This is my first Volvo (bought Dec 3 2006) and first turbo. I keep blowing the code for the thermostat but the mechanic says it works fine and keeps clearing it. No problem there. I recently took a long trip and started to smell burning oil. It seems to be leaking from the crankcase side of the oil return line from the turbo. I also took the plastic covers off the top of the engineand found some small puddles of oil up there. I stopped driving it trying to figure out my next step.

What might cause the seals to go? Over-pressurised the crankcase? Should I have a compression test done to see if the cylinders are all right? Or can I just repair the lower leak and drive on? Anything else I might need to check?

Once this happened I had a noticeable drop in gas mileage also.

Above 80,000 and no warranty.

Thanks for reading, I hope you guys might have some insight.

 

There is a seal that commonly goes bad on the bottom of the pipe where it goes into the block.
When you remove the pipe I will bet the seal os Orange. You will replace it with a green one that will last alot longer.

Replace the seal and replace the oil cap seal as well and drive on.

 

Now I need a good idea on how to get at it. I can see one bolt head from the bottom but the other is behind a bracket. Do I really need toremove the whole turbo to do this?

 

I've got the same problem and tried to get to the T-30 screws for over two hours last weekend with no luck. I got some othertools and will attempt again this weekend and report back. Any other suggestions Tech? Mine is leaking oil from the opposite end as opposed to the O-ring at the block. Is this also common or could it be something else?

Thanks
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2000 S40 (100,000 miles)

 

Sometimes you need to tweek the coolant line a little to give you some more room.
I also use a long t-30 bit to get to it.

No you don't have to remove the turbo.

 

Thanks Tech - I'll tackle it this weekend. The oil is definitely coming from the upper end of the turbo drain pipe in the vicinity of the gasket not the o-ring, which I know is strange. Could it be leaking in the vent box instead and dripping down? The oil is eventually reaching the ground in one spot - dripping down from the oil pan drain plug.

Thanks

 

The vent box would leak from the front of the engine.
Maybe it might be the gasket.