Volvo RWD 200 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 7/2004 200 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

How likely is my leak simply a worn pan gasket? 200 1990

posted by  VolVolina on  Thu Aug 31 05:41 CST 2006
Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS] [RELATED]

I've always noticed a little oil seep around the front bottom of my engine, from the area that would indicate oil pan gasket. Since I never needed to top off the oil much between changes, I never concerned myself with it. But changing all the belts last night, I noticed the oil leak would appear to have gotten worse. There never is a puddle in the driveway. It just seems to be wet oil stuck to the bottom of the engine. And now there is oil forming on the bottom of the oil pan. I do have a gravel shield intact. When I had the timing belt changed I also had them do the front seals. There was no leakage from there. Or so they said.

Could the leak be as simple as changing the gasket? Is that a big job? Should I pressure wash the bottom of the car and then drive around a bit and hope to find the source of the leak? Thank you all.







  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

    How likely is my leak simply a worn pan gasket? 200 1990

    posted by  rstarkie on  Thu Aug 31 06:18 CST 2006
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:14 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    If in fact it is a pan gasket leaking you might be able to stem the flow simply by snugging up the bolts a little.

    When you put a wrench or socket on them you will be able to tell if they are loose. Some are easier to get to than others and you will want to check them all. Tightening some and leaving others loose might even "spring" the pan enough to increase the leak.

    Randy








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    How likely is my leak simply a worn pan gasket? 200 1990

    uid 25912's pic
    posted by  Sven's Maintainer on  Thu Aug 31 06:09 CST 2006
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Sun Sep 16 20:44 CST 2012
    [RELATED]


    Wipe dry with paper towels? Less hazardous to all the stuff that's exposed.

    Check under oil filter?
    Mine leaked when I had a clogged flame trap.
    That's how I learned about flame traps, eventually.

    Rear main seal is a common leak source. Requires pulling tranny out of the way to replace engine rear main seal. Look for oil coming from the wire mesh screen "gills" under the tranny, that's where it emerged from my system when rear main seal was leaking.

    Oil pan gasket is a bigger job than I ever wanted to do. Requires removing cross member and/or lifting the engine. But we never had one leak yet. I'm pretty sure the resting oil level is below the gasket so it would likely only leak if it was under pressure from a clogged crankcase ventilation system.

    BTW - if you've got an oil leak you just have to make sure the entire pcv system is clear. Right down to the breather box and tube down into crankcase. Doing it will likely take a whole weekend morning but will give you the satisfaction that you didn't have to pay $80-90/hour for the work.
    --
    DAMHIK: Don't Ask Me How I Know - - - Sven: '89 245, IPD sways, electric rad. fan conversion, e-codes, 28+ mpg - auto tranny. 500 mi/week commute. '89 245 #2 (wifemobile). '90 244 (spare, runs).








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      How likely is my leak simply a worn pan gasket? 200 1990

      posted by  VolVolina on  Thu Aug 31 08:38 CST 2006
      Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS] [RELATED]

      Is there a risk of some tube or something falling into the pan if I remove the breather box? I thought I remembered reading about some small part that could fall into the engine? Thanks.







      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

        risk of tube breaking? 200 1990

        uid 25912's pic
        posted by  Sven's Maintainer on  Thu Aug 31 09:10 CST 2006
        Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
        last visit: Sun Sep 16 20:44 CST 2012
        [RELATED]


        Yes, there's risk of the tube breaking off.
        I very carefully used GUNK motor-flush crankcase cleaner to soften any junk in the tube to help clean it. Details follow at the end of all this stuff...

        In the FAQ, scroll down to index (silly place for it down there, IMHO)
        Go to Engine - Seals - Belts - Crankcase Ventilation.
        Read everything in crankcase ventilation.

        I used the method of access to the breather box "without removing intake manifold". Worked well. However note -

        The later 240s ('88 and later) have a bigger breather box that's tougher to get off. Carefully unplug 2 or 3 electr. connectors to fuel injectors so you have slack to move the wire harness out of the way. This lets you pull the breather box up and away as described in the FAQ.

        Plastic tube on outside of breather box inserts about 3/4 inch into opening in crankcase, so lift straight up as much as possible.

        The fragile tube is the forward opening of the two that the breather box uses. Use a small funnel to get a bit of Gunk engine cleaner down the fragile tube, into the crankcase. The stuff you are supposed to add to the motor oil, then run engine for 5 min to clean the innards. Don't do that!, just pour a bit down the funnel into tube till it flows freely. Then get some wastable thin household extension cord, split in half, cut ends clean with no metal protruding, and slide wire down the tube gently. Slide it right thru the small funnel tip. If it hits resistance, pour more cleaner till the wire goes through.

        Lastly, send down some stiff poly rope. I used one about 1/4" diam with thick strands, not the hair-fine strands. Rope went down easily, came up with oil on it. I was pleased.

        When done, drain the oil pan, then do two oil changes right away to be sure you get all that cleaner junk out of there. Do the "Gunk" motor-flush procedure at your own risk, it's probably best to just get it out of there.
        --
        DAMHIK: Don't Ask Me How I Know - - - Sven: '89 245, IPD sways, electric rad. fan conversion, e-codes, 28+ mpg - auto tranny. 500 mi/week commute. '89 245 #2 (wifemobile). '90 244 (spare, runs).







<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.