i recently got a 1991 volvo 240 DL and theres only a few small problems like, the oil cap is leaking. i purchased a new one and its still leaks. i even removed the head and looked for cracks but i saw nothing. the only thing i can think of is the motor mounts they have gone quite bad and when the engine is revved it tilts a large amount. could this be my problem or am i looking at something a lot worse? if anyone has any idea please get back to me

remove cap whilst motor running-if large amount of air coming out and spraying oil aboout, then your rings are suspect or shot. A proper compression test, dry and wet, will prove such more accurately. Suspect No #4 cylinder of worst condition, as it gets the greatest temperatures. Check your air filter to be sure you even have one, as unless it's really done some miles/hard a hard time, this shouldn't happen. The leak is from a pressurized crankcase. Oh, One other source-a blocked breather/flame trap/oil trap These all in one hose or line on the car. iff B230F motor, then ithe oil trap is plastic box under inlet manifold, and flame trapis plastic fitting in the hose from the oil trap immediately above it. it has a small blled hose to the manifold center, and a larger hose to the air intake before the butterfly. attaching on the firewall side. Ifthe hosesareold be careful nothing breaks getting them off. Do NOT use solvents to clean these parts, as solvent may fall down into motor and seriously dilute your motor's oil-causing major failure. Clean them both, and that MAY fix it ok-this is a much more common scenario-you risk popping seals if you don't get onto it. The rear main is a real sod- labour = 4hrs+ to replace a ~ $20 seal!. (Never re-use a popped seal!!! It's just cheap insurance, and they are cheap!) Check it by looking for engine oil (dark, NOT red) between motor and gearbox on ground.

At idle, with the oil filler cap off, there should be a slight suction when you hold your hand over the opening. If not, suspect clogged flame trap as manxman suggested. That's #1.

thanks for the tips dudes. im not worrying so much about the work time as i am the amount of cash its gonna cost me. im almsot positive im gonna have to replace the rear mian seal anyways, but ill check out the flame trap situation and see what ive got, any idea where i can get a diagram for that ***

The oil breather box may also be plugged up. The breather box is bolted to the block and a hose connects it to the flame trap housing.

oil breather box ==== oil trap

Sometimes cleaning out the flame trap,oil separator and relevant hoses is enough to cause the main crank seal to reseal itself saving you a bugga of a job :thumbsup: All the imfo you need is here :

http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/Engi...tion_A_Treatise

i got all that *** cleaned out replaced some lines that were compacted with carbon to the point where i couldnt clean them. then as i was going to put everything back together, i realized that the hollowed bolt that connects the fuel rail to a cylinder on the intake manifold is missing the thing just dissapeared, so now im going to scavenge a junkyard for that stupid bolt,

so i cleaned the flame trap and oil breather as well as replacing the line coming off the flame trap which by the way was to clogged to even clean it actually broke as i was scraping the compacted garbage out. and it was fine but i think it got clogged again, so i get to go back in and do it all over again, the only question i have is would this cause some overheating issues which has started to happen in the last few days. i guess i need to get a rebuild kit so i can clean the grime out of the engine and get going. this is one fine 1990 240 dl virtually no rust only one small dent on the front fender and only 150,000 miles, the best part is it was only 500$

There's an old tale about that says cleaning out old motors tends to kill them off. There's some merit in it for very old motors, be careful, read up on it first, get some good advice from them that knows. BTW didja find that bolt?? Hope it isn't somewhere embarrassing, like down the oil trap holes into the sump??

i went to the junk yard and got one of those bolts i never did find the original one. if i do actually clean it out i wanna port and polish and bore it out, possibly get a bigger cam as well but either way thats down the road a ways so, i need new fuel pumps and suspention, motor mounts my exhaust is rusted out , but other wise the thing is a champ