Oil leak from B280E

Any thoughts on the source of an oil leak from my late 90 760GLE estate. It has been bad for a while now but is getting to the point of having to be fixed. It seems to be coming from the front right of the engine (passenger side) and from just below the rocker cover. I checked the old Haynes manual and the only thing that I can think of in that area is the oil seal where the distributor rotor connects to the camshaft (this is the later engine with the distributor at the front of the camshaft rather than at the back next the bulkhead. Anyone had similar problems and if so is it easily rectified, the manual makes it look easy.
Also I used to have an 240GLT estate and the breather valve used to get clogged - does the B280E have a valve and if so where is it?

Thanks

Robin

[migrator]

Robin,

Sorry - can't help with the oil leak. I ran a 265GLE for some time and ended up with about 235,000 on the clock and no oil leaks at all.
This was a B28E engine rather than the B280E.

However if these units are similar they have a positive crankcase ventilation system. There is a short pipe leading off the oil filler cap assembly and at the end of this there should be a calibrated valve. This should be cleaned at regular intervals and the pipework inspected/replaced if necessary.

The flame guard/trap is incorporated in the oil filler cap assembly.

Hope the latter part helps.

[Mike Arnold]

Like "migrator" my old 760 never leaked oil (unlike my present 960). A bit of a longshot but... is the leak from a rocker cover? I noticed that when the dealer serviced the car he used to use blue Hydromar (can't remember the exact name) as a liquid gasket for the rocker cover. It could indicate a weakeness.

Don't wanna be Big headed here, but yes it is as easy as the Haynes manual makes it. The problem is caused by the hardening of the seal, then the seal starts to break down and leak oil!!!

I did mine not so long ago and it really was that easy, if memory serves me correctly you need a 10mm socket on a 3/8 ratchet (Due to the shortage of space at the front!!) then I believe it's the 5mm allen key on a ratchet head. Remove the Rotor arm, this should bare three 10mm bolts (I think!!). Remember to mark the position of the Dizzy in relation to the head, there isn't a problem here as the Dizzy can only be installed one way as it's keyed to the cam inside the head but it helps. The seal is a lip seal and should be coloured orange. Be sure that you have the right part as Volvo will argue that it's a two part is a two part seal one small, one large 'O' ring. It's not.. It's orange, one piece , and approximately 5mm thick.

Going back to the car, Use carburettor Cleaner and some light emery cloth to remove the hardened oil inside the cap etc. The seal just pulls out leaving the Dizzy rather "Slack" Don't panic,It may even fall out, if not it may require GENTLE persuasion!!. It is advisable to have new Rotor arm and cap handy as they will become contaminated with oil . I used a little Silicone Grease on the seal as it doesn't react with the oil and keeps the seal moist and up to doing the job required. The seal just pushes in to place, make sure it is evenly pushed home, as an uneven seal will shorten it's life and your Dizzy!!

Reassembly is reversal of removal! Yeah, where have we all heard that before!!! (Haynes???):-)

Good luck! Your Mission.....

Sorry I can't come and do it for you :-(

Any Problems you know where I am.

Regards
Dave M
1989 760 GLE Estate
193000 Miles and Still Happy at 80mph!!!

P.S I forgot one other thing

CHECK THE CONDITION OF THE RAD HOSE BENEATH THE DIZZY!!!!!

Mine had perished so dramatically that there was a very fine, almost see through blister on the inside of the hose where it couldn't be seen!!! Boy, Was I lucky or what that I caught it!!! It was a job that I'd been putting off for ages, gladly now I plucked up the courage to replace it!!!
Incidentally it was the oil dripping onto the hose that caused the damage.

Regards
Dave M

Thanks for the pointers - finally got some time over the weekend to have a good look at this - took the distributor off and found a little amount of oil around the seal but not enough to cause the sort of leak we're seeing. Cleaned everything and put it back together - ran engine until oil appeared and then went over the area with a mirror mirror until I proved that the leak is actually coming from the timing chain cover gasket almost at the point where the cover meets the bottom of the rocker cover. I was under the impression that the chains were lubricated with splash - would this be enough to produce a significant leak - there is a distinct flow to the leak when the engine is running. Replacing the gasket is more time consuming than anything - the cover is one piece covering both timing chains and the oil pump chain. It means all the guff on the front of the engine has to come off - anyone done this and if so anything to watch out for? Do I need to replace the crankshaft oil seal as a matter of course?

Robin

Rab, done this a few weeks ago. Long job for me cos I clean and lube every bolt etc. Put a new seal in "Dizzy" and crankshaft pulley. Fit new belts while you are at it. You need the cam covers off to cut the new gasket correctly so you can do the clearances while you're at it. Biggest headache it the 36mm AF pulley nut which is "Loctited" and loads of ft lbs of torque. The ring gear teeth won't hold it without bending, so lock the flexplate up with a bit of 1" strip bolted onto the torque convertor bolts and the bellhousing (or do it the Professional way with an air wrench). While youv'e got all that stuff off the front give the rads a real good clean. The B28 gasket won't fit the B280E. I put a new set of Volvo hoses on while I was at it 'cos the thing that kills them is when they lose the water and warp the heads. Get a real good look at the oil cooler hoses; undo the nut under the oil filter and pull it off, the hoses can't really be seen otherwise and they will be in a poor state; £195 for the complete set of hoses but I think it's worth it. My '89 has got 170 psi compression at 209000 miles. The tappets click a little, but if you keep that V6 cooled and oiled it will love you for ever. (I think it's still £25000 quids worth cos it still does everything like it should.)
Paul.

Thanks for the info - I'm afraid I've taken the easy option at this stage as I was driving to County Kerry last week - the leak is near the top of the timing chain cover just below the point where it meets the rocker cover. A little bit of JB Weld sorted it - not ideal but sufficient as a get-by. She's also broken an exhaust manifold stud below the block line so I'll have to drill that out at some stage. Need to find a free weeekend to do both these jobs - for now she'll do. As for the Kerry trip - great - plenty of power and lots of comfort (apart from three arguing kids in the back).