Losing oil

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Ian21401

Not sure if the parts for the PCV on my B200F are the same as yours Dirty Rooster but her goes.
Re that O ring for the oil trap. I obtained one from my dealer last year, VO0949659, £4.60 ex VAT. As near as I can measure, it's ID is 35.0 mms. and profile 3.0 mms.
I also obtained the other items as follows: (all prices ex VAT,)
Oil Trap. VO3501160. £33.80.
Flame Trap. Ordered as "Flame Trap" but supplied as "Flame Shield" VO1389657. £4.20. (My Flame Trap is a plastic/nylon moulding with a metal mesh. The Flame Shield supplied is simply a nylon mesh, so may or may not be suitable.
Hose (oil trap to flame trap) VO0949701. £15.40. (supplied as a metre length).
Breather Hose (flame trap to air intake) VO3507245. £14.00.
Vacuum Hose (flame trap to inlet manifold) VO0976734. £11.60.

I have not yet fitted these as I obtained them after cleaning the PCV system for the second time last year.
Back in 2015 as a result of reading info. on this forum, I decided, whilst cleaning the throttle body and idle air control valve, to check out the PCV system, which I had never paid any attention to since acquiring the car, so had probably never been cleaned. I later learned, again from this forum, that that could be a contributory factor to the oily film building up on the cam shaft cover. I had read that care was required to ensure that the oil trap securing bolt and O ring did not fall into the sump whilst dismantling. I found that with normal care this was not an issue and duly removed the components.
The oil trap was very dirty but not blocked so I cleaned it.
The O ring was intact and still flexible so was cleaned and silicone greased.
The hoses from the oil trap to the flame trap and the flame trap to the air intake were lined with an oily emulsion, so cleaned.
The vacuum hose from the flame trap to the inlet manifold was completely blocked, as was the associated pipe on the flame trap so they were cleaned.
Whilst reassembling I found it rather awkward fitting the flame trap. I later read, I think by Dave, that it was possible, and easier, to mount the flame trap higher by using a longer hose to connect it to the oil trap. I should now be able to achieve that as the relevant hose was supplied as a metre length.

Following advice on this forum I cleaned the PCV system again last year in connection with cleaning the throttle body etc. and the engine oil and filter change. It was not nearly so dirty but after doing it I decided that, if they were available, I would obtain the relevant new parts, especially the oil trap, so that I could fit the new clean parts and clean the dirty parts after completing the job. As yet I have not done this but will be doing so very soon.
The oily film was still appearing on the cam shaft cover after the last clean. In another thread Dave had suggested renewing the oil filler cap seal. To be honest I had never given this much thought but should have done. I obtained the rubber seal from my dealer VO1275379. £4.05 ex VAT. The old seal was so thin and hardened that it broke up into pieces during removal and could not have been forming any sort of seal. Since fitting the replacement seal there is now no oily film accumulating on the cam shaft cover. Simples.

I do appear to have an oil leak, probably from the rear crankshaft seal, but it is not yet serious and can hopefully wait until the clutch is renewed, which must happen eventually, having done 120,000 since I acquired the car with 102,000 recorded miles.

It was indeed me that modified the breather tube to make it longer and resite the flame trap above the inlet manifold Ian - made a huge difference on my last 740 (B230E) and is well worth doing IMHO. Cleaning the oil separator sometimes just isn't enough, the deposits on the mesh inside seem to cause a venturi effect so any being drawn up from the crankcase speeds up and carries any oil droplets further, hence the pipe between the oil separator and flame trap getting gungey and the flame trap (when it sits an inch or two above the separator) getting clogged so easily.

With your oil leak you presently have, at the next oil/filter change, substitute 0.5L of your normal 10W40 for 0.5L of Carlube ATF-U - the "Seal-Swell" will help to revive the oil seals in general in the engine as well as helping to keep your oil and engine cleaner. The first 2-3 (maybe more) oil/filter changes after continue doing it and you may notice the oil seems to get dirtier when it come out. Once it starts coming out cleaner, you can probably relax it to once every other oil/filter change although i do it on every change these days.

[Dirty Rooster]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

It was indeed me that modified the breather tube to make it longer and resite the flame trap above the inlet manifold.

Got a photo or link to the post with it Scooby? (yeah I can imagine, but y'know)
Sounds eminently sensible, that area is so crowded with electricals.
I think I may well do the mod.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Dirty Rooster

Got a photo or link to the post with it Scooby? (yeah I can imagine, but y'know)
Sounds eminently sensible, that area is so crowded with electricals.
I think I may well do the mod.

Errrrrr, it's like this - i did have but as i've had this 760 for 4 years and had a Jeep Cherokee for ~18 months between my last 740 and the 760 and Photobucket spat their dummy out meanwhile, i might have but it will take some finding! Like a lot of finding and then some!

Just had a brainstorm! The pics have got "Photobucket" watermarked all over them but pg1 of this thread shows some of it : https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=172590

Those will be the only ones i have though, even if i can find the originals the pics will be the same but without PBs wetness!

[Ian21401]

Thanks Dave,
I’ve noted you advising that stuff on various threads.
Does it have to be specifically “Carlube” brand, which I understand is fully synthetic, and what does the “U” stand for please?
I’m not well knowledged on the different specs. of oils and transmission fluids and would welcome your opinion. I ask as I have an unopened bottle of Comma ATF in the garage, but that is mineral, so probably not that. I also have genuine Volvo transmission oil (for manual gearboxes) but there is no mention of synthetic or otherwise on the bottle.
It may be wise for me to buy the correct stuff.

Dirty Rooster,
I think Dave means page 2 of that thread he linked to.

[Dirty Rooster]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

"Photobucket"

Hah, Scooby I got the pics, and was reading on, something rang a bell (unconnected to this forum) ;

Originally Posted by Diesel-do-nicely

... undid the sump plug and nothing happened, i poked around with bits of wire in the hole and it was solid gunge, dropped the sump and all the oil was like a jelly,

I was in the proper garage last year some time, the mechanic showed me a sump/tray with black jelly in it, it was "oil" he'd just drained out of a van. amazingly awful consistency, first time he'd seen it, and he's done thousands.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Ian21401

Thanks Dave,
I’ve noted you advising that stuff on various threads.
Does it have to be specifically “Carlube” brand, which I understand is fully synthetic, and what does the “U” stand for please?
I’m not well knowledged on the different specs. of oils and transmission fluids and would welcome your opinion. I ask as I have an unopened bottle of Comma ATF in the garage, but that is mineral, so probably not that. I also have genuine Volvo transmission oil (for manual gearboxes) but there is no mention of synthetic or otherwise on the bottle.
It may be wise for me to buy the correct stuff.

Dirty Rooster,
I think Dave means page 2 of that thread he linked to.

I expect other brands of synthetic ATF would work Ian but i haven't tried them and to be honest, not likely to as the ATF-U is one of the few that is compatible with the box in my Rover and Dexron will kill the autobox in that!

As such i checked out the compatibility against the AW box in my 760 and Toyota/Lexus recommend a very similar fluid for the A340E (aka AW71) as used in the V8 Lexus models so have been using it in the 760 for 4 years now and the change/overall smoothness has improved consistently with each fluid change. Also ATF-U (no idea what the "U" stands for, it's just what it's called) can also be used as an SAE 32 jack oil, mix it with acetone for an amazing pentrating oil (it even removes rust to a point) and then there are the other qualities for cleaning engines gently, restoring compression by releasing sticky piston rings, reviving hydraulic lifters (tappets) and keeping them quiet not to mention the fact it helps revive rubber components in the engine.

I remember someone tried using mineral ATF and acetone and didn't rate it but using ATF-U and acetone, successfully freed a seized engine - i've also used it successfully on turbo to manifold and turbo to downpipe bolts on a seriously cooked engine (its last journey had been bouncing the speedo off the 150mph point allegedly) and since i've been using it, haven't found the fastener it won't shift - i call it WMP - Weapon of Mass Penetration.

As for the page number, that's entirely possible it's page 2, i've set my post count per page to 20 so could be why!

Originally Posted by Dirty Rooster

Hah, Scooby I got the pics, and was reading on, something rang a bell (unconnected to this forum) ;
I was in the proper garage last year some time, the mechanic showed me a sump/tray with black jelly in it, it was "oil" he'd just drained out of a van. amazingly awful consistency, first time he'd seen it, and he's done thousands.

I saw your post in the email notification then the "wrong thread" comment on the injector query thread. When i first got my 740 the oil wasn't far off that condition and i know the filter was blocked, also an MG Montego Turbo i had many years had jellified oil, took me about half an hour to drain it!
Sadly it was the jelly holding the turbo together as i found out on my way home afterwards when the turbo let go with a bang while i was going up a steep hill in 3rd with the pedal to the metal! Gave the steering wheel a Glasgow Kiss then saw the James Bond style smoke screen behind - across all 4 lanes of the dual carriageway!

[Ian21401]

This thread may be of assistance.

Volvo 940 potential PCV issue.

Tried to do a link on my iPad but failed. Will try again on my laptop, don’t hold your breath.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showt...=940+potential

That looks better.

[Dirty Rooster]

For anyone wanting the box and seal I just ordered from Lloyd Volvo Carlisle because surprisingly they were the same price as everywhere online. I'll pop in and get them next week.

[Rversteeg]

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=71672

[Dirty Rooster]

I'd just like to say, briefly (as the forum timed out my longer reply) that on my 1991 Turbo 940 engine the only non-breather-box part I had to remove (to replace the box with a new one) was the electrical connector directly above (temp sensor?).
13mm socket with 2" extension.
New box. New green O-ring.
Strangely not the palaver illustrated in the numerous guides.