Dipstick tube o-ring

[eweb101]

I developed a pretty substantial oil leak at the base of the dipstick tube. I unscrewed the tube and saw there was an o-ring in there so I went to autozone and bought a new one for a about a dollar and replaced it. This seemed like an easy fix but now I'm looking at the engine schematics and it shows two o-rings instead of one, part 33 in the attached schematic, and each o-ring is about $15 dollars.


Is anyone familiar with the engine, Volvo Penta MD2040, to know if it really needs two o-rings and if there's something special about the volvo o-rings that makes them cost so much?

[belizesailor]

Volvo o-rings cost so much because they are a rip off. Off the shelf o-rings will work just fine (I have replaced exactly these o-rings, and many others, with off the shelf automotive o-rings...same is true for oil seals).

[eweb101]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Volvo o-rings cost so much because they are a rip off. Off the shelf o-rings will work just fine (I have replaced exactly these o-rings, and many others, with off the shelf automotive o-rings...same is true for oil seals).

Did you replace with one or two o-rings? Nowhere else on the engine is there a stack of o-rings, at least that I've found, so the diagram seems strange to me.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by eweb101

Did you replace with one or two o-rings? Nowhere else on the engine is there a stack of o-rings, at least that I've found, so the diagram seems strange to me.

IIRC, which I give about 50% likelyhood, I replaced 2 and they were flat.

There are multiple o-rings on the throttle and fuel shut off shafts too, where they pass thru the timing cover housing, horrid design, very tiny o-rings, though not stacked. Those are a major PITA to replace...very hard not to damage when reseating, usually you get it right after the 2cnd or 3rd try. Related funny: I needed to replace those and was really busy w other prep work prior to cruisng season. I tried to farm that job out to a mechanic friend and...he turned me down! Because he knew what a PITA they are. [emoji16]

[eweb101]

I replaced the throttle and fuel shutoff o-rings last month. You're right, it really was a pain, but in the end everything worked out and the they don't leak anymore. Compared to that mess, I thought replacing the dipstick tube o-ring would be easy, but now I'm doubting my autozone o-ring fix.

[belizesailor]

The dip stick o-ring replacement is easy. Is your dip stick still leaking?

[eweb101]

I ran it for about a half hour this morning and it didn't leak so maybe it is fixed. I'll keep an eye on it, of course.


And thanks for responding. Sometimes it seems like a full-time job keeping fluids on the inside of the engine.