I have a 2010 xc60 T6 and I have recently noticed some oil coming from the exhaust. My thoughts are that it is leaking oil from the turbo and getting into my exhaust. I haven't noticed any blue smoke yet but it may start happening. Any ideas or thoughts on what the problem is?

 

If oil is leaking from the turbo (or anywhere else) into the exhaust - the exhaust temp is at least 700 degrees - oil will burn instantly and not make it to the tailpipe in liquid form.

Where are you seeing this oil?

 

I saw the oil on the ground near my exhaust, so somehow it's getting into the exhaust.

 

If you saw a blackish liquid that could have dripped out of your tail pipe - Commonly that would be soot mixed with water. Your catalytic converter takes CO, HC and O2 - and converts that into H2O and CO2. (with some NOX in there also) - water naturally forms in the exhaust and will drip out if the exhaust does not get hot enough to vaporize it. That's why you see smoke (steam) from exhaust as the system warms up when cold under certain circumstances. And that's why modern exhaust systems are made out of stainless steel - so they rust out slower.

 

I appreciate your responses the only reason I think that it’s oil is because I recently had to put more oil in and it must be going somewhere. It also looked like oil on the ground. I’m just not exactly sure where it’s going.

 

how much oil is the car consuming? I agree with hoonk that its not likely to be raw oil dripping out of the tail pipe having owned plenty of oil burners (lol) in my 50 years of driving. Consuming a quart every 1-2K miles is not overly excessive (though not ideal) for a high mileage engine with worn rings or valve seals. Yes, turbo seals can leak oil as well but as noted will usually produce blueish smoke (you may need to drive behind the car to see it, particularly when the driver lifts the throttle). Another source of oil consumption can be a failed PCV oil separator allowing oil to get into the intake.

There are tests to help determine where your oil consumption is coming from, I take it you haven't seen any oil on the outside of the pan or underside of the engine or driveway spotting?

 

What kind of tests would you recommend doing?