1999 S80 T6 PCV system and coolant reservoir clarification

[Riba]

Hello all,

I am getting ready to inspect and clean the PCV breather box as the oil is leaking out all over. I have read the info available in the forum, but there is one question I have before starting to remove the intake manifold.
Everyone suggests to carefully remove the hose from the top of the breather box as suggested in this thread. This picture shows how the PCV line is detached from the breather box:



It is also discussed how hard it is to get to the clamp for the obvious reasons.

I was wondering, isn't it much easier and safer to detach the PCV pipes from the intake manifold first by undoing the hollow 17mm bolt, as shown in the following picture:



Next, I noticed that the coolant reservoir on my car does not have the pipe which is supposed to go to the notorious thermostat housing nipple (the one on the right):





I took a look at the infamous nipple and it is obviously plugged. I guess it broke off but not completely at the elbow next to the housing and someone plugged it:



I suspect that in the past the coolant reservoir got replaced by the incorrect one which lacks the pipe connection. I am assuming that all 1999 S80 T6 models need to have this, don't they?

Thanks!!

[Bluevanacd2005]

Yes, remove the 17mm bolt.. If you don't, the very small plastic line attached to the connector will probably snap when you wrestle with the intake manifold. I have a 2000 S80 T6 and it doesn't have the thermostat bleed hose either.

Spenser

[Bluevanacd2005]

Oh yeah that little plastic line will probably be plugged up with oil crud btw

[Riba]

Yes, remove the 17mm bolt.. If you don't, the very small plastic line attached to the connector will probably snap when you wrestle with the intake manifold. I have a 2000 S80 T6 and it doesn't have the thermostat bleed hose either.

Thanks for confirming! Interesting to hear you don't have the bleed line, are you the first owner? I guess many of these models will miss it if bought second hand.
How does your thermostat housing look like at the belt cover?

[Bluevanacd2005]

I think it was designed without the bleed line. My housing doesn't have a port for it. I don't know how many i owners this car has had but I didn't buy it new.

[majorcode]

Riba, My car is non turbo and it does not have either

Interestingly while reading your post, I thought you will surly come to the point to unbolt left screw of the breather box, which is painful, I did on my car myself with out disturbing other stuff.....but mine is non turbo. moreover once you finished the whole job, if your engine still gives smoke from dip stick or oil cap then you have to do the whole job again to clean the pipes.....therefore work on every hose while changing breather box.

[majorcode]

regarding exact coolant reservoir, the best way is to discuss it with guys from you buy the new stuff etc...they will confirm it with VIN Number of the car.

[Riba]

Riba, My car is non turbo and it does not have either

Interestingly while reading your post, I thought you will surly come to the point to unbolt left screw of the breather box, which is painful, I did on my car myself with out disturbing other stuff.....but mine is non turbo. moreover once you finished the whole job, if your engine still gives smoke from dip stick or oil cap then you have to do the whole job again to clean the pipes.....therefore work on every hose while changing breather box.

Yes, as far as I know non turbo cars don't have the pipe going to the thermostat, but then again you probably don't have a hole in the belt cover so I think someone used the non-turbo coolant reservoir after breaking the thermostat nipple.

I know about the left bolt, and supposedly I should remove the alternator and A/C mount to get to it which I am not sure I have the necessary tools for at the moment (mostly the one needed to remove the serpentine belt). My plan for today is to at least remove the intake manifold so I get familiar with it. You did intrigue me by saying you were able to remove that bolt without removing the things around it. Any specific tips about it?

BTW yesterday it went into limp mode for the third time in the past three months. I see that the proper fix is $500 part replacement. This car really is a bucket of problems, but I won't let it discourage me.

[Riba]

A quick update. I haven't done much actual work but I did learn a lot. I aborted the removal of the intake manifold when I found out that the injector seals are in really bad shape. I hope these can be bought separately?

Once I removed the injector rail I could see the breather box and it was dry. What is actually making all the mess is the power steering fluid which is leaking somewhere around this pipe which was "repaired" in the past:



I guess a proper replacement is in order, hopefully there is a writeup somewhere on the forum for this. I will clean and inspect the PCV anyway. I also checked the lower engine mount and it is definitely gone.

[majorcode]

Riba, Since my alternator, compressor and rest of the thing there were perfect that is why I wanted to unbolt the left bolt without take the whole things off......therefore I did my home work and kicked, and got success, in fact I surprised my mechanic

Since these cars are old, so there is a chance of breaking something else while working on target.

Anyway, what I did or many other gurus suggested, is to drill/grind little area to increase the space plus I recommend to use 10mm socket whose face can move easily..it is special tool..i forget it name.

Let me know if it is not cleared, I will take the snap and post. But again I must say if your alternator, compress stuff are ok...then do not touch them.

And yes car does not have coolant hole from timing belt area and reservoir is original...somehow i am confident about my s80, because I know I am 3rd owner and also have complete history from the day it was first purchased.

Any errors when it goes into limp mode?? Repaired hose should replaced ASAP.

Plus I strongly recommend to open a one single thread to discuss whole job you are doing, so that discussions with other members will be lot easier.