New member needs oil leak help

mtrdrms · Post by **mtrdrms** » 04 Feb 2016, 17:40

Hello! Long time reader first time poster. I have a fantastic 98 v70 glt that has developed a bit of a leak. I see some of the other members with major leaks so I'm a bit ashamed to be posting this but I have some oil making its way onto the turbo/exhaust while driving and the smell is constantly reminding me to fix this.

I've tried to add pics to this post but the files are too large so I'll try to describe it. It's coming from the area high on the rear drivers side of the engine. The turbo oil lines look dry and I just replaced the rear cams seals. What else is there to check?

Thanks a bunch - love the site!

Andy

Post by **kahl** » 04 Feb 2016, 18:38

Have you done a glove test to evaluate the status of your PCV system? Why were the rear cam shaft seals changed? If they were pushed out and you did not service the PCV system you are back where you started.

mtrdrms · Post by **mtrdrms** » 04 Feb 2016, 18:59

I have not done a glove test but the pcv system was cleaned about 70k ago. I replaced the seals because I thought they were the cause of the leak. I will try the glove test tomorrow.

Post by **kahl** » 04 Feb 2016, 19:03

One of the symptoms of a failed PCV would be the rear seals being pushed out by the crank case pressure.

Post by **abscate** » 05 Feb 2016, 04:04

Save your pics in lower res and let's have at them...

Post by **benpineapple** » 05 Feb 2016, 07:41

When I bought my 98 V70 it would constantly leak (only while driving), and would smell like burning oil, despite no white smoke out the tailpipe. Ended up being that the PCV system needed replacing. You mention it was done 70k ago, unfortunately I believe the system's shelf life is 60k or so.

kippster41493 · Post by **kippster41493** » 05 Feb 2016, 08:04

Did you check the oil cap seal? Oil will leak out of the there, seep its way over the cam cover (around the spark plug wires) and out a little notch cut out on the back of the cam cover on the driver side right above the heat shield. This way you know if its leaking by the burning smell. Take the spark plug cover off, if you see oil under the cover, just try the oil cap seal.

obayha · Post by **obayha** » 05 Feb 2016, 08:06

When properly maintained, the PCV system can go for a lot longer than 60,000 miles. I purchased mine from the mechanic that maintained it from the original owner, and he said he had never done a PCV replacement on it and it is now at 186,000 miles.
Regardless, it does sound like you may have a failure of that system. Pull the plastic cover from the plug area and have a look. If it shows oil sitting around waiting to spill onto your exhaust, then I would thing PCV again.

charleskennedy23 · Post by **charleskennedy23** » 05 Feb 2016, 08:18

Glove test takes less than a minute... See Robert DIY's Video on YouTube. Do that and see if PCV is clogged. Even if the glove test goes well I'd still consider doing the PCV system. As I understand it 60-70k is the recommended service interval for the PCV. If it has been that long then I'd consider doing it since blowing a rear main seal could be castrophic (repair cost by my local Indy is over $1,000). My course of action would be PCV, rear cam seals, turbo return line gasket, then start using a high mileage oil like valvoline max life and see what happens. That's what I did when I had the same problem and over a year later no more oil leaks and the car isn't even burning that much oil! I also added some bars rear main seal to the oil but that was before I did the real cam seal and changed to the valvoline max life oil.

Keep us posted and I hope all this advice is helpful.

mtrdrms · Post by **mtrdrms** » 05 Feb 2016, 20:37

Thank you all for the replies. The car failed the glove test. It wasn't too bad but the glove was moving. I hope the cam seals I just replaced aren't leaking!
The oil cap seal is leaking and there is oil under the coil cover.
I ordered the OE volvo kit from fcp and tore it all down today (I'm a teacher and we had a snow day:). The lines connecting the turbo and the manifold seemed blocked. I'll post results when the job is done.
After looking back at my records, there is also 70k on the timing belt so I guess I'll be busy next weekend...

Thanks again.