7 replies to this topic

[nt5acs]

So, I have a Volvo with an oil leak....
It is a 98 V70 AWD wagon, S56 motor. So far there has been a head job, front main seal, timing belt, radiator replacement, steering rack and a bunch of other things fixed, in the last year. There is the yet not addressed issue with the A/C compressor clutch...
After all this I am left looking for a leak that is somewhere on the right (passenger) side of the motor. I suspected front main but after I got the cover off I could tell the leak was most likly not coming from the front main (small celabration). I noticed this thing to the left of the crank pulley and I have no idea what it is, yet..... I can't tell if it is a part of the problem or not. I also found oil leaks at the oil cooler connections to the new radiator. I have passed the point of no return and I need to find and fix this leak.... Then I can turn my attention to the windows and locks..... Please I await your comments and encouragement.
p.s. This actually my daugter's project car..... (stop laughing)

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[Burn-E]

That looks like a hydraulic tensioner to me in which case it's probably not the source of your leak (since there's not that much hydraulic fluid in there). My guess would be the cam seals.

[nt5acs]

The oil does not appear to be coming from that high up on the motor, The head was rebuilt because of issues with the valves, some bent some broken. but I will double check.

[Gilhuly]

As noted above, those bolts are the mounting bolts for the hydraulic tensioner which is just a block mount. So, the oil is from above. Most likely the front exhaust cam seal. Whoever did the head owes you because they probably put the old cam seals back in.

[prasamin]

isn't this in the area of the oil pump?

oil pump gasket and seal issue?

[nt5acs]

I went back and checked.. I had the car up on stands for two days.... On the first night I wiped down as much of the engine and subframe as possible. By the second day subframe was wet and dripping again. From the underside looking up from the back and to the right of the turbo I can see up to about the midline of the block where there is a metal tube running horizontally from behind the belt cover parallel to the engine, this blocks my view and reach. It seems to be as high as where the stain from the oil leak starts.
From what I can see of the cam seals from behind the belt cover they appear to dry... I think the leak is lower but I cannot be sure of what is there.... I am currently trying to get a manual so that I can at least figure out visually how this engine is laid out... What I did notice is that it is very wet behind the main pulley, I thought main seal but the amount of oil at the height of the idler pulley has me doubting that because I don't see how that much oil could be flung up the block without wetting the belts...

[BlackBrick]

i had the cam seals on the distributor side leak on me for months, yet it was impossible for me to tell the leak was coming from there, so i spent much time trying to figure it out like you. one day the leak got terrible, and somebody suggested the cam seal, so i replaced it and the leak went away.

when a leak comes from that high, it can seem to be coming from many other places as it trickles lower.

[tizio]

Front cam seals behind the timing belt. How is your PCV?? Ever done/clean/check? As above I will start with the 4 cam seals(two intake+ two exhaust) .