2001 Volvo V70, 180k miles. Immediately after a timing belt and water pump change, my vovlo began leaking oil from somewhere not visible. a hunch it is pan gasket or crank seal. Could the repair have caused teh oil leak?
First Let Me Say That I Don’t Do Volvos, But If It Is Set Up Like Most Cars, There Are A Couple Of Posibilities. I’m Going To Guess. Is It A 4,5, Or 6 Cylinder ? Turbo ?
Are these cars FWD, RWD, or AWD ? If the engine is transversely mounted then the radiator probably wasn’t removed, but a longitudinal engine placement and an automatic transmission could require removal of the radiator and transmission cooler lines. Could it be transmission fluid from a leaking line ?
How about refrigerant oil from a leaking A-C compressor line. Was the A-C discharged and recharged to facilitate the belt renewal ?
Power steering fluid ? I don’t know what the “servo reservoir” is that is referred to (power steering, clutch for manual trans ?) but it apparently could have been removed and could leak afterwards.
Did the belt change require removal of the valve cover(s) and possibly not seal correctly when reinstalled ?
It could just be coincidental. It could be leaking from a cam, crank, pan, oil filter, etcetera, as you say and not relative to the repair.
Can you have it checked out by the mechanic who did the repair or was that you ?
CSA
At 180K miles anything is possible. Timing belt replacements don’t usually “cause” leaks. Sometimes, however, leaking seals, or old seals liable to start leaking, are replaced while the front covers are off to facilitate the timing belt replacement.
If the front crank seal is leaking, an opportunity to replace it was missed. If the pan gasket is leaking it has nothing to do with the timing belt.
was a good sealant used on the timing belt cover gasket? Just how much oil is leaking anyway? On some cars, I dont know about yours, the pan needs to be dropped a few inches to facilitate a timing cover removal and replacement. It this was done without completely removing the pan, and no new gasket was installed this could cause a slight oil leakage.
Ignoramus9, I Think You Are Confusing A Timing Belt Change With A Timing Chain Change. FYI: Chains Must Run In Oil. Belts Must Run In Air.
It is actually desirable for any oil that leaks under a timg belt cover to escape to the outside.
CSA
Hey csa, you are right, thats what i get for never taking one of these new fangled things apart. thanks for the heads up.
Ignoramous9, Come On, Get In The Game ! I’ve Done Them On Longitudinal And Transverse Engines Out In My Driveway. You’ve Got To Find Out What You’re Missing !
Hint: My factory manuals and sometimes a special tool or two ordered online before I begin is the only thing that makes it remotely possible. Oh, . . . and some “cold ones” . . . lots of “cold ones”.
CSA
Look at the bill for the parts that were replaced. Maybe the list includes seals. And replacing seals can be a tedious process. Improper installation would certainly cause a leak.