Oil Consumption - Volvo V70 2.5 20v | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Tue 28 Oct 2003 09:27

Oil Consumption - Volvo V70 2.5 20v - MikeW

Hi

I'm looking for some advice or clues. I have a Volvo V70 2.5 20v petrol (1999) which has nearly 100k on it. Since 80k it started using oil (or losing it). I can't find a leak, nor is there any evidence of burnt oil in the exhaust. It has passed 2 or 3 MoT tests.

At first I thought the servicing garage had underfilled it, but the problem persists and I calculate that I am losing or using about 1 litre per 1000 miles (the dipstick goes from max to below min in 4-5000 miles and the max/min gap is 4 litres).

Can anyone offer any advice before I send it into the garage and a possibly long and expensive search for the problem?

The car exhibits no other problems that I can see. Coolant levels are stable and the oil does not have signs of emulsifying. It is also usually quite clean.

Cheers
Mike

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 28 Oct 2003 09:39

Oil Consumption - Volvo V70 2.5 20v - Chad.R

...the dipstick goes from max to below min in 4-5000 miles and the max/min gap is 4 litres.

Sorry, I can't help with the problem but the min/max gap of 4 litres seem (IMO, at least) far too much. Are you sure that is the case?

My Omega 3.0's oil capacity is just over 6 litres and the min/max gap on the dipstick is 1 litre. Assuming your engine's oil capacity to be in the same region, that would mean that when running on "min" you've only got around 30% of oil.

Chad.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 28 Oct 2003 10:21

Oil Consumption - Volvo V70 2.5 20v - MikeW

Yes - that's what the manual says. And judging by the quantity I had to add to get it to shift into the min/max range it looks about right too.

I think the overall oil capacity is something like 8 litres.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 28 Oct 2003 10:53

Oil Consumption - Volvo V70 2.5 20v - SjB {P}

Suggest you make a post in the appropriate forum (General or Other Models for your Volvo) at www.volvospy.com

Although the usual misinformation that will always come with a free, at times unqualified, source sometimes occurs, equally it is a mine of useful Volvo information, and some of the posters are both very helpful, and very well qualified to do so. Some are trained Volvo technicians, for example, and it is not unusual to even have accurate part numbers quoted in a reply.

Good luck.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 28 Oct 2003 10:57

Oil Consumption - Volvo V70 2.5 20v - SjB {P}

I forgot this until after I posted: In the General folder at www.volvospy.com , there is a thread called Volvo 5 cylinder petrol engine longevity that carries a wealth of information. Included in this are details of just about their only weakness, namely oil consumption on earlier models, and how to solve it.

It might be your lucky day...

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 28 Oct 2003 11:11

Oil Consumption - Volvo V70 2.5 20v - MikeW

Hi

Thanks a lot for the website (massively useful) and the thread for engine longevity.

Looks like I have a good engine which probably has one or two weak seals leaking when the engine is running. I'll get the mechanics to start there whilst it's on the ramp this Thursday.

Thanks again
Mike

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 28 Oct 2003 11:25

Oil Consumption - Volvo V70 2.5 20v - SjB {P}

No worries Mike, and thanks for the courtesy of feedback that you gave.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 13 Jan 2004 14:10

Oil Consumption - Volvo V70 2.5 20v - MikeW

Just in case anyone ever reviews this thread I did find out that the manual had a misprint. The difference between max/min on the dipstick is only one litre.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Ask Honest John

Sell Your Car

Real MPG

Fuel Calculator