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So after I get my Volvo 245 running after many months of it being parked and then recently getting it fixed (update to come), I was informed by a knowledgeable Volvo person that my cam seals are leaking. Some oil on the water pump was the hint. I initially thought it was the pump leaking and that coolant had mixed with the oily grime. It's not that bad that oil is everywhere nor am I losing lots of oil, but still bad nonetheless.
When I got home I let the car sit for 15 minutes or so and then checked the oil. I saw wisps of smoke issuing from the dipstick tube and thought that doesn't look good. Then I opened the oil cap and sure enough, smoke came out there too. Could it be excessive crankcase pressure from a blocked flame trap and/or oil breather box? Archival posts on this topic seem to say that is most likely the cause.
I changed the flame trap in 2008 and between then and now did not drive the car that much. I'd say less than 30k miles (but I really don't know without looking at my records). I don't think the breather box has been changed and may well be original. I suspect and sort of hope that's the culprit. I plan to clean out the FT and breather box today. I had installed a brass FT last time, so cleaning should be easy. I've never done the oil breather box before. How easy is it to remove it from the block? This is an '89, so I hope I don't have to remove the manifold or anything else, for that matter! I'm also concerned about accidentally dislocating the oil tube that leads to the oil pan. Is this a concern? Can I spray some solvent like an engine degreaser on the box?
If it turns out that the FT and breather box were the cause of the oil leak, will clearing them up fix the leak without having to change cam seals? Indie shops have quoted around $300 to change cam seals, and a Volvo junkyard place said they can do it for 150. My timing belt is still under 30k, so I'm not very motivated to get the seals replaced if I don't have to.
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