D5 (2005 on) Rising oil level on C30 D5

[cumbrianmale]

There are a number of threads scattered around the various boards for the models affected and it has been suggested to keep the discussion here as the issue is particular to the engines and not the cars.

All the other discussions are indexed in that thread and can be linked to from there to read the previous discussions. If you know of any other discussions let me know and I will add them to the list.

[corbsxc90]

Rising oil level in DPF D5 and other diesels is due to the regeneration process. The way they do it is to program the injectors to inject fuel into the cylinder during the exhaust stroke so that the neat fuel soaks the DPF and burns off the soot particles.Now the only problem with this is that some of the fuel leaks past the piston rings into the sump causing the oil level to rise which is why you are probably experiencing rising oil levels. When these cars are serviced the oil level is recommended to be only filled to about half way on the dipstick which allows a margin for the fuel seepage past the piston rings.
HTH
Chris

[kingpappy]

Hi

This is a very common issue with diesel vehiclesGet your DPF filter
checked.It must be blocking up and the PCM is trying to regenerate the DPF
to clean it out.

The oil level rising is the extra diesel getting into the sump.Try drain some out
and take the Vehicle for a drive do 50 miles at a constant speed.You are not allowing
the system to complete the regeneration.

If this does nit help you will need access to a diagnostic laptop to force the regeneration.

Cheers

[Backhill1]

I'm sorry but if my new car was having fuel dilution at 7000 miles I would be going rage!
Ok the regen process puts fuel in out of sync but it should not be passing the rings unless the cylinders are heavily polished. Also it must only be partial injection as 250 + bar of atomised fuel into a hot exhaust is not a good idea.

So what damage has been done by the dilution as diesel is abrasive and in some engines eats white metal ( don't know about the D5) and when will you find out? When yours only does 120k and sh1ts itself instead of 300k?

I would insist on an independent analysis of oil to confirm no engine internal component damage and extended engine warranty and 3k oil change changes and analysis until confirmed fault rectified.

Fuel dilution is bad news in a diesel whatever the cause and the long term damage is normally terminal. Ensure you are not just fobbed off.

[volvorocks]

Backhill1

With reference to your post above, I agree.

I was informed that the oil is of 'good enough quality' to be able to cope with dilution.

Make of this what you may - I think its 'dealer/manufacturer crap talk', and tbh would not like a dpf equipped D5 secondhand after 50k miles, due to this issue.

For the record I had oil dilution at 3k then at 4k on a previous D5.

Regards

[Backhill1]

Volvorocks

Exactly why an analysis should be conducted, this is nonsense for a dealer to say its ok on what basis or grounds?
So if they have sample showing a healthy TBN, dilution of under say 10% no excessive carbon deposits or metal particles yes they can with an element of certainty tell you that no engine damage has occurred.
To tell you the oil can take it is as you say "dealer / manufacturer crap" or in other words it will get you to 60K and not our problem.
Any warranty claim I have been involved in in my industry where we have experienced dilution we would drop a big end and main brg just for customer reassurance and integrate a 10 sample programme to confirm A that the problem is fixed and B that no long term damage has occurred.

This is exactly why I think the European manufacturers are reluctant to offer the warranties of the eastern companies as they would need to be more thorough in there rectification of problems and fix them sooner.

This nonsense with aux belt tensioner failures on the D5 since the ford part fitted, previously unheard of fault that we now change at 54K instead of 108K etc etc.

When Toyota recalled all there vehicles due to brake issues 4 other manufacturers had "exactly" the same potentially defective parts fitted, none of them done so?
Toyotas zero defects policy means they must stop production until a fault is fixed.

It looks like Volvo operate the fix on failure roulette wheel cost against / recall (except safety critical)..

So say 20% of cars will have a problem, 10% within warranty period , half will not have full dealer service history so now 5%, and of those 5% will they take to the dealer to fix?

Your now down to 2-3% of cars that you pay for, put the money away and happy days!

This unfortunately is what they do, know about a problem and ignore and allow for it.

Lets say I was a long haul driver / taxi and had just bought this car with a view to get 250K out it? fine if I only want three years and change? is this what Volvo is about?

I thought they were the 22 year old average life car manufacturer that can easily do 500K, mind you the brochures today are all modern lifestyle jargon and keech no information or detail about what the brand is or stands for! Let alone the technical ins and outs of the car.

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by Backhill1

Lets say I was a long haul driver / taxi and had just bought this car with a view to get 250K out it? fine if I only want three years and change? is this what Volvo is about?

I thought they were the 22 year old average life car manufacturer that can easily do 500K, mind you the brochures today are all modern lifestyle jargon and keech no information or detail about what the brand is or stands for! Let alone the technical ins and outs of the car.

Hi Backhill

Thanks for your post and yes I agree with the bigger picture diesel in oil is a no no. Must admit I get rid of most cars prior to warranty expiration at 3 years. The only cars I have kept after warranty expiration have been Japanese / Korean or simple cheap supermini vehicles of any manufacturer.

If I was a taxi driver, without a shadow of a doubt it would be Kia Hyundai Toyota Honda, even though their waranty is limited in such circumstance.I have in the past been a high mileage driver so have experience of Kia and Hyundai, although years ago their products were reliable although 'dull as dishwater plus some'...!!!

Sad to say though I couldn't have faith in Volvo for huge mileage nowadays, like I could years ago.

Regards

[Backhill1]

Touch would I think the D5 is good, since I opted out the company car rep mobile cycle I've bought 2 at around 100K with FVSH and taken to 150K with nothing you wouldn't expect and now on my third.
Volvo is a good solid car and there really isn't much other than merc e/m class I would consider. I think they take the miles well if looked after.
If I wasn't trying to run two cars on what I get I would definitely have something a bit newer but when I look at it financially (as I get the money from work) you cannot justify the depreciation. Even if I had to put an engine in a car over three years it would be less than the 25-30K I would loose from new.
The thought of a base model BMW or High end Passat just does nothing for me so hopefully the Volvos keep the faith.

[SonyVaio]

VR,

I don't think you give Volvo much of a chance, nor any other Manufacturer for that matter. Yes, of course if one can afford to change vehicles every 3 years or less in your case then why not?

I'm certainly not a wealthy guy and I purchase all my cars 2nd hand. I've never had a car that was less than 5 years old and often they are much older than that. I do however also do high mileages and need a pretty reliable car to get me about.

Most of my purchases have been from ebay over the last good number of years:

Car 1 - Vauxhall Vectra 1.6 (1996 N) petrol purchased for £2100 from Ebay, not exactly earth shattering on power but OMG! What a great car it was. Bought with 80,000 miles on the clock and then run by me for a further 100,000 before we needed a 2nd car so this became the other halfs daily grind. I then went an purchased another car.

Car 2 - Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 DI (1997 P) this was the 90hp TD version as opposed to the 110hp but it went well and cost me £600 from Ebay, yip £600! It had 160,000 on the clock and I also put another 100,000 on this prior to getting rid. This car served me extremely well and I it would start first turn of the key EVERY time. I had so much faith in this car and just knew I could rely on it. Servicing is the key along with good fuel!

Car 3 - The white Vectra was getting on and bodywork really starting to let it down, it had crossed the 200,000 mark and the missus wanted a change. She now purchases her first car of her own a Ford Focus 1.8TD (2000 X Reg) for £2,400) this had 120,000 on the clock and she ran this car up until just a few months ago where she got a car she has wanted for years -Audi TT Mk1 on an 06 plate (off ebay).

Car 4 - I'm working hard and spending many many hours travelling North/South, a good 4 to 500 miles a time and often 4 to 6 times a month. This just how much faith I had in my £600 purchase. The only problem was sitting for many many hours at a time at a constant speed I was getting a sore knee. This led the change from to another car purely to gain cruise control. So after another 100,000 + miles on top of the original 160,000 when purchased the car was off to another home. With my string of good luck/fortune with Vectra B's I opted for a Vectra C this time, a 2.2DTI with its cruise control as standard (off ebay again). This was a £2100 purchase with 80,000 miles on the (2002 52 plate). This car lived up to expectation and carried on where the previous one left off. Totally reliable and fantastic economy, would cruise at 70 (cough, cough) all day long! It was only the brought to it's demise in the snow of 2010 when someone skid into the front of me when I was stationary. Gutted! It served well with just short of 100,000 miles on top of the original 80,000.

Car 5 - I wanted to get something half decent this time round but also needed something straight away for work! B0ll0cks!! Had to nip on Ebay and find something extremely local, with tax, with MoT and was a diesel. It was a complete 'beggers cannot be choosers' and at pannic stations as I needed another car. I found a slightly battered rover 220 diesel (R Reg) cost £300. This was an okay car that would tide me by until I found the half decent car I wanted. So 3 months and 9,000 miles later this Rover was on its way out, I had found the car I wanted - my current vehicle the V50 T5 (on ebay).

Car 6 - My curent Ford wannabe Volvo, V50 T5 (2004 04 Plate) this was again purchased from ebay. I got a pretty good deal and paid £3,200 for it as the previous owner was emmegrating. This by the way is the most I've ever spent on a vehicle purchase and actually had to call on the services of bank of mum and dad to actually buy. This V50 to me has been totally reliable and and having now put appox 40,000 miles on it with the oddometer somewhere just shy of 150,000. I have every faith this car will continue to to be a good workhorse for me (touching lots of wood!).

Car 7 - As noted above the missus has just changed her old Focus a few months back for an Audi TT (2006 06 plate Mk1) 1.8T petrol Roadster. Of course she earns her own money and makes her own puchases so off we go looking at TTs. She decided she wanted a really nice car and was fed up of many years of having the oldest car in the car park. Of course a nice car to her is the colour!! It is a really nice light blue colour. Anyway after looking lots of places it was actually ebay once again that provided us the car she wanted. 68,000 on the clock and £7,000. This is more than twice what I myself have ever paid for a car. It does go well and of course she loves the colour.

She was hoping it was going to be slightly faster than what it was, although no slug with its 163hp. I got in contact with Shark and got a remap sorted out and now its running approx 200 - 210hp - Zoom Zoom! What a difference!! She's got an even bigger smile now.

So VR, I may have just been ultra lucky with my cars over the years but I tend to think as long as they are looked after and serviced regularly and fed good fuel then they will continue to work perfectly fine to some great mileages? I am also a great believer in actually using them too. It is when cars are left for great periods between use they seem to develop loads of problems.

Of course I don't count tyres, brakes (discs/pads), exhaust to be problems as these are standing running costs cof a high mileage car and not actually faults.I wouldn't begrudge a battery or a wheel bearing either if it had returned some good mileage although I've done suprising few batteries and bearings in all the mileage I've clocked up. I've never had any major issues with any of the vehicles, the Focus did need a CAT and a clutch right at the end before we got rid, I've never needed to do EGR, DPF, Turbo or engine work on ANY of the vehicles although I've gone through some amount of rubber and a few discs and pads sets.

Anyway, once again I digress. So in essence I think you get rid of your vehicles far too prematurely? You should experiment and keep hold of one for as long as you can see just how much you can save? Although for you, as you've bought new then you are at a constant battle between depreciation and re-sale value. It often makes more sense to replace sooner than later in this situation.

Perhaps you should buy older 2nd hand that has already lost a great deal of its depreciation then see just how much you can save over a given 3 year period compared to purchasing new once again and induring the depreciation.

[volvorocks]

Hi Sony

Long post!! Interesting read though.

I have had plenty of secondhand cars and plenty of bangers over the years that have served me well. I have tinkered with old cars to keep them on the road, and tbh, its not something I would want to do nowadays. Still have some old stuff. Like I have pointed out in other threads a new car can work out as cheap as, if not cheaper than a secondhand one, and I am not comparing a brand new C30 with a £100 340, nor a new RR with a 1985 Shogun etc for the purpose of cost calculations!! Also I do agree that a secondhand car can be much more reliable than a new one. Luck of the draw, although on the balance of probability a secondhand car will have parts that fail sooner, as by its very description its used! A new car is easy - and thats what appeals to me and you get the spec you want. Plus they are safer. Plus no MOT's. Plus they come with breakdown cover. Plus they should (hopefully!!) not have been in an accident. etc etc. Even with the faulty Volvo,whilst it was stressful is was still just like 'ordering a pizza' - telephone breakdown, they collect car and take away,replacement car arrives, collect car once 'repaired' and leave replacement car wherever.

Horses for courses. You may for example go out on a Friday night each week and spend £100, I may spend £100 a week on car expenses.

Regards

ps the word 'Ebay' is enough to bring me out in a hot sweat and have sleepless nights...!!!