Oil Leak from between Engine and Gearbox

[AnniEdon]

On Saturday, I noticied a pool of oil underneath my XC90. Its a 2003 (126,000 on the clock) Diesel Auto. After removing the undertray, the oil was dripping from between the engine and the geabox.

There are quite a few posts on here in which people have experieneced the same thing and it seems to lead to the Crank Seal.

Does anyone know the best and quickest way to remove the gearbox on the XC90 to replace the Crank Seal?

Thanks,

[chb]

Hang on before you get to do anything drastic.
There is a well known "fault" with early 163bhp D5 auto boxes that causes differential oil to leak (appologies if this isn't the same area as you say as its hard to be certain from your post!).
If your leak is from the bottom of the gearbox in the area where the differential is then the fix is cheap and easy....yay good news!!!

There is a Volvo approved "modification" that basically consists of cleaning off the area with solvents (I used IPA) and then using silicone sealant to apply a wide and thick supplementary bead to re-enforce the gasket on the differential. I did this on mine (and also changed the oil in the differential as a precaution).

Hope this is the right component.

;-)

CHB.

[AnniEdon]

Hi chb,

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately the oil is definitely dripping from where the engine joins the gearbox. Its coming from the bottom of the bell housing and dripping into the under tray.

[kdst5]

Seem to remember that there is a fault on early V70/S80/S60 D5 (163 hp) where a core plug falls out. As the XC90 uses the same engine could this be the problem. Do a seach on the V70/S80/S60 P2 forum for "core plug" if you want to know more.

Be warned if it is this then I think you have to seperate the engine and gearbox to fix a £2 part!

[AnniEdon]

Thanks. Is there anyone out there who knows of the quickest way to drop the gearbox out of the XC90? I'm guessing you remove the subframe from the bottom and then drop the box out rather than take both engine and gearbox out.

If someone has instructions they could send me, I'd be grateful.

[paulsitton]

Just arrived in France, after a perfect 500 miles, next morning woke to a oil leak on the ground, jacked the car and took the engine pan cover to horror!

The pan was full of black engine oil and after cleaning the residue that appeared to be everywhere, I have a constant flow of oil from between what looks to be the engine and gearbox off centre passenger side

Can anyone advise me what the likely root cause is, what the cost to repair would be and finally what if I just keep filling up the oil and do not repair the issues of any long term damage?

thanks

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by paulsitton

Just arrived in France, after a perfect 500 miles, next morning woke to a oil leak on the ground, jacked the car and took the engine pan cover to horror!

The pan was full of black engine oil and after cleaning the residue that appeared to be everywhere, I have a constant flow of oil from between what looks to be the engine and gearbox off centre passenger side

Can anyone advise me what the likely root cause is, what the cost to repair would be and finally what if I just keep filling up the oil and do not repair the issues of any long term damage?

thanks

It's an MOT fail.

[MATHIUS]

Hi all,

My 2003 XC90 D5 has just sprung an oil leak between the engine and the the gearbox. Only done 115k miles with FVSH.
A friend of mine is a volvo technician and he diagnosed it as a failed core plug. It's a specialist job, subframe off, gearbox off. He reckons its about 8+ hour job, ouch!!!! Big bill time me thinks!!!
Serious words of advice, if your car has this oil leak, don't drive it as the core plug is next to a main oil gallery and if the plug does pop, the your engine oil will drain in seconds.

Hope this helps.

[Marmitespreader]

http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthre...-Oil-seal-FAIL

[corbsxc90]

Originally Posted by MATHIUS

Hi all,

My 2003 XC90 D5 has just sprung an oil leak between the engine and the the gearbox. Only done 115k miles with FVSH.
A friend of mine is a volvo technician and he diagnosed it as a failed core plug. It's a specialist job, subframe off, gearbox off. He reckons its about 8+ hour job, ouch!!!! Big bill time me thinks!!!
Serious words of advice, if your car has this oil leak, don't drive it as the core plug is next to a main oil gallery and if the plug does pop, the your engine oil will drain in seconds.

Hope this helps.

Hi, yes not a nice job, have done 3 or 4 of these, core plug on these early D5's is rubber coated and replacement is a standard metal core plug. It is subframe off gearbox off coolant drain etc. a good 8hr job on a 2 post ramp.
regards,
Chris