I know this topic has been discussed a lot already, but after days of searching I still have not figured out my problem.

So when I got the car it only smoked a tiny bit, but the more I drove it the worse it got, so I bought a new pcv box from the dealer, I didn't replace all the hoses, but they were all totally blocked so I spent a lot of time soaking them and cleaning them until they were all free flowing and clear, I also cleaned out the PCT really well, I did everything just like all the wright ups on the subject said to do. But after I got it back together the smoke is just as bad as before, new pcv didn't help at all even tho the old one was totally clogged. It's so bad now that the engine gets covered with oil and I have to add a qt every 100 miles or so.

When I first start the car there is almost no smoke, it's not until it warms up that it gets bad. However I did the balloon test, sitting at idle there is just enough pressure to make the balloon stand up, if I rev the engine it will inflate the balloon a little then go back, I noticed the amount of pressure (biased on the balloon test) does not change when the car is cold or warm only the amount of smoke and oil changes.

Please help, I need to drive this car every day and need it to be in good shape.

 

By the way, it's a 1998 V70 awd Turbo, with 170k, also the head gasket and all related systems were JUST replaced but it was smoking before that.

 

So it didn't help me out at all, but I figured I would pass this along to anyone else reading this post with the same problem: I called a Volvo mechanic and he said to check the vacuum hose that's connected to the PTC valve, start the car and then pull the hose off at the valve, if there is no vacuum on the hose then the vacuum line should be replaced all the way back to the intake.

Mine however has a very strong vacuum, so that's not it, I also once again pulled apart the whole PCV system today thinking maybe I didn't get the bottom port that goes into the oil pan cleaned out well enough.... but that's not the problem, I can freely blow air thru that one as well as the port higher on the block, I also double checked ALL the hoses and they are all still free flowing, at this point I'm stumped, all I can think of is the rings are going bad, so I guess next step is to do a compression test, not sure if that will even tell me anything, but the PCV system, at least every part I can think to check, seems to be working perfectly fine.

 

Sounds like you may have crossed the lines that are connected to the top of the oil trap box. The images on the parts websites are wrong.

I did do a compression test before I did the PCV system. My compression was good. I did have smoke for about 800 miles after but it did clear up.

Just wondering, why did you clean lines instead of replace them? Many people have reported that the lines that they tried to clean broke when they put them back on the car. I have never understood why people try to save $20 on such a serious job.

Do a compression test, make sure the hoses at the top of the box are installed properly and check back in.

 

How do I know where the lines are supposed to go? do you have a diagram that's right?

I have put 1500+ miles on the car since I did the PCV and it hasn't improved at all, so I don't think that's the issue.

I chose to clean instead of replace because no where in town (including the dealer) had the hoses in stock and I didn't have time to wait a week to get them, also all the hoses were in really good shape, none of them seemed like they would brake or have any issues once clean.

I'll do a compression test as soon as I find someone to help me, but that's easier said then done, so it might be a while before I get to do that, unless you know a way that a person can do it without a helper.

 

Eureka! So simple and yet so hard. I even answered my own question a couple posts ago without knowing it. Turns out it WAS the vacuum line on the PTC valve. After getting everything back together and starting the car, it was just the same as before, so I pulled the vacuum line off the intake and as to be expected with a large vacuum leak the engine idled low and almost died before adjusting itself, however if I pulled the line off the on the other end (PTC valve) the engines idle speed wasn't effected at all. So even tho I had what seemed like a strong vacuum at that end, it wasn't strong enough, someone had replaced the hose with one that was too small at some point. One last trip to the parts store for 4 feet of larger vacuum hose, replaced the whole line and now no more smoke, I can even watch the smoke come and go as I plug in and unplug the hose from the valve. And now when I do the glove test on the oil fill hole, instead of inflating the glove, there is a little bit of a vacuum and it sucks the glove down.

$3.45 worth of hose was all it needed, I should have listened to everyone and just bought the new hoses with the oil trap, that would have saved a lot of headache.

I really hope all my troubles will help save someone else some time and stress (and money), thanks to everyone for their help, I'm sure I'll be back soon with my next problem.

 

Hurrah! Thanks for posting back you solution.

 

I know this post is old but for everyone having the air/smoke out oil cap problem there is a FLAP that opens and closes by a vacuum actuator Inside the exhaust pipe leaving the turbo . When this FLAP stays stuck closed the exhaust pressure has nowhere to go except out the oil cap. Why in the world has Volvo designed something like this is beyond me. Mine was completely closed due to the actuator going out,I brought it to a shop who told me my engine was burnt and nothing could be done so I took it apart myself and fixed it myself .