I'm still trying to come to terms with the 6 cylinder Volvo. Until recently, it hadn't rum for a couple of months or more.

Since I've had it running for the last ten days I've neglected to check the oil (it is a known oil consumer - no smoke but a blocked oil trap). I have cleaned the oil trap and associated pipe work etc.

I'm satisfied it is now clear, running vacuum through the dipstick housing and feeling it such through the oil separator box. I did this from both ends, whilst check for any sucktion at the oil filler. Not very scientific, I know!

Now I checked the oil three days ago (I've drive 400 odd k's) after driving to temperature and allowing half an hour for it to settle and it wasn't showing on the dipstick!!!! Panic!. Our drive way does slope from side to side about 5 - 10 degrees, but failrly level end to end.

So, I filled it very slowly in measured litres, as I believed that it somewhere between 500ml - 1000ml from the bottom of the stick to hlf way, the handbook recommended level. I put in just over 1300mls or so. which ended up being too much, as it came to the high mark. Not ideal. I know that this can cause undue crankcase pressure, especially if there are any blockages in the system.

It has run from Mornington to the City and back via East Link, twice, with no issues. Today I drove into theCity via the East Link. When I arrived at Collingwood, I noticed the dreaded blue smoke waufting from the tail pipe, in the rear view, while idling. and a decent puff when taking off.

Not happy! I'm thinking $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
After sitting for two or three hours, it did it again while idling in the traffic and on acceleration.

On to the freeway, and no real sign of smoke, even on moderate acceleration. All good on the way home, and no smoke while idling. None when I arrived home??????

I have been running Nulon 10W-40 full synthetic and have changed it twice in the last 2500K's hoping to give it a clean out.

Does this all sound bad? Any thoughts?
Penrite to start with?
Thats me done.
my R ran better on Penrite than Mobil 1 , i will leave the grade to a more knowledgeable 6 cyl peep...
Wouldn't run Mobil 1 myself. Penrite synthetic stuff meets the same requirements. Most likely needs an oil flush as well. Sounds like valve stem seals to me. If it's also due for a belt. Good time to do it. Run it on hpr50 for now I think it is (15w-60) iirc till its done.

It can be done on vehicle but might as well fit a fresh headgasket etc.
HPR50 15/60?

I don't see any need for different grade oil in colder/hotter months in this country. Unless you live in the snow maybe.
The engine runs at its operating temperature no matter the weather so the oil needed is the same at any time.
I'm guessing that would be fine for summer, but it might be a little on the heavy side for winter/spring. I suppose it wont push past the rings and seals though!
SPT940;27392 wroteI'm guessing that would be fine for summer, but it might be a little on the heavy side for winter/spring. I suppose it wont push past the rings and seals though!
That would make sense of we lived where daytime temps went below 10 but it rarely does and as a result it seriously isn't worth worrying about.

Berry had an 850 loan car that had done 450,000km or so. Ran it on hpr40 by that stage (I had it wrong before I meant hpr15) and didn't lose much oil. Not recommended but an extreme example. 15w-60 won't cause issues in Australia with a 6 monthly oil change interval. Heck its 20 today after being low teens for a few weeks!
Seafoam and water torture
Also
You can redo the pcv and safely connect it directly to the intake squid so it constantly creates a vacuum in the engine
I did this in the tentacle wagon and it made a huge difference all round
6000 miles with less then 1l oil usage
On a motor that had 270k miles on it
When doing an oil change, always remember to put a little bit of oil in the oil filter, and run some oil around the rubber ring (with your finger) before screwing it up . This way the oil pump has something to suck on when you first start the car (could save a bad oil pump from dying). Depending on the size of the oil filter, those things can hold a bit of oil (Of course not 1ltr). As for the smoke, if you have not run it for a couple of months, yes the oil could of been buggered (and well sitting that long, will cause it to go bad). Cars were designed to be driven, I'd rather buy a 10yr+ car with 250K plus on the clock with all services, then a car with 110K on the clock which has only been driven on a Sunday to church. It's like the main thing you see with 4x4 owners, who only drive their 4x4 around the city and never engage the 4x4 system. There are a heap of seals that depend on oil flow. And after a while if these seals don't get coated in oil, they will perish. Its an example. As you only make reference to a couple of months. E10, will chew seal, as its gotta go through metal to get into the combustion chamber, which has plenty of rubber seals along the way.

"I noticed the dreaded blue smoke waufting from the tail pipe, in the rear view, while idling. and a decent puff when taking off."

This could be a heap of things.... Rings, valve stem seals.... Yes, really poor grade oil. If you think that this might be the case, try some whin's (Whimms???) stop smoke. And if it works, then I would be looking at the rings or the valve stem seals.

Doesn't sound promising I know, but Volvo's a great car, and I'd rather fix one then let one of those over priced wreckers make profit of a dead corps.
E10 doesn't eat as much as you think....
Cars have been made to run it for a while now.
It seems to be an excuse a poor mechanic uses to explain a problem he can't fix....
lol @Ex850R :) I don't think that is problem, just something to be mindful of.
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