Blown Oil Seal After Converting Back From HM Oil

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This is probably just a coincidence, but my Volvo blew the main crankshaft seal while driving in the mountains of West Virginia fully loaded at high speeds. If memory serves me, I started using Mobil 1 5w30 HM at about 160K. Later I swithced to Mobil 1 0w40 at around 190K. The PCV valve was changed out within the last 6 months, so that isn't likely to be the cause.

Oil consumption was nil over a 5K OCI with high mileage oil. It reached one quart over 7900 miles on the last OCI with the 0w40. It was also down 1/2 quart at 6K miles on this oil, without hot weather or towing. It dropped another 1/4 quart after 600 miles of hot weather towing last month.

Is this just a coincidence? Should I revert back to a high mileage oil?
 
Originally Posted By: Astro_Guy
driving in the mountains of West Virginia fully loaded at high speeds.

Something tells me that the oil is not the one to blame here... High Mileage cars tend to blow seals in "Spirited driving" conditions. Just a coincidence, in my opinion.
 
Originally Posted By: Astro_Guy
.. while driving in the mountains of West Virginia fully loaded at high speeds.


This is why???
 
160K? Working the engine? I'd say it had nothing to do with the oil, just bad luck.
 
Originally Posted By: Astro_Guy
I switched to Mobil 1 0w40 at around 190K.


I think it was just it's time.

190,000++ miles and things like that just might start happening.
 
I know you said your PCV was replaced. I am assuming you mean oil trap? Where the passages clear as well?

There's a guy on the XC70 forum that lost his seals while driving up some mountains. Heck, that may have been you?
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This car turned over 214,000 miles just prior to the failure. A month prior it was towing nearly 1000 pounds in a 5x8 U-Haul in the mountains of PA at similarly high speeds. I just tossed this out there for sake of discussion.

Oil use did seem to go up significantly after switching to 0w40. Should the repairs prove economically viable, I will most likely go back to a 5w30 High Mileage.

Last but not least, I am not the guy in the XC70 forum, but may look him up. Astro_14, wherefore art thou?
 
At that age, with those miles, it was bound to happen sooner or later, especially with that kind of use profile. That motor lives a hard life under your tutelage. Might as well take care of its seals.
I haven't seen Astro14 in a while. He might be at work on a rotation to some distant land for the moment.
Finally, I must be 14 or something. Regarding the phrasing 'blown seal' - I just can't even. lol
 
Originally Posted By: Astro_Guy
This car turned over 214,000 miles just prior to the failure. A month prior it was towing nearly 1000 pounds in a 5x8 U-Haul in the mountains of PA at similarly high speeds. I just tossed this out there for sake of discussion.

Oil use did seem to go up significantly after switching to 0w40. Should the repairs prove economically viable, I will most likely go back to a 5w30 High Mileage.

Last but not least, I am not the guy in the XC70 forum, but may look him up. Astro_14, wherefore art thou?


When seals go, they really go without warning you about the catastrophic failure.

So you're sure your PCV passages and components are good?
 
You don't typically see a RMS "blow".
They usually start to leak a bit and gradually leak more over time and miles.
The oils you've used have nothing to do with this failure nor does the PCV system.
Replacement is straightforward but does involve a lot of disassembly and then reassembly.
If you're up for the work, fix it. If not, it's time for this old Volvo to go to the yard of no return.
After sixteen years and 214K, it's not as though it owes you anything.
You can buy a better one for cheap since these cars have limited resale value.
 
With these whiteblock engines, a neglected PCV system will cause oil leaks in all sorts of places, the RMS being the worst as far as repairs go.

I recently bought a car with nearly the same engine and it was very neglected in terms of maintenance, and shortly after replacing all of the PCV/oil breather components it sprung a leak at the rear cam seal, which at first glance I thought was the RMS. Luckily I caught it immediately and had it sorted day of with a new $10 seal.

OP, confirm that it's the RMS and not a rear cam seal. When the rear cam seal goes it will drip down from above and look like it's coming from the RMS. If it is the RMS switch back to HM and hope consumption decreases? Good luck.
 
Upon further investigation with the timing belt cover removed, the problem was determined to be the front main cam seal. Both the crank and cam seals were replaced while they were in there with everything disassembled, as was the timing belt having been soaked in oil. I ran the car gently at 60 MPH over those first 30 miles of West Virginia mountains, stopping to check the oil and tank up after the first 40 miles. After that it was on to the interstates for 70-75 MPH driving for the next 250 miles. I plan to check the oil level in the morning, but do not anticipate a problem.

This brings me to the next dilemma: the car was due for an oil change (6 quarts,) but nine quarts were added between the initial discovery of the problem, limping to a repair shop, and the repair itself. That was nine quarts in approximately 25 miles of driving. The filter needs to be changed, but I am not sure about the oil. Part of me thinks the oil is probably fine, but another part thinks he should look at that oil given that the car ran an unknown number of miles down four of six quarts. Your thoughts?
 
Originally Posted By: SilverFusion2010
I would change oil and filter to have a known start point


+1. Oil is cheap.
 
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