S40 V40 Cars: 2004 V40 1.9D Oil Leak

[Dirty Diesel]

Hello all.

I'm writing this today, because of something i have found on my particular V40. Yes, it's an oil leak. It's doesn't SEEM major, ie, no noticeable loss of oil being read on the dipstick, but it has left an oily film around a few parts towards the rear of the engine. It seems to be coming from the "Shut off throttle". Never heard of them before, but i saw it on another thread and thought that's what it could be.

Now, an oil leak has been on the MOT history since it's first MOT back in 2007, and has periodically appeared then disappeared ever since. Same leak? Who knows. I'm not surprised that it's showed up on the MOT, because it has seemed to have dripped down the back of the engine and left the car with a damp/wet under tray.

Images listed below. Sorry for the Imgur link; I'm not fimiliar enough with how this forum's posting system works yet as regards images.

http://imgur.com/gallery/WPvgPjb

I'm also wondering whether whatever that is could be responsible for the slightly erratic idle it has, ie, in colder temperatures (even at something like 15°C) it'll not settle at its idle RPM, dipping a bit below it repeatedly until it warms up. No where nearing stalling. Or would that be something EGR related? As I don't know when that was last, if ever, cleaned out.

I have just put in a half bottle of Redex Diesel fuel additive, to help clean things up. I'll put in the other half when i fuel up next. Don't know whether that'll change anything? We'll have to wait and see.

I read on another thread about the shut off valve, that one user had it explode while running, don't know whether that's something that can happen if left in it's current state, but i doubt it. After nearly 177,000 miles, something would have happened already, right?

Anyway, thanks for reading! Hope i can work this one out and find out how to fix it!

[aldred309uk]

You can purchase the o ring from either Volvo or renault, it's cheaper at Renault. Here's the guide for your problem.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=114946

[Dirty Diesel]

Originally Posted by aldred309uk

You can purchase the o ring from either Volvo or renault, it's cheaper at Renault. Here's the guide for your problem.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=114946

Oh okay, that looks dead easy! So it's something so simple as a gasket/o ring. Huh.

A friend of mine has lent me some brake cleaner and advised that i spray off all where the oil is, then drive it for ten miles, stop and check it, and do that until i find the source of the leak. Looks like that's my evening sorted.

Does the gasket have specific name? I'm just thinking for if i have to order one from either Volvo or Renault

[aldred309uk]

The PCV system vents excess pressure in the crank case back into the air inlet for the engine, oil goes with it and that's how the oil has found itself there. The rubber o ring shrinks with age and now it fails to seal properly. And because there's high pressure air there just before the inlet manifold some of the oil gets forced out once the seal is poor. It was one of the issues I found myself sorting not long after getting mine a few years ago on about 130k. I'm not around 193k with regular 5k oil changes and new filter. Excessive but cheaper than other things.

[Dirty Diesel]

Originally Posted by aldred309uk

The PCV system vents excess pressure in the crank case back into the air inlet for the engine, oil goes with it and that's how the oil has found itself there. The rubber o ring shrinks with age and now it fails to seal properly. And because there's high pressure air there just before the inlet manifold some of the oil gets forced out once the seal is poor. It was one of the issues I found myself sorting not long after getting mine a few years ago on about 130k. I'm not around 193k with regular 5k oil changes and new filter. Excessive but cheaper than other things.

Ahhhhhhh okay. Seems like something simple and easy to fix. At least i know what it is now! I wondered if it was something EGR related, but PCV makes me sense. Thanks for the help, I'll be looking into fixing it soon.

[Dirty Diesel]

Originally Posted by aldred309uk

The PCV system vents excess pressure in the crank case back into the air inlet for the engine, oil goes with it and that's how the oil has found itself there. The rubber o ring shrinks with age and now it fails to seal properly. And because there's high pressure air there just before the inlet manifold some of the oil gets forced out once the seal is poor. It was one of the issues I found myself sorting not long after getting mine a few years ago on about 130k. I'm not around 193k with regular 5k oil changes and new filter. Excessive but cheaper than other things.

Forgot to add, long do they last? As in the seal itself. Because my car has had an oil leak since it's first MOT back in '07 when it was only 3 years old, so I'm guessing that they don't last all that long? Given that the back of the engine and under tray has a decent bit of gunky oily deposits all over it

[aldred309uk]

I think they last quite a while, I haven't had any issues since sorting mine out.