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In addition to dealing with coolant leaks, the 850 wagon we've been fixing up has serious oil leak issues.
After replacing 2 oil-saturated radiator hoses, I filled the coolant and started the car up to check for leaks. Less than a minute into running the car, I realize oil is POURING onto my new hoses.
A closer look with a good strong light reveals oil is virtually SPRAYING out of the back of the head somewhere. Hard to see exactly... the top engine mount bracket is in the way, and from below, the radiator hose and EGR and transmission final drive block the view.
It very well could have been made worse by the front end being on ramps, and oil flow increased to the back of the head. I decided to use a lifeline... call a friend.
With some words of warning, I pulled the 2 big Torx holding the cam sensor to the head. Oil was pooled in the same sensor bore and pretty much everywhere in and around it.
The sensor just looks at a ring that is half cut away. The ring rotates with the cam. One M6 (10mm hex) bolt holds that on, and it's keyed to the cam.
When I get the rotor off, I realize the cam seal is COMPLETELY out of the head, floating around behind it. I was warned not to scratch or scuff anything in here so I look for a means of reinstalling it gently.
I had a flame trap kit for this car which came with a new plastic socket for the flame trap... a top-hat shaped piece of plastic. I didn't use it, I just replaced the flame trap elbow and put the rest back together.
Turns out that flame trap socket is just the right size to go over the end of the camshaft, and since it's smooth and plastic it makes it harder to hurt anything delicate.
I pressed the cam sensor seal assembly back into the head by hand and made sure it's nice and flush. The next project will be tearing into the whole breather system to get rid of the crankcase pressure... initially replacing the flame trap seemed to fix it, but it seems to be back.
Wish me luck...
--Robert Bareiss, New London CT
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