Help: Oil Leak Suggestions Welcome
 

Hi gang,
I've got a 2003 V40 petrol T4 that has had an ongoing oil leak for at least the last 75K km's. I was inclined to ignore it but with my daughter taking this car with her in the fall somewhere far away (Sarasota FL) I won't have any opportunity to help out if/when it gets worse.

The oil leak is on the underside of the engine in the vicinity of the oil pan and transmission area. It has nicely coated the very edge of the oil pan as well as the edge of the tranny. the x-member for the two lower mounts also gets a nice bit of "anti-rust treatment."

I'd welcome any ideas for how to address this one.

I've attached a link to a folder that has a few pics from the front looking back.

https://redirect.viglink.com/?format...oA7Ca%3Fdl%3D0

Hi mate

I had an oil leak on mine which I thought it was the oil return pipe that might have been the problem but it turned out to be a crack in the oil feed pipe from the turbo

Thank you for that. Back of engine (in, around and below) of engine is totally dry. I can safely eliminate any turbo leaks at this point.

I hate to say it, but if it's leaking between the engine and gearbox, and only at the bottom, I'd bet my money on failed crank seal.

Yeah that’s what I’m worried about.

I caved and removed the oil pan and resealed it today. Interestingly there was ZERO liquid gasket on the mating surfaces. Is this common? Does the Volvo factory just slammed these two pieces together without any sealant? There was a fair amount of oil on the mating surface of the pan closest to the tranny. I’m hopeful that the seal on the pan just gave out. Very strange thought that there was no trace of any gasket whatsoever. And I mean No trace.

There should be a liquid gasket. Unless someone removed the pan sometime and put it back together without using a sealant.

I agree. Thing is, I've owned the car since it was 14,000km old and we've never had any work done that would have required removing the pan. Very strange. I know they put that stuff on pretty thin but honestly, I could not see ANY trace of anything except bare metal. It only took a soft knock with the rubber mallet and that pan was off nice and easy.

well, re-sealing the oil pan didn't do jack s&&t. Leak is back, oh and now the oil cooler is leaking because the overpriced gasket kit for the oil pan of course doesn't include two new seals for the cooler. Love it.

Which maybe suggests it could have been the oil cooler and putting oil coolers seals in may resolve it? Also, is it coming down from the cam belt? If so, is it the VVT or CVVT gear leaking it?

Nah, coming down the other side near the flywheel.