18 replies to this topic

[rmorse]

Hey all,

So, my PCV was TOASTED on the 96 855R I picked up about a year ago. I changed it out like half a year ago, and all of the dipstick smoke + the peanut butter on the dipstick went away. It was finally easy to read the oil again on the dipstick! Anyway, the smoking dipstick returned, which was suuuuper annoying. I figured I would have to tear it all apart again and make sure that all of the ports and such aren't clogged again. No biggie, just annoying, and I was planning on getting to it in the next couple of months or so. Anyway, last night, I went to a volvo meet and drove about 100+ miles one way. I checked the oil level about 15 miles in, and found peanut butter all over the dipstick again. Grrrr! So, the peanut butter is back, this isn't good. I was also worried that it was a HG leak, since I get a lot of white smoke on cold start ups, white smoke when I go WOT, and white smoke when I let it idle for 3+ minutes.

Anyway, I go to the volvo meet, and start heading home last night. I stopped and checked the oil level but it is extremely hard to see the level. It sounded a bit low and that scared me, so I added about half a quart. It was dark and icing out, about 25 degrees, and I have an IPD HD oil cap gasket. Excuses aside, I ended up putting the oil cap on crooked. I drove 30 miles before I realized that my hood was smoking and that I smelled burnt oil. I immediately pulled aside and popped the hood, and saw oil EVERYWHERE. After cussing, I added the other half of the quart and went home. I went to work today, and changed my oil tonight.

Good news is, there was no coolant/water in the oil. Bad news is, about 3,5 quarts of oil came out and that was it. So, did I jack up my engine? How can I tell if I did hurt my engine? Do I do a compression test?

Also, how much oil do I put in after an oil change? I never remember, and always just check the dipstick. Unfortunately, I can't read the dipstick with all of the peanut butter on it. I added 6 quarts, and that is with a filter change. Is that enough, too much, too little?

Lastly, any ideas on the white smoke? I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for a bad turbo, but realistically think it's valve seals.

[Keaton85]

Your fine! Chill

If you had an issue the oil light would come on. As for the oil, 6qts is normal..

[rmorse]

It's hard to relax, I'm scared.

[Keaton85]

I've seen an N/A be down to 2qts! Without an oil light.

Unless you had an oil light, you will be fine.

[rmorse]

Nope, no oil light ever came on!

[Keaton85]

Your good!

[-Matt01]

if it was a bad turbo or valve stem seals, it would be burning oil, which would look blueish.

[Hanks]

id say the weather is playing a part in this. how is the ptc?

[boosted_brick]

i hope you dont have to replace the pcv again. that'd be such a waste if it only lasted 6 months.

[BlackBrick]

as long as you didn't rev your engine too high, you'll be fine. Only issue you'll have is a dirty engine. :-)

I would assume that the PCV system is fine. Those things easily go 100,000 miles and more.

Maybe a hose came undone or something on yours? It will be hard to check hoses with it on, but I think it's possible. Unfortunately, the intake manifold needs to come off to fix.

I put zipties on my connections just to be sure I never had to take off the manifold again!

Good luck!

[Keaton85]

Unless he reved it? He could do whatever he wanted to it unless the oil light came on. You could rev it, idle it or whatever.

[rmorse]

Ok, so, I'm responding on my phone so I hope I get everyone.

The smoke is white. Sometimes it's blue on long idles, but in winter, it's always been white. What would cause white smoke besides HG?

The PTC nipple was cleaned out very well when I did the pcv change. I haven't checked it again, but that hose has been popping off. Very annoying. I'll recheck the ptc this week.

The weather has been wet and cold lately. However, I go on long trips to get rid of condensation. If the weather is playing a part, how is the water getting in? Where do you think I should look?

I think I might have to tear the manifold off again and look for any hoses not connected properly.

I didn't rev the engine too high. Thankfully, it was icey out, otherwise I would have lol.

[Hanks]

if that hose has been popping off then you don't have vacuum pulling the vapors out. And that would be 100% the problem. I had to put a zip tie around my PTC hose to make sure it stayed. clean all the oil and grease off before you put it on.

[rmorse]

Oooo, ok. So that would cause both the smoke and peanut butter?

[survolvo]

If there is no vacuum pulling out the vapors, they escape through the easiest path (dipstick, next RMS) or they will turn to condensation(peanut butter).

[BlackBrick]

isn't revving an engine with low oil similar to revving an engine that's cold?

white smoke? That's water. I get that a lot in the winter...condensation in the exhaust.

[Keaton85]

BlackBrick, on 24 January 2012 - 07:54 PM, said:

isn't revving an engine with low oil similar to revving an engine that's cold?

Oil pressure is oil pressure...

When cold you are worried about flow and rapid expansion of metal. When low on oil you are more worried about the pick-up tube not getting any oil in turn dropping your oil pressure to the main and rod bearings.

In this case, he did not have an oil light meaning there was just enough oil for the pick-up to have oil...

[Hanks]

rmorse, on 24 January 2012 - 06:55 PM, said:

Oooo, ok. So that would cause both the smoke and peanut butter?

yes, fix that ASAP. may take a few days for the problem to clear up completely

[AlvinL]

Replace the o-ring on the dipstick. A tight seal is needed so cold moist air isn't sucked in making 'peanut better'.