850 t5 leaking oil

boostnturbos

Torque Junkie
Points
182
Location
Ireland, donegal
Car
BMW 318ci SE
Sump was changed before i got the car and it was sealed with blue sealant - is this blue sealant alright or do i need special sealant? I see 3 plates on the block just below the turbo with 4 studs in each plate. The plate closest to the turbo is weeping oil from the bottom 2 studs when ticking over but when revved out more oil comes out. Iv done 50-60 miles and lost 1.5l of oil - the whole bottom of the car is covered. I can't see anywhere that would leak that amount of oil is there somewhere that is common for 850's the leak that muck oil from? Also what is behind those 4 plates? I don't want to take them off without knowing what I'm up against incase I end up with a pile of bearings and springs on the floor!
 
Sump was changed before i got the car and it was sealed with blue sealant - is this blue sealant alright or do i need special sealant?

A friend of mine made a similar mistake using the wrong sealant for the head gasket on his Ford Cosworth Sierra, he did not even make it to the bottom of his road on his maiden journey.

The blocks you describe sound like spacer plates for the turbo, mine has two I believe (For what reason I don't know) and use a high copper mix gasket in-between. I would start by having the engine steamed cleaned then make your way to a Kwik Fit or similar where for the price of a drink, you can pop the car up on their ramp for a look to see where the oil is coming from.

This worked for me once upon a time before I discovered a marvellous garage that does everything for me.

Good luck buddy, and hopefully somebody will be along in a while who can throw some light on your problem.

Actually, I think one of our most esteemed members on here called Claymore will be able to guide you with anything involving a turbocharged Volvo.
 
Most common fault on the Volvo is the Turbo oil return pipe 'O' ring, about £4 from main dealer, I would almost guarantee that's your problem. As an aside, you should use the proper Volvo pink sealer for the sump. (Also I can't visualize these plates your talking about, is it a very early T5?)
This is the back of one of my blocks:
 
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she is 94. see, the top portion of the block on my car has 4 plates with 3 studs in each. a wreckon that its the o-ring on the return. gona change it and see how it geos. all lets yous know how a get on, cheers claymore.

must try get a picture of these plates aswell.
 
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just after frying my altenator!!! thought all the smoke coming from under the bonnet was from the return line but no, it was the altenator. brand knew battery drained dead aswell. this car not going so well for me. she'll not beat me all the same.
 
2nd hand altenator on, £30 worse off but going 100% - or so i thought!!! now iv an idle problem. iv it narrowed it down to vacuum lines on the throttle control valve. iv got 1 port open with no pipe to go into it. just had the altenater done so im thinking that mechanic must have pulled a pipe off and "miss-placed it". just wondering if someone had a picture of what pipes went where on that thing.
 
vac tree is what im on about;). through on a new lambda sensor today. don't see much difference on the mpg but that'll probably come with more miles. got some pics of the plates i was on about before but can't seem to upload them... yet. don't think the leak is the o-ring, its dry but the rest of the car is soaked. even when she's not running you can get underneath and wipe the oil off the sump studs and the oil just comes straight back again. now weather this is the fact that theres soo much oil that its running back down the block onto the studs or that there is a savage amount o oil being lost outa the engine from everywhere.
 
I have attached some pictures of the plates i was on about before, i have circled them in red on one of the attachments. Have a look and see what you think, i have marked the turbo return pipe for a reference point :bigsmile: i have a picture of the sump aswell showing the blue sealant used. See the bolt heads are all covered in oil....
 

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