Identify the oil leak! Fun for all the family

Post 74545 by pzorb on 2006-01-23 21:16:59

Right i've got oil weeping from the front of the car. Seems to be slowly dripping out from underneath the radiator tray, and it looks similar to motor oil. Engine bay's tidy, no signs there. Oil consumption not noticably affected (so i'm fairly sure it's a leak as opposed to it squirting it out when on the move and returning to a dribble when parked), there might be a few drops here and there after a night parked up. I don't have axle stands, but I was just looking for any opinions on what it might be? There's an oil cooler at the front on a 855 t5 isn't there...? Oh I lied about the fun for all the family bit. Sorry :anmflower Maybe ask the kids just in case, who knows one day they could work for Volvo and charge £80 an hour. :sinner: Any clues at all, it's coming apart this weekend (again) and would appreciate things to look out for. Crazy theories warmly welcomed too*! Martin *volvo employees prowling round old cars during lunch breaks making them out to be unreliable by drilling small holes in any exposed pipework to sell people shiny D5s?

Post 74547 by BlackBeast on 2006-01-23 21:22:19

The oil cooler is a part of the radiator so it could be that, or it could be the oil lines going to it.

Post 74564 by stuAWD on 2006-01-23 21:53:11

Try shining a light at the base of the dipstick tube, if you see oil gathered at the base in the recess, could be a leaking O ring on the bottom of the dipstick tube, or maybe faulty/damaged/worn out/blocked oil separator under the intake manifold. Hope its not the latter, and something easily remedied, i'm probably wrong anyway. From wher yous ay its coming from, it looks like Blackbeast has nailed it.

Post 74588 by iGGy on 2006-01-23 22:38:30

All of the above seem plausible. Also I think the lower intercooler hose connection can drop a bit of collected oil from there if the clamp is a bit loose. This will drip into the radiator tray and then work its way out on to the floor.

Post 74616 by pzorb on 2006-01-24 00:16:24

[QUOTE=BlackBeast]The oil cooler is a part of the radiator so it could be that, or it could be the oil lines going to it.[/QUOTE] Sounds likely Hmmn how many Hayne's spanners are we talking?

Post 74662 by racer on 2006-01-24 08:58:43

I've had this. Lower oil cooler pipe connection. Go to a dealer and get two new O rings, then pull the connectors out (might as well do both) and replace the O rings. At this point the problem arises. It's a complete bitch to get them back in with new O rings on. Oil drip goes away though. It's about 1 on the spanner scale, but have a oil pan ready as it all gushes out of the hose and cooler.

Post 74729 by t5owner on 2006-01-24 14:51:08

"It's about 1 on the spanner scale, but have a oil pan ready as it all gushes out of the hose and cooler." Might be an idea to drain the oil then and refill when you`ve done the seals Cheers stuart

Post 74761 by bowman on 2006-01-24 17:07:20

I've never known a car be as bad for oil leaks as a T5! I had oil coming form the base of the intercooler, i think it has a tiny drain hole. Not much but i will build up over time.

Post 74788 by racer on 2006-01-24 19:20:37

> Might be an idea to drain the oil then and refill when you`ve done the seals. LOL Yup. I'd have figured that out myself eventually!!

Post 74839 by pzorb on 2006-01-24 22:14:44

[QUOTE=bowman]i think it has a tiny drain hole[/QUOTE] Yep had that verified today when I asked the dealers about it, but I still haven't had a chance to see the actual underneath. One change that is recent is my garage put regular mineral oil in the car at the service, when before it's had semi. I'll put semi back in when I do my +5000 mile service but could that be a cause at all?

Post 75709 by pzorb on 2006-01-28 12:43:01

Ok update: (click thumbnails for full version) You can see where the oil flowed out the tray: So I remove it, and got this: (it's pooled on the passenger side, and dribbled across) I had a look for the source of the oil visible at the sump: (not so much oil at the top of the dipstick tube, but gets heavier further down it until it's quite gunky where the tube joins the sump) I think most of the oil came from here: (down the passenger side of the radiator there's a tube) I noticed this slight tear in the tape wrapping some pipe: There was a little oil around this area but it's also the lowest point, I don't think it's anything more than a bit of tired tape, but I include it for completeness) I certainly am no expert, but could it simply be that there was too much oil put in the car at the service? So it came up dipstick and out (mind you the area directly below the top of the dipstick is oil free so maybe not - I'd expect a few drips or a slight spray)? Or there's some other overflow issue? Or is it the O rings? Advice always welcomed! And my my it's cold today!

Post 75761 by pzorb on 2006-01-28 19:01:21

Any clues at all? It's got to go back together tomorrow!

Post 75829 by racer on 2006-01-28 23:25:48

My money is still on the O rings on the oil cooler coupling. I've had a good look at the photos and I *think* it's running across the tray. I have to admit I'm not sure why it's doing this rather than escaping on the oil cooler side.

Post 75863 by Babybadger on 2006-01-29 00:36:52

[QUOTE=racer]My money is still on the O rings on the oil cooler coupling. I've had a good look at the photos and I *think* it's running across the tray. I have to admit I'm not sure why it's doing this rather than escaping on the oil cooler side.[/QUOTE] My 3 year old daughter agrees........you did say 'for all the family'........but she also said ' check the bottom of the dipstick and give the oil a good flush out as well as a change......' .......is the boost still ok? Could it be the turbo return oil seal and leaking down?

Post 76081 by JackT5 on 2006-01-30 06:50:14

The dipstick seal is a problem some have had, have you an oily patch on the bonnet soundproofing over the dipstick? If so just put a new seal on the stick and see how you go.

Post 77112 by racer on 2006-02-01 20:05:30

Did you get anywhere with this Pzorb?

Post 77286 by pzorb on 2006-02-02 17:19:41

I gave it a good clean out last weekend, as the pictures show. I'm wating for this next weekend to do it all again and see if the problem's back. The oil level is still very very high (I'm wondering if my service actually fully drained the oil before they added!) so I'm not in a huge hurry to get it fixed. Current theory is that it's caused by changing the oil from semi-synth to severly cheap regular, and that the seals reseated themselves. We shall see! I will keep you posted tho!

Post 77289 by Martinr on 2006-02-02 17:23:20

Have I missed something here? Are you running with normal oil (I.e. not synth or semi-synth)? As I understand it this is not a good idea.

Post 77296 by pzorb on 2006-02-02 17:41:31

[QUOTE=Martinr]Have I missed something here? Are you running with normal oil (I.e. not synth or semi-synth)? As I understand it this is not a good idea.[/QUOTE] I rang them just now and they said 'regular castrol'. The answer always varies with this garage. I shall assume the cheapest went in. I'm not too fussed because it'll be coming out before doing 3k or before if it starts to discolour. Right now I'm busy enough to be leaving the car alone unless it's shouting for TLC (busy? students?) - but I'm unconvinced by the arguments for this super-super oil going on in other threads because the same story has been pasted around message boards and forums by the same user, if one looks on google.

Post 153195 by Carl on 2006-10-17 19:30:00

Psorb, I've found your thread from google, I'm experiencing similar problems but on a new shape V70, just wondered what your problem was, O rings, oil. regards Carl

Post 153421 by pzorb on 2006-10-17 23:36:35

It went away without me doing anything unusual like changing O rings. I think the garage I took it to either overfilled it with oil, or the oil they put in it made some seals move round. Put it this way, when I changed the oil myself back to Magnetec there were no more issues. So if you're having this problem, and you haven't changed the oil just do it yourself. If it's not the cause at least you've got some new decent oil in there (an oil change is never a bad thing to do). Watch it, and see if it goes away. Sorry I can't be more definite :( Good luck! - Keep us posted

Post 159446 by Carl on 2006-11-07 21:55:14

Martin, Thanks for the advice, changed the oil and filter two weeks ago,(Magnetec and genuine Volvo Filter) problem seems to have gone. I'd say that the oil filter that was in it was such a bad fit that I suspect the oil was by passing around it. Wreckon I'll do another at 6K. Thanks again. Carl

Post 159535 by lance on 2006-11-08 12:02:41

Im having a similar problem, I only use magnatec 10/40w the cars done 168k and drops oil over night , but again never on the move as under the engine and car its oil free! I know I may have over filled her slightly , the peril of no flat road outside, intrestingly if I park her pointing up hill its 2 drops about 15 cm from each other, if I park her down hill its one bigger drop, about the same amount of oil. My dipstick has hardly moved over the last month 1000 miles, so Im hoping ive toped her up slightly to much ,as not given her a level enough surface or, enough time to drain in to sump before topping up! You can now see where I park, and Im glad I havent expensive block paved drive! I know my pcv systems not cloged , and again it hangs on the tray, i was thinking oil cooler or intercooler , or one of the pipes or O rings! I ve been told not to worry as these engine naturally use some oil , but its not burning it ,or looseing it at any worrying rate , just making a mess of the road and making me check my dipstick and scratch my head! I suppose when oil drops it displaces and looks much worse than it actually is!