Yesterday I was driving and noticed a burning oil smell and then my low oil light intermittently coming on. I pulled over and found the front of he engine, accessory pulleys, etc. to be covered in oil. I added two quarts of oil and drove 10 miles home, the low oil light was already on again. The car was not leaking any significant oil prior to this.

There is so much oil that it is hard to tell where the leak is but it is definitely down low, possibly the crankshaft seal.

Is there another potential leak point in this area?

I am planning on doing the front main seal, are there others I should do while I've got it apart?

Thanks for the help!
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'89 240 wagon, '90 740 sedan, '92 740 wagon

Well it turned out the intermediate shaft seal was blown clear out which made replacement easy.

I didn't bother with the main seal, looked like a real pain to dig out.

Flushed out the PCV system with Seafoam, I can blow air through it easily now but I didn't check it before flushing. Changed the oil/filter, new timing belt and I'm back on the road.

I'm going to flush the PCV system yearly to hopefully prevent this. It hadn't been flushed in 3 years.

It sure would be nice to have timing marks that are easier to read but I got it figured out. The rib on the block lines up with the notch in the most outward washer that goes on after the gear. And the double lines on the timing belt will appear to be out in space because the notch in the washer is located at a point where the belt is not touching. Pushing on the belt to force it over towards the notch reveals that in fact the double lines do match up with the notch in the washer.

Thanks for all the help!
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'89 240 wagon, '90 740 sedan, '92 740 wagon

I sent you an e-mail with a WORD document. It might take some of the mystery out of doing the front seals.
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'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html http://cleanflametrap.com/tony/

Could you please send me that also? I will be doing pump/belts/seals shortly.

bikeguy (at) fastmail (dot) fm <--- not com

Thanks Tony but I don't see anything in my inbox or junk folder.

Can you send it to Robertwells444? It's a yahoo account.

Thanks for the help!
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'89 240 wagon, '90 740 sedan, '92 740 wagon

I sent it out yesterday at 2:23 if that helps find it. I just sent it out again to the e-mail address you gave.
Lemme know if you get it.
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'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html http://cleanflametrap.com/tony/

I got it, thanks for going out of your way to get that to me!

I'll look it over.
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'89 240 wagon, '90 740 sedan, '92 740 wagon

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I concur. Probably one of the front seals blew completely out of its housing. How's your crankcase pressure? High crankcase pressure can do that.

2 longshots:

1. The oil pressure switch plug. Only if it blew out. Located near the oil filter.
2. Valve cover gasket. Highly doubtful...

There are other locations such as something in the breather system blew out. Rear main seal. Or the rear cam plug. All of these could cause a massive oil leak, but at the back of the engine.

I haven't cleaned the flame trap in awhile but the dipstick hasn't been popping up, wouldn't it be easier to push the dipstick out than a crank seal?

I will definitely flush the PCV system out just to be on the safe side.
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'89 240 wagon, '90 740 sedan, '92 740 wagon

My seals started leaking and I never had my dipstick pop out. Ever...

Make sure all the flame trap and breather hoses are new or at least test for air flow. Throw away the flame trap screen. If a hose is hard it is time to replace it even you are still getting an air flow. I replaced the small hose between the flame trap and the intake manifold even though I had tested it numerous times for airflow. After doing that my rear main seal stopped leaking! That was the problem.

Moral of the story - Replace anything in the breather system that isn't new or relatively new if you wish to stop high crankcase pressure. Finally, have you tested for airflow through the breather box?

Interesting that hard hoses would cause back pressure, I would have thought a soft hose collapsing would be the culprit. I'll have to take a look, I bet mine are the original.

I haven't flushed the breather box or checked it but I will before running it again. When I got the car 3 years ago the breather box was totally clogged and causing leaks

I bet something is blocked, this leak just came out of nowhere and it's a gusher.
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'89 240 wagon, '90 740 sedan, '92 740 wagon

Yes, if the flame trap becomes clogged/blocked, high pressure can force a seal to blow, though I always thought it was typically the camshaft seal at back of engine...

Can happen to any engine seal.

In my 1990 244DL, the pressure almost pushed my front camshaft seal out. I was lucky I changed it when I did.

Not so lucky with the rear cam plug. Blew that one out. Fortunately, it happened in town...:)

My rear main had a slow leak. After multiple breather system cleanings and part replacements, the leak dried up - phew!

You have the camshaft seal up high and then the intermediate seal lower and the crankshaft seal at the bottom. If you are digging in that deep you will want to change the timing belt and perhaps the water pump. Oh and IMHO if you are taking off the 3 belts(and you are) then you may as well replace them while they are off.

Great, thanks!
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'89 240 wagon, '90 740 sedan, '92 740 wagon

If you find that the seal surface is nicked-up or has worn a bit where the seal makes contact, there is a repair sleeve that slip right over the crankshaft. Very-very thin metal. but it allows the seal to work better on a new surface. I think there called, "Redi Sleeves"