Oil leak - from dipstick

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Dancing Demon
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Oil leak - from dipstick

Post by Dancing Demon » Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:19 am

This is a weird problem!

I am leaking oil from where the dispstick actually goes into the engine block. Not massive amounts but enough to cause problems.

It 'looks' as though there should be a seal around the base of the disptick, but nothing is shown on Volvo's parts info etc. (I have based this opinion on looking at other 1.7 480s)

Any help would be very gratefully appreciated.

Many thanks

Chris

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rpruen
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Post by rpruen » Mon Jun 16, 2008 7:51 pm

The dipstick tube is just pressed into the block. First thing to try is slacken off the bracket bolt, and give the top of the tube a sharp tap down (use a block of wood so you don't bend the top of the tube) with a hammer. It may sort it.

If that doesn't help, then remove the tube by undoing the bracket, and twisting while pulling. Clean everything of all oil, and apply gasket maker silicone to the tube, just a thin layer, and refit (tap) into the block. Smooth off the excess, and give the full time to cure before starting the engine.

This may be a symptom of other problems if the car is a turbo.

If a turbo the little valve on the oil seperator may have failed. The small pipe fron the manifold should not pass air towards the seperator if you blow into it. If you can then the valve is dead, and you need a new one, or to fit a non retun in the pipe, so as to only allow air to flow into the manifold, but not out.

On a turbo, if the valve fails it will eventualy push oil past the oil seals, and filler cap, making a mess, and possibly killing the distributor cap and rotor arm due to oil getting into them.

Richard
Car Status: Squashed :(
Now have 765 GLE 2.8 V6

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Melvin480
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Post by Melvin480 » Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:22 pm

Your information about the valve on the oil separator doesn't seems to apply for the one I took apart to see how it works. There is a direct connection between the manifold side and the oil separator side. It's a small hole and pressuring the crankcase isn't possible as there is a big opening to the turbo intake side. Here is a picture I made in paint :)
Image

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rpruen
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Post by rpruen » Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:36 pm

Melvin480 wrote:Your information about the valve on the oil separator doesn't seems to apply for the one I took apart to see how it works. There is a direct connection between the manifold side and the oil separator side. It's a small hole and pressuring the crankcase isn't possible as there is a big opening to the turbo intake side. Here is a picture a made in paint :)
The small hole should have an orange silicone rubber thing in it to act as a non-return valve. Have a look at a new one to verify this if you like.

The pressure in the manifold is about 0.7 bar, and a lot of air will go through the small hole. The crankcase pressure should be at or below atmosphere, and even a small amount of pressure will push oil past the seals. The flow of air from the turbo, and the blowby from the engine will cause problems if the non return is not in place.

If the valve wasn't needed then volvo would have fitted a T the same as the ES engine has.

Richard
Car Status: Squashed :(
Now have 765 GLE 2.8 V6

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Melvin480
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Post by Melvin480 » Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:07 pm

Ofcourse I believe you if you say that there should be some sort of no return mechanism in it. Should the rubber thing be in the small hole in the pipe to the manifold or also in the other small hole? I've had three used valves which all let air through from the manifold side. So all of them are broken.

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rpruen
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Post by rpruen » Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:42 pm

Melvin480 wrote:Ofcourse I believe you if you say that there should be some sort of no return mechanism in it. Should the rubber thing be in the small hole in the pipe to the manifold or also in the other small hole? I've had three used valves which all let air through from the manifold side. So all of them are broken.
The non return part is only in the pipe to the manifold.

When using higher than normal boost, the non return valve part won't take the pressure, so I have fitted a non return in the pipe to the manifold.

Having looked at many of those valves, most of them are broken now.

Just get a non return valve for widow washer jets, and splice that in the pipe to the manifold. That will work just as well, and cost a lot less then the new part from volvo. As long as you make sure it lets air into the manifold, but not out, then it will work fine. The non retun valves for washers seem to be fine with oil, and are better made than the rubber bit in the standard valve.

Regards

Richard
Car Status: Squashed :(
Now have 765 GLE 2.8 V6

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chriskay
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Post by chriskay » Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:23 pm

Thanks for the tip, Richard. As I'm running about 0.7 bar I'm going to put a NR valve in as you describe. Incidentally, as a matter of interest, the pipes you need to connect to are 10mm I.D. I got a metre of heater hose & a 10mm NR valve from my local car components place.
Cheers, Chris.
Last edited by chriskay on Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Frantic » Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:22 pm

rpruen wrote:> If you can then the valve is dead, and you need a new one, or to fit a non retun in the pipe, so as to only allow air to flow into the manifold, but not out.>

Richard


I removed the rubber hose to the manifold today, to find this little orange culprit stucked in the opening of the metal pipe on the manifold
Turned the engine on and found that there's only air sucked into the manifold even when I rev the rpm up
In what situation will there be air flowing the other way around?

Since my engine suffers from 'sweating' oil, I'm looking after the cause
As per your advice I bought a NRV, type pneumatic springloaded
Have to fiddle the connection yet as it's has smaller OD
480 2.0 ltr GT '95
480Turbo-'88 (sleeping with blown headgasket)
**258.000 mileage
**RPRUEN mod, NGK BPR8ES, K&N, strutbrace
**Former cars: PV544-'64 Sport,480ES-'86,480ES-'95-2.0ltr

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