I have a 1995 850 turbo with about 300k km's. Last month I was on a road trip from Winnipeg to Minneapolis and back to Winnipeg. The trip is around 450 Miles (700km) each way. On the way down I had stopped for an hour or so and noticed lots of oil under my front bumber and did think it was my car but check the oil anyways. To my surpize it was my car and the dipstick had "blown off" and their way oil all over the engine, I called my mechanic and he told me to top the oil up and drive home more slowly and do not get into the trubo and not to drive hard. On the way back about 2 days later I driving carefully the same thing happened agian, but this time the car stalled on the freeway, which was no problem I added oil and brought the car in the next day. I was told that it was the breather system and that the cold weather (approximatly -5 to -8 degrees Celcius or 15 F) had cause vapour to freeze in the air intake/breather system. My mechanic is not all that familiar with Volvo's, he initally told that if I am not driving on the the highway for extended periods of time in cold weather it would not be a problem. I generally drive for short city trips so I did not get it fixed. Since then he told me he researched the problem and told me it is pretty common amoung 850 turbo's and that it needs to be fixed. Is this a breather system problem and if it is how pressing of an issue is this? Today I went to start my car and it did not start and the battery was fine and the block heater works. I called a tow truck and the car started while giving it gas. So I went to see my mechanic and he told me that it is related to the breather problem. This seem to make sence to me but I would like if the breather system is a common (and or likely) problem with these cars.
I think that I could have been having problems with breather system as early as the last summer. The car would not start while it was warm in when it was very hot and humid in the summer and then stalled a couple of times while driving. I brought the car in but it never did it while in the shop. Is this also a breather system problem?

 

It could all be related to the PCV system. There are a TON of threads on here about that, do a little search and you should come up with a bunch.

 

https://volvoforums.com/forum/showth...ghlight=SYSTEM

 

The breather system, AKA the PCV system, won't cause a no- start condition or driveability problems. However, if you just let it go, the pressure that built up in the engine and blew the dipstick out of its tube will also eventually blow oil seals out, including the very expensive to replace rear main seal. Also, condensation, acids and other harmful combustion byproducts are not being removed from inside the block. For these reasons, you need to replace the PCV system as soon as possible. And, since your mechanic isn't very familiar with Volvos... but seems eager to learn, tell him to make sure to clean out the 2 ports in the engine block where the oil trap attaches, using solvent and a stiff brush. This step is often missed by first- timers, and it is arguably the most important step, and he'd have to take the whole thing apart again to do it if he misses it. I've found the cheapest way to get all the PCV system parts, without missing any, is to get the kit from fcpgroton.
Good luck!

 

Thanks for the heads up and the help. A few last questions, how much labour time am I looking at to get this fixed. I was initially told it was not a problem to be driving the car but know that it sould be fixed now not later, but how much damage could I have caused by driving like this for a month or so. I have not had anymore problem with the pressure building up and loosing oil. I was told to drive much more cautiously and I have been and the car seem to be driving well. So I guess even if there is not enough pressure to blow anything out (the dip stick) there will still be extra pressure on the other seals? When getting this job done if I want the 2 ports in the engine block where the oil trap attaches cleaned out does this mean I need to get the oil changed as well? I am also running on 5-40 synthetic with of lucas oil stablizer right now partially because it is good all year round, and lasts longer which off sets the higher cost; is this a good idea on a high milage car?
Thanks

 

I read the link posted about changing the PCV system, so this essentially installing/chaning hoses and replacing the oil trap tha catches "blow by" (unburnt gas). I assume it a mostly labour job not a parts job. If my car had lots of pressure built up could it just have been the PTC. Could cleaning the PTC possibly fix my problem as well? This site seem to think it could is there anyway of know which the problem prior to doing either repairs?
http://www.lakesidedp.com/uploadpics/pcv/

Thanks agian for your help

 

I tried the "Clean the PTC" and that did NOT help me. If you have not had the system replaced I would advise to have it done or do it. This is probably something that Volvo did not expect to be a RUTINE MAINTENACE thing which is aparently is since ALL of the 850 seem to need it replaced after 100k or 10 years. It is also an issue in the 70 series (my guess would be all of the 5 cylinder models).

From what I was told, the easiest way to diagnose the problem is to: make sure the engine is warmed up & running, put it in park, open the hood, pull the oil dipstick out about 5 inches and see if you see smoke coming out of the dipstick. If you see smoke she system it needs to be replaced.

Not the end of the world to drive the car around until you get it done but if it's blowing the dipstick out, that's a lot of pressure. It's also rolling the dice on blowing a rear main seal or some other seal to cost you even more damage. When I found out that my daughters car was blowing the dip stick out I replaced the system that weekend. When I got my 850 the inspector told me that I had the smoke coming out of the dip stick and needed to have the PCV system serviced and I drove the car about 5k before I did it.

 

I had the PCV system replaced and there is still smoke coming out the dipstick. It was smoking out the dipstick the same day I brought my car back home from the mechanics. I took it back to the mechanics today, and I have driven about 110km (~80miles) and he told me that either the trap is full again (I hardly think this is possible). He told me that he want to look at it on Tuesday and there are few this that could be causing the problems and he needs to figure it out. I do not belive that he has replace the PCV and cleaned everything properly, from what I have read
( http://www.lakesidedp.com/uploadpics/pcv/ ) this i likely what has happened. But I would like to know what else if anything can lead to smoke coming from the dipstick during idle.
I was told the either the car has so much blow by that it has filled the trap already, (in a week and 110kms/80miles). The other was that the blow by trap is not full and that there is someting wrong rings on the pistons. I was not that sure of what he was telling me but both included sever engine ware. I am not a mechanic but I do not belive that there is anything seriously wrong with my car. I have had it for just under 2 years its my first car and I take very good care of it and try to pay very close attention to how it is running. The gas milage has been consistant since I have had the car, and it takes about a liter of oil for every synthetic oil change (about 8-9k km). The car still feels the same when I floor it, (ie no loss of power) and it sounds pretty normal too. I bought the car from a guy who had the car for 8 years before me and he had all his maintence records, I strongly believe that the car has been well taken care of.
I am kind of at a loss right now, I have just spend $500 getting the PCV system fixed, but don't think it was done right. Is PCV sytem problems the only thing that can lead to smoke out the dipstick? If there are coud someone please tell me what they could be?
Thanks

 

I had smoke out of the dip stick of my 850 and I replaced the entire system. It continued to smoke a little for about 1,000 miles. Not sure why, it just did. I don't think it smokes now.

My daughters S70 had blown the oil dip stick out. I replaced the PCV system in it and it stopped immediately. No smoke out of it.

I would give it 1,000 miles or 60 days, then check it for smoke. If it is still smoking after that, I'm not sure what's going on. You can look at the items under the hood and know that the system has been replaced. Example would be that the hose that goes up near the oil filler cap would be soft, not hard like an old one.

 

So I should not worry about it for now, there are likely not serious engine problems (or I would likely be noticing drivability problems)?

Thanks for the help

 

Like I said, I seen smoke for about 1,000 before mine cleared up. Check to make sure you have new items that would have been installed with the replacement of the system. If the system was replaced, check it again in a couple of months.

No, you usually will not notice any drivability problems. It just blows seals.

 

I just finished pulling the engine accessories required to expose the oil collector and it only took an hour on my first try. A pro would get there in no time. From here, I don't know if you want to pay mechanics wages to have him use a scrub brush or just replace the parts then get out.

This is definately a DYI job if you are inclined in that direction.

 

You got the intake manifold off in an hour and never did it before?

 

Not on an 850. I studied the PCV for beginners post and Haynes then went to town. It was like working on my 940, just sideways.