I have a burning oil smell that I traced to the cap. Oil is on the valve cover and running down to the exhaust manifold. Not a lot of oil, but enough to burn when I drive at highway speeds and come to a stop.

I changed the gasket on the cap about a year ago and it was hard as cardboard. I flipped over the new one and it's still pretty flexible.

I changed the flame trap and the nipple at first indication this was happening and it wasn't plugged. Anyway the problem continues. There is no oil coming from leaks in the front of the engine. The car is about to turn 200k miles. Just changed the oil, when the problem first became apparent. Don't know how it could be connected to this situation.

Where do I look next?

you did the trap and nipple but what about the breather box below?
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Kenric Tam
1990 Volvo 740 base sedan (B230F)
My Volvo 'Project'

You might want to try just removing the cap and gasket, wipe them off thoroughly with a paper towel, and replace. I sometimes get a little oil on the valve cover if I don't wipe off the cap/gasket before replacing... but never if I clean 'em up first.

If that doesn't do it, you've got a bunch of other good suggestions...

- Brian '93 945T

I had a similar problem on my 245. I'd cleaned out the PCV flame trap with carb cleaner, and made sure the hoses were clear. still leaking.

then replaced the oil filter gasket and the breather box below the flame trap. still leaked out the top.

recently simply replaced the flame trap with an all new one. and replaced the pcv hoses that had cracks at the ends.

it is now much better. I'm guessing one of the pcv hoses was leaking in enough to diminish the vacuum that should have been pulled, or the restriction from even my recently cleaned flame trap was enough to cause the problem.

If I were you, i'd replace the flametrap, and make sure the pcv hoses are in good condition. if that doesn't do it, then try replacing the breather box, or worrying about high blowby.

paragraph 2, of my response, should read "oil FILL gasket"

Try bending the spring steel tabs on the cap. Bend them to make the fit tighter. I had this very problem and this cured it. But because of excessive blow by, eventually there will be another leak else where. Most likely a cam seal or one of the mains.

Try a compression test and a leak down test.

DanR 94 964 235,000 miles
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DanR