Other S80 Problem: Blue smoke from exhaust!

[jerryt]

I have a big problem with my S80 2.9 T6, The engine has started pumping out blue smoke, After a short run if I stop the engine for a few minutes when I set off I get plumes of blue smoke from the exhaust! I suspect valve stem oil seals or possible turbo fault! Anyone had similar problems?

[Georgeandkira]

Since you rarely hear about bad valve stem seals I bet it's your turbo's bearing seal.
Mileage helps us. Profile says 2001.

[jerryt]

Yep it is a 2001,And the mileage is 138,000!

[ma70]

Agreed, more likely to be turbo seal than stem seals. The exception being if the car has stood for a long period, at least over a year I'd say but more like 2 or 3, without being started. Then the seals could potentially stick to the valve stems and become damaged when it's restarted.

One thing I would check before condemning the turbo (if indeed you do find evidence of excessive oil in the intercooler/hoses) would be the PCV system. I've heard that if blocked it can cause the turbo to pass oil, amongst other symptoms. I'd expect a leaking main crank seal and a dipstick that constantly blows out if it were the case, but worth checking as it's cheaper than a turbo.

Also worth checking the oil return line from the turbo isn't kinked/pinched or clogged somehow.

[jerryt]

Funny you should mention crank oil seal as mine is leaking!

[ma70]

Ah, possibly onto something here then. Try this, remove the oil filler cap & stretch a latex glove over the opening. Then start the engine and see if it inflates the glove like a balloon.

Hopefully if it's PCV related you might be lucky and fix both problems by sorting the blockage. (I have heard that the main seal can still be intact, just oil being forced past under pressure. Certainly worth checking if it stopped first before stripping down that far to replace the seal). Good luck, fingers crossed it's a "simple" fix... Relatively anyhow, PCV can be a pain to get at, unsure what it's like on the T6 but assuredly easier than replacing the turbo or main seal, never mind both.

[jerryt]

Put a new PCV oil trap on my T6 Had to change a few hoses and hose clips,Put new 'O' rings on the injectors! Cost about £80 for bits and took me about 2 hours to do! Iam an ex mechanic so found the job quite straightforward!

[jerryt]

Further to my smoke problem! I thought I had cured the fault with a new PCV box but I still had issues! So I took the car to my local dealer who carried out a smoke check and suggested that my head gasket had blown[they didn't charge me a penny] Got the car home and was looking under the bonnet thinking how much the scrap man would give me when I found the Vac pipe from the turbo control valve to the wastegate hanging off, A little plastic t-piece had disintegrated, Bought a new one from Volvo[£25] I also changed some of the vac pipes and problem solved!

[Brendan W]

And they didn't charge a penny. Fancy that. Well you can't tar all dealers with the same brush that's for sure.
Perhaps you could ask them if they would like to know what really was wrong and the cost to them will be the part used to fix it. Five crisp fivers.
Free advice is worth every penny

[jerryt]

Very impressed with my local dealer [P V Dobson Cumbria] They carried out a smoke test on the induction side of the engine and had a good look round,They spent about 45mins on the car! Don't know if the tee-piece was broken then but found that a couple of days later! They ordered the part from Sweden for me and had it 2 days after! Dam good service!