Volvo Cartridge C&P - 2004 XC90 using HPL 0W30

[Astro14]

Daughter’s XC90 is back here in VB for a bit of work, some rear hubs, transmission drain and fill, body work (Boston drivers…sheesh), a few interior bits, and, of course, an oil change. 4,000 miles on the Volvo OEM filter. 247,000 miles on the car. HPL 0W30 Euro.

I have posted about the car before. I found a great deal of carbon in the engine when I dropped the sump about 12,000 miles ago. I cleaned the engine sump mechanically and sealed it back up. Pics here -
Post in thread 'Filter pictures HPL 0W30 6,000 miles, 2002 Volvo XC70'
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...000-miles-2002-volvo-xc70.360166/post-6648642s

I realize that I could go much farther on David’s excellent oil. This was more a matter of convenience since the car was here, and I don’t have to impose on somebody up in Massachusetts, as I did last winter - https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/thank-you-trav.375830/

The carbon bits are definitely there. Not worried by this, as I think it is cleaning up all the carbon that I could not remove mechanically last summer.

I’ve noticed the same carbon in my wife’s V70XC - which had the sump dropped and resealed last fall. Pictures here - https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...-hpl-0w30-6-000-miles-2002-volvo-xc70.360166/

The filter media looks relatively clean, compared with longer runs on higher mileage versions of the same engine.

 

[53' Stude]

Looks good and definitely some junk coming out.

 

[himemsys]

Daughter’s XC90 is back here in VB for a bit of work, some rear hubs, transmission drain and fill, body work (Boston drivers…sheesh), a few interior bits, and, of course, an oil change. 4,000 miles on the Volvo OEM filter. 247,000 miles on the car. HPL 0W30 Euro.

I have posted about the car before. I found a great deal of carbon in the engine when I dropped the sump about 12,000 miles ago. I cleaned the engine sump mechanically and sealed it back up. Pics here -
Post in thread 'Filter pictures HPL 0W30 6,000 miles, 2002 Volvo XC70'
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...000-miles-2002-volvo-xc70.360166/post-6648642s

I realize that I could go much farther on David’s excellent oil. This was more a matter of convenience since the car was here, and I don’t have to impose on somebody up in Massachusetts, as I did last winter - https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/thank-you-trav.375830/

View attachment 223566

The carbon bits are definitely there. Not worried by this, as I think it is cleaning up all the carbon that I could not remove mechanically last summer.

I’ve noticed the same carbon in my wife’s V70XC - which had the sump dropped and resealed last fall. Pictures here - https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...-hpl-0w30-6-000-miles-2002-volvo-xc70.360166/

The filter media looks relatively clean, compared with longer runs on higher mileage versions of the same engine.

I really should've cut my filter open on the last couple of oil changes on our 2013 S80. It's so easy to do with a cartridge, I just never thought of it at the time. Next OC is due in October, I'll have to remember to cut it apart and take pics!

 

[fantastic]

I agree that this filter reflects chunks rather than a bunch of small particles & is overall still a functional filter at 4k. It's a balance between convenience & curiosity when to chop open a filter. It's bringing the big chunks exactly where it belongs to the filter. I like how you include the link for the previous internal deep cleaning & provides some history. This filter appears cleaner than your other vehicle in that link that you ran HPL on. I would argue "a good chunk" cleaner..ha ha. Great job so far & will be interesting on what you can report in the next 4k or so. Are you going to target another 4k run or stretch it out a bit?

 

[himemsys]

Speaking of which, what is the proper procedure for a cartridge filter? Let it dry/drain for a few days? What sort of prep do you do to the filter before removing the end caps and rolling the pleats out for photography?

 

[fantastic]

Speaking of which, what is the proper procedure for a cartridge filter? Let it dry/drain for a few days? What sort of prep do you do to the filter before removing the end caps and rolling the pleats out for photography?

Personally, I use the blue oreilly's shop towels & rubber bands. I went through a good chunk of those towels b/c I wanted it as dry as I could wait for 3-6 days. It allows you to really see all the bits & pieces that are hard to see when it's soaked in oil. I just take some needle nose plyers & pry off the end caps. I think I might try to remove the end caps then squeeze the media in my new vice to make the process much quicker. I hope it doesn't disturb the particles too much though if it does at all.

 

[Astro14]

I agree that this filter reflects chunks rather than a bunch of small particles & is overall still a functional filter at 4k. It's a balance between convenience & curiosity when to chop open a filter. It's bringing the big chunks exactly where it belongs to the filter. I like how you include the link for the previous internal deep cleaning & provides some history. This filter appears cleaner than your other vehicle in that link that you ran HPL on. I would argue "a good chunk" cleaner..ha ha. Great job so far & will be interesting on what you can report in the next 4k or so. Are you going to target another 4k run or stretch it out a bit?

I plan to let it run for more like 6,000 next time.

It has a PCV system leak (annoying, because I replaced it all last year) which will get fixed. Oil consumption on this engine is very low, even with the leak.

The real determinant will be how much it gets driven. My daughter is a big skier, and despite her academic load, generally gets out of Boston every weekend.

The other challenge is logistics. She is in school in Boston, and I am down here. If it wasn't for Trav last fall, and my son in Vermont this spring, it would have gone about 12,000 on the last run.

I would not call the particles "chunks". Individually, they are smaller than 0.25mm and they are soft to the touch. They crumble.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Squeezing the media in paper towels after the media is cut out will cause some of the captured debris to transfer in to the towel. When paper towels are wrapped on the filter and held down by rubber bands before the media is cut out, the oil just wicks slowly through the media to the peaks of the pleats where the towel is making contact, and doesn't disturb the debris down between the pleats. It takes longer, but it's the best way to do it.

 

[Astro14]

Update - the XC90 is back in town for its “annual”. In addition to new rear brakes (severe rust - long story) and a bunch of smaller issues, of course, I changed the oil. Let the filter drain, and cut it the next day.

7,000 miles on HPL Euro 0W30. Still getting the carbon that I see in the V70XC.

The XC90 is at 263,7xx miles. The engine runs perfectly. Really pleased with this car as it leads a hard life, but starts, runs, shifts, handles, brakes and drives like it was new.

 

[Astro14]

I should add that while I do see this carbon in the 2002 V70XC (which has over 300,000 miles on it) I do not see this carbon in my 2004 V70R. That engine is spotless inside (the previous owner changed the oil every 5,000 miles with Mobil 1 5W30) and I’ve cut filters from that car, which is running 0W40 HPL supercar, with @wwillson himself.

So, I don’t think the carbon is a Volvo artifact. Nor do I think it to be an artifact of HPL. If either, or both, were true, then we would see the carbon in the filters of the “R”.

I think HPL is continuing to clean the engine. I cleaned it mechanically (bronze brush, scraper, etc.) when the sump was off, but there are parts of the engine that I could not reach.

So, the plan going forward is to continue the HPL usage.

 

[Sam_Julier]

Update - the XC90 is back in town for its “annual”. In addition to new rear brakes (severe rust - long story) and a bunch of smaller issues, of course, I changed the oil. Let the filter drain, and cut it the next day.

7,000 miles on HPL Euro 0W30. Still getting the carbon that I see in the V70XC.

The XC90 is at 263,7xx miles. The engine runs perfectly. Really pleased with this car as it leads a hard life, but starts, runs, shifts, handles, brakes and drives like it was new.

View attachment 294513View attachment 294514

Dad’s Garage: where the price is right and the service can’t be beat.

 

[4WD]

Dad’s Garage: where the price is right and the service can’t be beat.

Often in the same building as The Bank of Dad, LLMe …

 

[fantastic]

No oil added? How far down on the dipstick min/full at 7k? I think you mentioned Mahle goes on it. Sounds like it's still humming along.

 

[Astro14]

No oil added? How far down on the dipstick min/full at 7k? I think you mentioned Mahle goes on it. Sounds like it's still humming along.

I think she is adding about a quart in between changes, and it was close to minimum on this change. Which puts consumption around 1 QT every 3,000.

Interestingly, her sister’s 2002 V70T5, which has 227,000 miles (and also got its annual at Dad’s Garage this weekend, including a timing set, accessory drive belt/tensioner, spark plugs, some bulbs, and an air box replacement of a broken latch) does not use a drop of oil between changes.

That car is currently being run on Mobil 1 0W40. It has had a couple runs of HPL, and during my ownership, has been run on all sorts of ACEA A3/B4 synthetic oils at modest (5,000 - 7,500) intervals.

I believe the consumption on the XC-90 is from the turbo. Compression and performance are good, but I did find some oil external to the turbo. It was not from the oil supply (pressure) line or the drain line. So, it has to be from the intact tract, and the only real source there is excessive blow by in the engine (unlikely, given the compression and performance) or the turbo oil seals.

The 2002 V70XC, at 308,xxx miles, which has also lived on a various ACEA A3/B4 oils most of its life, and has also had the sump cleaned and PCV system replaced, uses a quart about every 1,500-2,000 miles. Again, I suspect turbo seals. But a decent rebuilt turbo is about $1,200. Volvo no longer offers them. Ancillary parts (gaskets, sealing rings, bolts/nuts) would add about another $100 to that cost, not to mention the hassle of replacing the turbo.

So, the plan for both cars, the 2002 V70XC and the 2004 XC90 is to monitor the oil level, and the consumption, and if we hit 1QT/1,000 miles, we go for a rebuilt turbo.

But for the 2002V70T5 - no need to plan anything yet. It is doing remarkably well.