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Weird Oil Leak 850

posted by  4strokejoke on  Tue Jun 23 08:22 CST 2009
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last visit: Mon Apr 25 18:36 CST 2011
[RELATED]

I've noticed that every time I open the hood, there are small pools of oil in the front of the engine bay on top of the head light assemblies on both sides and on top of the electric cooling fan for the radiator. Pools really isn't the best word to describe them but they are there every time I open the hood. It is definitely oil, and I have no idea where it is coming from. I've had to add about a quart of oil every few weeks and I don't think the car is burning oil and there isn't evidence of oil leaking beneath the car. It must be spraying from some where but both the oil cap and dipstick look like they are fine and don't show evidence of this.

Anyone encounter this before?

Thanks!








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    Weird Oil Leak 850

    posted by  KlausC on  Tue Jun 23 11:09 CST 2009
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    last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:15 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    It helps to know if it is a turbo and what year. Turbos have an oil cooler in the radiator and one of the lines could be leaking under higher rpm, when the oil pressure is greatest.

    Get the engine warm, open the hood, and rev it up to 2-3K rpm. Keep a paper towel handy :)

    Klaus
    --
    Common sense trumps a PhD








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    Weird Oil Leak 850 1994

    posted by  steelydev on  Tue Jun 23 10:08 CST 2009
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    last visit: Wed Jul 29 09:51 CST 2009
    [RELATED]

    Sounds like my '84 850. Same deal.

    I had a clogged PCV system which forced oil all over the place. It even soaked the sound-deadening liner on the bottom of the hood. Then the oil oozed through the liner and dripped out at all the low points, and where it touches the turbo air lines over the top of the engine. You may have oil under the spark plug cover as well.

    So far, it's been some weeks since cleaning out the PCV and there's still oil coming out of the liner.








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      Weird Oil Leak 850 1994

      posted by  jadnhm on  Wed Jun 24 01:27 CST 2009
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      last visit: Tue May 22 18:03 CST 2012
      [RELATED]

      I had the same problem. Started to leak from rear cam seal on exhaust cam after a while too, then started to weep from rear main seal.... really made a mess. It took me a while to come to grips with it being the PCV system because it was the middle of winter and I didn't have a place to tear the car apart.

      Eventually I didn't have a choice but to /find/ a place and do it because the clogged PCV system was pushing oil out everywhere it could.

      It was a big job but well worth it. I also found it was a great excuse to change every vacuum hose I got my hands on while there was lots of space for me in there.

      There are plenty of posts about this on this board and some good articles on other forums too. Search around - they're not hard to find.

      This is how my story went:

      http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/index.htm?id=1325789&show_all=1


      http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/index.htm?id=1326366&show_all=1


      --
      1998 V70 AWD Turbo 190k+








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      Weird Oil Leak 850 1994

      posted by  4strokejoke on  Tue Jun 23 14:16 CST 2009
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      last visit: Mon Apr 25 18:36 CST 2011
      [RELATED]

      Yes! That is what it is. The sound dampening fabric is soaked in oil and dripping at the low points. The thing that puzzles me is where exactly it is coming from. When I rev the engine I see nothing, and there is no evidence of where it is coming from on the engine (maybe because it is burning off?).

      Regardless, I guess this will be my next project on the car. What exactly should I be cleaning? Oil separator, flame trap, associated lines, EGR, throttle body? Am I missing anything?

      Oh, and this is a 1996 850 5MT, non turbo.

      Thanks!








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        Weird Oil Leak 850 1994

        posted by  KlausC on  Tue Jun 23 14:25 CST 2009
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        last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:15 CST 2014
        [RELATED]

        It's not burning off, the fan is splashing it all over the hood of the car. The PCV is probably plugged, the small line that goes from the valve to the air intake. Also check/replace the valve cap rubber gasket - $1 at the dealer.

        Klaus

        --
        Common sense trumps a PhD








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          Weird Oil Leak 850 1994

          posted by  4strokejoke on  Tue Jun 23 14:48 CST 2009
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          last visit: Mon Apr 25 18:36 CST 2011
          [RELATED]

          Ah, I see, it all makes sense now! Thanks.

          One more question, is the oil separator something I can just clean out or is it better to replace it? From pictures of it, it doesn't look like it comes apart, but maybe I'm wrong.








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            Weird Oil Leak 850 1994

            posted by  KlausC on  Tue Jun 23 15:06 CST 2009
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            last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:15 CST 2014
            [RELATED]

            Oil separator is a solid plastic piece, best to replace it and the 2 lines that go to it.

            Klaus
            --
            Common sense trumps a PhD








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              Weird Oil Leak 850 1994

              posted by  beardsly on  Wed Jun 24 13:24 CST 2009
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              last visit: Tue Sep 21 16:15 CST 2010
              [RELATED]

              If you are going to change the oil trap make sure when you remove the old one that you clean out the holes in the block ,because if they are blocked all the work you did will be in vain. I cleaned my ports out with a peice of mechanics wire or you could use a wire coat hanger.







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