I bought a 98 S70 a few weeks ago. It's been in my garage about a week (waiting on a part), and yesterday I noticed some oil spots on my garage floor under the car. The small drip is coming from the very front of the engine at the bottom on the drivers side (oil filter is on the passenger side). There is a unit in the front that has a set of wires coming out of it, a hose, and a metal tube. There is a bolt there also. What is this unit? Maybe the oil pump? Yesterday, there was a drop of oil on the bolt head. Today, it's down at the bottom of the unit. The interesting thing is that the oil isn't just dripping into a single spot; there are a few of them.

 

Could be oil cooler but not sure, take a pic of it and post it.

 

Good idea! Attached is a photo. Anybody recognize this and have suggestions how to find the leak?

 

Get some engine cleaner, spray the area well and gently rinse with water and watch the leak.
That is the proper way to chase a leak.

In my case, it was the Rear Main Seal ($30 part but $700 labor). I changed the PCV last year so it was not from high crankcase pressure.

 

Do you know what part the picture shows? Is that the oil cooler?

 

That is the front of the transmission.

 

Yeah,

Again, clean the whole place and watch for leak.
RMS (Rear Main seal) leaks (if happens) is at the junction between REAR of engine and Front of Transmission. There is a weep hole there, so oil flows down.

 

just repaired a leak on my 98 turns out the cam shaft seals at the distributor and at the cam position sensor were the cause for this leak. Very hard to see on a turbo but easier on a non turbo car.

 

i had a similar problem when i bought my 98 s70 glt. my first leack waas gasket from a bolt when u change the oil, that cost me about $10. and the second leack was much more comlicated.... my mechanic told me that he has to replace somekind of seal in a transmision. the actual seal wwas about $50 and the labor was $500. because he had to take out the motor and a transmission or something like that. oh and i had 145,xxx miles on it, if that helps. so yea i would check the simple things first, like bolts, gaskets, maybe change oil. than if that doesnt work than it could be something serious.

 

I started my 850 this morning and, my goodness, it sounded like it had no oil in it at all. I immediately shut it down...checked the dipstick and it was dry, which I couldn't believe. I put one quart of oil in it and while I stood on the passenger's side, getting ready to put in another, I noticed a small puddle of oil forming right in front of the front right tire (I have a gravel driveway and didn't notice any accumulation before - but then I wasn't really looking before putting in the quart of oil).

I read about the pcv system, but this is like there's a hole in the bottom of the engine or something! Seriously, the oil ran out the engine as quickly as I had poured it in. Being in a rush to get to the airport, I didn't have time to put a jack under it anything. I'll be doing that this weekend. In the meantime, can anyone tell me what in the world may have happened?

Thanks!

 

I hate cAR leaks, they are just so fustrading, ESP if no fixed the first timE.

 

I sure hope you didn't jump into this car and drive it to the airport. That area has the oil filter and oil cooler lines. You have to get under there and look to see where it's coming from. Have someone pour while you watch. If you are still confused, post a picture.

 

lol, i was thinking the same thing !

 

Ha, you know, right after I hit send I thought, 'hmmm, did I just say I had driven my Volvo to the airport w/no engine oil ?' Nah... but if it had been my daughter being in a hurry??? oh boy... I'd be posting in the Need New Engine post, I'm sure!

 

I finally got the time to take a look at that oil leak I described earlier. What puzzled me at first was that I put a quart of oil in it and nothing came running out underneath, as before. In fact, I put another quart in and nothing was leaking. After one more quart, it was just beginning to register on the dipstick, but still no leak. I then engaged the starter for the shortest amount of time possible - short of starting it, and that gave me some results. The oil began leaking out of what appears to be the back of the pump, although an approximate 1" hose leading to the pump was also showing oil at its union. A new oil pump and hoses sound in order (if I didn't do immeasurable harm to the engine earlier). I have to say during that short burst of turning the engine over, I was hearing a sound that reminded of something a bad water pump might make.

My remaining question is this: is there a check valve or something else in the lubrication system near the oil pump? The reason I ask is when I first noticed this problem, the oil I put into it immediately began pouring out from under the car, which, obviously, wasn't running.. This time, as I said, I had to crank the engine a short time to get the leak going.

Thanks for the earlier response!

 

The oil leak I wrote about turned out to be the easiest of fixes, and I can only hope to be so lucky again... "Someone" had apparently hit a speed bump and it grated the undercarriage AND caught the oil filter, tearing it open a bit up at the top where it threads into the crankcase. The oil spewing all over the place had me searching everywhere 'til I discovered this.

 

The leak is coming from a small hole/opening near the driver's side end of the oil pan. I'll try to attached is a picture where the leak is coming from; the rest of the undercarriage is remarkably clean. Could someone enlighten me as to where this leak maybe coming from. I'm trying to educate myself before seeking professional help to get the leak repaired.

Help!!!!!