Engine Oil Seeping from Rear Main Seal

[Mitevo7]

Dear All,

Have a Volvo S60 T4 with DCT gearbox. 3 months ago, my mechanic feedback to me that there's engine oil seeping out from bell housing and engine oil cooler seal in a very slow manner. To confirmed our suspicious, We sealed the oil pan gasket, changed new engine oil cooler seal and new drain plug to test whether that's the final spot of leaking. For 3 months, there's no oil drip on the path way of my car poach, except for one week i didn't drive the car at all, there's a few drops on the ground.

Yesterday we lifted the car up to check for oil leaks and its still coming out from the bell housing which i didn't perform any repair on it. The undercarriage isn't very messy and i didn't need to add engine oil despite there's still leak. I am the 2nd owner of this car, the previous owner changed the rear main seal in about 120k on ODO at Federal Auto Glenmarie and that was about 3 years ago. Car is 6 years old though.

My question is, since its just seeping out from the bell housing, possibly a rear main seal problem again, do i need to worry about it or just wait until it developed into a leak. The costs of performing this rear can be up to 1.8k as i need to buy the seal which cost about 200 bucks, 800 bucks for dismantling, DCT and Engine Oil.

Thanks,
Ken

 

[gunnerzz]

Sounds like a very slow leak when stationary. Its not much of an issue, just need to wipe the floor every now and then.

Main concern is how much does it leak when u r driving it?

Me, i dont like dripping oil or fluid. I will replace the seal. Then again, the cost for yr car is...ouch.

If u want to fix it, buy the absolute best part or go back to ori. Alternative equivalent wont cut it. My mech learn this the hard way when replacing my WajaRenault oil seal...all for the sake of <RM50 price different for oil seal. The leak got worst after 2 days.

 

[Mitevo7]

Sounds like a very slow leak when stationary. Its not much of an issue, just need to wipe the floor every now and then.

Main concern is how much does it leak when u r driving it?

Me, i dont like dripping oil or fluid. I will replace the seal. Then again, the cost for yr car is...ouch.

If u want to fix it, buy the absolute best part or go back to ori. Alternative equivalent wont cut it. My mech learn this the hard way when replacing my WajaRenault oil seal...all for the sake of QUOTE]

The seal is cheap but the labour is fucking crazy due to many parts need to be removed just to get to the seal. Like i described, engine oil level is still maintaining at optimum level after 3 months since the last inspection. I even took it to hard driving on Genting and outstations. Generally, the floor was clean if the car was driven every day or may be 3 days. I only see a few drops after 7 days of not driving it. Under carriage has only slightly messy look, not too oily kind. I am looking for someone that can do this cheaper, i guess the last job did by Federal Auto is shit, that's why the leaks came back.

Thanks,
Ken

 

[gunnerzz]

The seal is cheap but the labour is fucking crazy due to many parts need to be removed just to get to the seal. Like i described, engine oil level is still maintaining at optimum level after 3 months since the last inspection. I even took it to hard driving on Genting and outstations. Generally, the floor was clean if the car was driven every day or may be 3 days. I only see a few drops after 7 days of not driving it. Under carriage has only slightly messy look, not too oily kind. I am looking for someone that can do this cheaper, i guess the last job did by Federal Auto is shit, that's why the leaks came back.

Thanks,
Ken

Trust me, when u mentioned the price of your oil seal to those whom had only experienced japanese and local car in their lives...they will faint, wake up and then faint again.

BTW, changing the seal does not require engine oil and atf change right?
Just need to seperate the gearbox from the engine. Only that some GB like DSG require the GB to be at certain position or condition before it can be removed from the engine.

My guess is the job is done properly, maybe the seal is shit.

 

[Mitevo7]

Trust me, when u mentioned the price of your oil seal to those whom had only experienced japanese and local car in their lives...they will faint, wake up and then faint again.

BTW, changing the seal does not require engine oil and atf change right?
Just need to seperate the gearbox from the engine. Only that some GB like DSG require the GB to be at certain position or condition before it can be removed from the engine.

My guess is the job is done properly, maybe the seal is shit.

The seal came with a adapter plate or something like that. Changing the seal requires no oil change but i think some oil or DSG fluid will spill out. Its the labour that is expensive ... MYR 800 for dropping all the components and reassembly them. That's why rear main seal is one of the most labour intensive job. He asked me to budget in 2k as he worried when dropping down other things we might see something else went bonkers, just in case.

 

[Izso]

Paging @Nightstalker1993 your volvo expertise is needed

 

[Mitevo7]

Paging @Nightstalker1993 your volvo expertise is needed

Thanks for the help mate ! Needed 2nd opinion before committed to such a high cost repair for simple issue.

 

[Mitevo7]

Apparently we are looking at the wrong place, i just discovered the actual route of the oil leak seems travel from the middle of the block and ended the bell housing. If i am not wrong, right underneath the intake manifold, there's a turbo oil return housing, as i zoomed into the place and look with flashlight, i can see the place is fucking filthy and can see traces of oil travel towards bell housing. Today will jack up the car and look again and underneath. Too many components blocking the view so that might cause us to mistaken rear main seal is leaking.

To add on, the leak we spotted at bell housing isn't wet and shinny, it was dry and muddy, unlike the oil stain that i spotted on the oil sump, it wet and shinny.

 

[gunnerzz]

Apparently we are looking at the wrong place, i just discovered the actual route of the oil leak seems travel from the middle of the block and ended the bell housing. If i am not wrong, right underneath the intake manifold, there's a turbo oil return housing, as i zoomed into the place and look with flashlight, i can see the place is fucking filthy and can see traces of oil travel towards bell housing. Today will jack up the car and look again and underneath. Too many components blocking the view so that might cause us to mistaken rear main seal is leaking.

To add on, the leak we spotted at bell housing isn't wet and shinny, it was dry and muddy, unlike the oil stain that i spotted on the oil sump, it wet and shinny.

Buy an endoscope...well below RM100 and works with any android supporting USB OTG. A very handy tools.

Filthy means its been there a while and a bit hard to determine the leak volume as the oil is absorbed by the dirt first before it start to drip at the bottom.

 

[Mitevo7]

Buy an endoscope...well below RM100 and works with any android supporting USB OTG. A very handy tools.

Filthy means its been there a while and a bit hard to determine the leak volume as the oil is absorbed by the dirt first before it start to drip at the bottom.

Yeah i will invest that in future, the intake manifold is totally blocked that place in every angle, that's why we couldn't see it from anywhere until i zoomed into it by using a phone.

 

[Mitevo7]

Just got back from the mechanic and this is what i found, apparently the leak came from the middle of the block, from some sort of black box thingy, under the intake manifold. Here is the picture of it. This engine is similar to Ford Fiesta ST engine, very punchy but requires a bit of care. Forummers please tell me what you think.

Thanks,
Ken

 

[gunnerzz]

Just got back from the mechanic and this is what i found, apparently the leak came from the middle of the block, from some sort of black box thingy, under the intake manifold. Here is the picture of it. This engine is similar to Ford Fiesta ST engine, very punchy but requires a bit of care. Forummers please tell me what you think.

Thanks,
Ken

I believe u r referring to the oil cooler. Possible to check if its leaking from the hose or the gasket where it meets with the engine?
Either way, i strongly believe its a cheap fix.

 

[parakey]

I think this image of the engine may be more helpful. Kindly point out where the leak is

 

[vr2turbo]

Cannot find actual start point then need to clean up and check from there.....

 

[Mitevo7]

View attachment 576147

I think this image of the engine may be more helpful. Kindly point out where the leak is

Very nice image ! Here is the photo, the arrow on the left is where I spotted the leaks are most severe. The arrow on the right is where the leak travelled down and making their way to bell housing and oil pan. I kinda determine that RMS isn’t faulty as there isn’t fresh drip there, but dry.

The fresh ones are on oil pan and also right on those area with left arrow.

 

[Mitevo7]

Cannot find actual start point then need to clean up and check from there.....

The leak came from above oil cooler. I do not know what is that black box. Is it a crank case breather ?

 

[parakey]

The leak came from above oil cooler. I do not know what is that black box. Is it a crank case breather ?

Do you mean this? It's the heater control valve

 

[parakey]

This picture may be helpful

 

[Mitevo7]

View attachment 576161
This picture may be helpful

Here is the more precise one, i spotted the place is most filthy, and the leaked oil travelled down to oil cooler and oil sump below.

 

[parakey]

I think that might be the oil trap/separator. You might want to check the hose leading into it first. Looks difficult to access