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I had a very slight oil drip from the seal on the turbo return line. After having it repaired, I am losing a lot of oil -- a quart every 2-300 miles! I have a film of oil on my back bumper. The repair shop said it was a pcv problem but whatever they cleaned didn't fix the problem.
Any suggestions on what to look for next?
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Just joined up, so hello all.
I bought a used 2000 S70 turbo from local dealership, but when I went for an independent inspection before buying, there was oil from the stem to stern under the car.
Long story short - they had replaced the oil return line gasket BEFORE I came along, but nobody cleaned the oil off the bottom of the car. They cleaned the bottom of the car, and it's been dry as a bone ever since.
In my brief experience learning about my new car, it would appear the oil return seals are fairly common in needing replacement. The oil on the bumper is telling me that the oil isn't going through the engine, but leaking out and down, and as you drive down the road, the oil is being blown and is sticking to the underside of the car (yes, all the way to the bumper).
Don't know how mechanical you are, or if you have some help, but I'd at least jack up the car and peek along the entire underside; is their oil all along it?
If so, note where it starts, and then clean off all the oil to start fresh. Drive 100 miles and look again, repeating until you see more oil coming down.
If it is starting at the back of the engine, like where the floor meets the engine compartment, I'd bet the gasket is still giving you a problem.
The original garage shouldn't have a problem looking under the car WITH YOU to discuss what you see and what they think it could be. Have them point out the gasket they replaced, and if there is no oil in front of that point, but plenty behind it, then that's your likely problem (unless the line itself is damaged)
http://www.ipdusa.com/ProductsCat.aspx?CategoryID=471&NodeID=179&RootID=629
Go into this second garage visit with this knowledge: it would appear the original and factory replacement gaskets are bright green when new. Even if yours are leaking, they might still have some green showing around the edges that looks newer than the rest of the car (mine were extremely obvious to see). Unfortunately, the only way to view them is to look under the car (AND DON'T DO THAT UNLESS ON PROPER JACKSTANDS OR IN A GARAGE WITH A HOIST - no jack-slipping accidents allowed here!)
Good Luck
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Thank you, newbrickman (and others).
Short story: rear main seal is pouring out oil and will be replaced next week.
As suggested, I went back to the original garage to have a look at it. I told them I wanted to understand the problem, not just pay for fixing it. They were very open and accomodating, happy to educate me (and probably wondering why I hadn't asked more questions in the first place). I had warmed the car up nicely on my way there, they pulled it in, hoisted it and we all got to see the undercarriage, completely coated in fresh, clean, oil (none of it has stayed in the engine long enough to get dirty). While we looked there was an obvious leak from the rear seal, a steady drip that would have filled a cupped hand during the time we talked.
I spoke directly to the mechanic who had done the previous work. The turbo seal was the only leak he observed initially. After fixing that seal, there was no need or reason to assume other problems in his mind. He is assuming that a clogged pcv system created extra pressure, causing the rear main seal to fail shortly after that initial repair. When I took it back in, he cleaned the pcv system (? I didn't ask enough questions here to know what that entailed), and test drove the car, not noticing a marked leak from the rear seal. He had told the service manager to tell me to expect to have a 'minor' leak and that eventually the rear main would need replaced.
I have been putting up lots 'extra' miles lately and am assuming that the combination of lots of heat, hours on the road, and high-speed/high rpm driving has made the problem more pronounced. I have noticed in the last 2 weeks that I use less oil per mile driving in town. The air flow from highway driving is also what caused the oil on the bumper. It was concentrated on the drivers side (near the exhaust) just because of how the oil flowed along the underside. I'm sure that if all my driving had been in town, I wouldn't have seen oil spread that far.
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised at the rear main seal failing at 90k. Another $800 for this repair almost makes me wish I'd just lived with buying cat litter and the occasional quart of oil that came with the turbo seal leak. At this point, the leak is too severe to let go.
Up until now, I've had no major problems or expenses with this car and I still enjoy driving it. It is a wonderful highway car (see previous note about high-speed/high-rpm driving) and I have no plans to get rid of it.
Thanks again to all for the posts and links.
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posted by
someone claiming to be Qbrozen
on
Thu Aug 7 01:29 CST 2003 [ RELATED]
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I REALLY want to know about this clogged PCV system. Cause he obviously cleaned something out and I'd like to do the same!
thanks
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posted by
someone claiming to be Punxsutawney Phil
on
Tue Jul 29 05:11 CST 2003 [ RELATED]
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If you have a turbo, you shouldn't have a PCV valve.
Was it a Volvo shop that repaired the line?
-Punxsutawney Phil
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Not a dealer, but a shop that does a LOT of volvo work.
They said it was some kind of clog in the pcv system . . .
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posted by
someone claiming to be Frank
on
Tue Jul 29 06:32 CST 2003 [ RELATED]
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What, can't they FIX it?
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I'm hoping to gain some knowledge/useful information from this board before I take it to SOMEONE ELSE to get it fixed. Maybe they know what they're doing, but I don't want to take it on faith.
I'll admit to being ignorant beyond a certain point, but I don't understand why I'm getting so much oil on the bumper. If there's a clog, I'd expect leaking at the seals. Or, if it's blowing into the intake, wouldn't I just get a lot of smoke as it burns off?
Any understanding that you can pass on is appreciated.
Thanks.
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posted by
someone claiming to be Qbrozen
on
Fri Aug 1 00:55 CST 2003 [ RELATED]
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Its pretty tough to diagnose an oil leak without getting to check it out for yourself. Like you, I'm confused as to why the heck its on your back bumper. I assume we're talking about just around the tailpipe here, but if its coming through the exhaust, why the heck isn't it burning off? The only assumption I can make is that its entering the exhaust after the engine and making it to the rear of the car before the exhaust near the front gets too hot. So wouldn't this mean its the turbo leaking into the exhaust? I am not fully versed on turbos yet, so its a bit of a guessing game for me, too. If you just had those oil return seals replaced, how bout taking a look at those on the turbo side? Seems like the logical step to me.
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