan** » 26 Aug 2023, 05:23

Hi, I have 2008 Volvo V50 1.6d (109 hp) and I bought it 3 weeks ago with 275.000km (170.900mi). The seller didn't drive it much beforehand.

The other day I was driving when I smelled oilly scent and the AC stopped cooling. I park the car, pop the hood and take the plastic cover off. There is oil where the valves are, the timing belt is all from oil and the engine as well. I honestly wouldn't notice anything if it wasn't for the oil smell, the engine run fine. See the attached photos and video.

A friend of mine came to check it out and noticed the fuel line that connects to the 2nd cylinder (from the driver's perspective) was dirty from oil but the others aren't. He also noticed that the piston is not working properly (just turning - working in vain). As for the oil on the timing belt he said the semering seal might have failed.

I than looked up the symptoms on the internet and discovered a test that checks for PCV valve failure (the one with the glove). Did it and it came out as positive. So the notion now is that the PCV got clogged up which caused the failure of releasing the pressure from the engine which caused (probably) large number of seals on the engine to fail.

Got the second opinion from approved and official Volvo mechanics. All basically say the engine is best to be replaced or the car be scrapped.

What do you guys think? Is the diagnosis correct? If yes, is the repair job worth it? If my friend can fix it, the job would be just over 1k.

Post by **Krons** » 26 Aug 2023, 06:53

With that much oil I would use some contact cleaner and careful compressed air to clean everything up then leave engine cover off to closely monitor for leaks.

If the engine crankcase is pressurized the PCV needs fixed, ideally you want to know what seals need replacing to do all the repair at once (including your cylinder 2 issue)…maybe with timing belt and water pump too at that many km/miles.

xTremeTitan · Post by **xTremeTitan** » 26 Aug 2023, 08:20

The timing belt was replaced 30.000km (18.500mi) ago. Do you think it should still be replaced considering it's soaked in oil?

Do you have any tips to watch out for when cleaning the engine?

Post by **Krons** » 26 Aug 2023, 09:28

Timing belt should be ok then, unless cam seals are out then best to replace (along with water pump if not done with belt service).

Main thing on cleaning is avoid any water on electrical bits to prevent further issues. Best to use a contact cleaner safe for electrics and plastics.

xTremeTitan · Post by **xTremeTitan** » 27 Aug 2023, 05:37

So I need to drive the car to my mechanic and considering the PCV is clogged the engine still needs to somehow equalise the pressure building up. I made some research and some say open dip stick should be enough to rectify this problem. What do you suggest?

Post by **Krons** » 27 Aug 2023, 07:10

Pulling the dipstick is the easiest way. Hopefully they can track down the seals causing the oil leaks.

xTremeTitan · Post by **xTremeTitan** » 11 Sep 2023, 08:36

Took the car to the official Volvo mechanic. They said the crankshaft timing belt pulley failed which spilled all the "hydraulic fluid" out of it, that's why it was so messy. They said the fluid between the injectors is normal. What's your take on this dyagnostics? I have my doubts.

Post by **Krons** » 11 Sep 2023, 20:57

I’m not an expert on the diesels so maybe others can chime in.

That much oil doesn’t seem normal. Could certainly drive a while and monitor fluid levels to see if it continues.