Catalytic converter or just a gasket

[TruckbusUK]

Not sure ... I remember much more of a chuffing sound and lots of oil mist when mine failed ... doesn't look like that from the pics, but well worth a check.

[galiiiva]

Originally Posted by ian ferguson

what about the orange seal on the other end of that resonator pipe

Thanks for the suggestion Ian, spot on and all the other people who suggested to check the intercooler pipes.
Today I had time and raised the car on two Axle Stands instead of on the jack on one side only. It gave me more room to wiggle around. You can't see/get to it from the top and also there are no fumes from the car so I thought back to square one to investigate all those hardly visible pipes at the back before taking all of the rest in pieces.
It is still awkward place but the noise/air was indeed coming from the orange seal on the other end of that resonator pipe which was slightly misplaced. Think the hose clip has moved and it was hard to get - you definitely need the extra room underneath and extension in order to even tighten it.

You can press it at the elbow part upwards toward the engine and that can be as a test to see if it is that orange seal, especially when you cannot see it - most of the hissing will disappear.

So that is done at least for now will see in the next couple of weeks if all is good. What puzzles me however is that Vida didn't give any reasonable error suggestion and the car only displayed engine service required.

see the image attached.

Again, thanks everyone - good pointers and saved me a lot of pieces to take apart/put together

[wynnj]

Glad you've found the problem.

I had mine blow off completeley on my S60 D5 when I kicked down to overtake another car on a country road in France once. There was an almighty bang as I pulled alongside, scared the hell out of me and him, he immediately slowed down but as I had lost all power it was a bit hairy for a few seconds, until i could pull in behind him and off the road. Fortunately I was only 1/2 mile from home and able to limp there very slowly, but like you no DTCs showed.

In my case the plastic flange where the pipe is fixed to the gearbox had broken; rather than pay an extortionate amount for a new pipe I made a fixing out of a 'U' shaped exhaust clamp and a couple of right angled bent steel brackets. Still there after 4 or 5 years!

I did renew the seals though.

[ian ferguson]

I replaced my resonator pipe with the silicone pipe, hence no need for the orange washers, and no worries of it blowing off again. To get to the top Jubilee clip you can access from the back with lots of 1/4" extensions.

[galiiiva]

Originally Posted by wynnj

Glad you've found the problem.

I had mine blow off completeley on my S60 D5 when I kicked down to overtake another car on a country road in France once. There was an almighty bang as I pulled alongside, scared the hell out of me and him, he immediately slowed down but as I had lost all power it was a bit hairy for a few seconds, until i could pull in behind him and off the road. Fortunately I was only 1/2 mile from home and able to limp there very slowly, but like you no DTCs showed.

In my case the plastic flange where the pipe is fixed to the gearbox had broken; rather than pay an extortionate amount for a new pipe I made a fixing out of a 'U' shaped exhaust clamp and a couple of right angled bent steel brackets. Still there after 4 or 5 years!

I did renew the seals though.

Sounds like a scary experience, good to know all ended up well though

[galiiiva]

Originally Posted by ian ferguson

I replaced my resonator pipe with the silicone pipe, hence no need for the orange washers, and no worries of it blowing off again. To get to the top Jubilee clip you can access from the back with lots of 1/4" extensions.

Hi Ian, Do you have an image or can you find a link to it - maybe it will help someone if they need to replace the pipe?

It was quite tricky to get to the top clip and mine were both locked in place - they had a locking mechanism which didn't help me

[ian ferguson]

Hi here is a link.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353738324...3ABFBM7OTHg71f


If you google xc90 "resonator pipe replacement" loads come up. hope this helps.