Hi,

I drove my 1993 850 GLT Non-Turbo about 125 miles last week from NY to Philadelphia. After getting there and parking I noticed that there was about a 4" by 6" oil stain under the crossmember. Not a puddle, but a stain.

I checked the oil level and it was down by a small amount (still between the high/low marks on the dipstick). I drove back to NY and after I got to NY the oil light came on and the transmission "up arrow" started blinking.

I checked the dipstick and saw that the level was still between the high and low marks, but beginning to get closer to the low mark. I put about .75 quart in and the oil light went out. However the blinking transmission light has remained.

I checked the transmission fluid level and now the level is high. I checked it hot, and the level is way above the 'hot' maximum level and i checked it cold and it's way above the 'cold' maximum level.

I had checked the oil and transmission fluid levels the previous week and everything was fine. Is it possible that engine oil can be forced into the transmission fluid if there is a clog somewhere in the oil system? I've read something about oil being forced past the rear seal. Can that get oil into the transmission in any way?

The transmission shifts fine but I haven't driven it much for fear of damaging it. Any clues as to how the transmission fluid level could have gotten higher? There doesn't seem to be any leaking coming from the transmission so far.

Thanks for any help.

You can check for fault codes at two small (1.5" x 1") rectangular boxs (called the DLC) under the hood behind the passenger side headlight area. Each cover should come off as you pull up on it, but only an inch or so because it will have a removable wire as well as a retaining cord attached to the cover. The box on the left, near the blue cover for the windshield washer fluid should be A and the other one B.

To check for transmission faults, you need to put the removable plug into the A-1 socket and turn the ignition on almost all the way but not far enough to energize the starter motor. Go to the DLC and press the small black button for a second and wait for a blinking red light. Write down the number of blinks. They will come in 3 segments with a short pause between them. You will understand it better after you have done it once. The code 1-1-1 means no faults are stored. 1-1-2 up to 3-3-3 are possible faults that you might find. If you don't get the 1-1-1, then you have to keep on reading codes until the 1-1-1 shows up which signifies that you have seen all the codes. At this point, you can clear the codes. Do this by pressing on the button again for at least 7 seconds and release. In a few seconds, the red light will come back on. Press and hold the button again for at least 7 seconds and then release. In a few seconds the red light should go off and the codes should have been removed. To verify, press the button for a second and release. If you get the code 1-1-1, you have been successful. If not, repeat the procedure. If you can't complete these steps, you can stop at any time and put things back they way there were with no danger to anything.

I use both a Haynes and a Chilton manual to work on our 850's. Each manual lists a majority of the fault codes and will take you through the prfocess step by step. If you are planning to any work yourself or you what to be knowledgable when you take it a shop, they are worth having and aren't too expensive, compared to Volvo's service manuals which are much more detailed and comprehensive.

Go to this website and you will find a listing of the transmission fault codes.
http://www.volvospeed.com/volvo_performance.php

This often referred to as the Bay 13 repair site where you will find many repairs explained, often with pictures.

As to the oil light coming on, was the oil changed recently? Could a lighter weight oil have been used? Your owner's manual should indicate the proper weight based on the temperature range where you live.

Did the oil light stay on after you turned off the engine? Normally, all the lights should be off when the engine has been turned completely off. This could indicate a wiring problem.

As to the car seeming to be 'zippier', could you have inadvertently moved the transmission mode lever to sport from economy?

Hope some of this helps.

Good luck.
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Don 93 & 95 854 GLT, 95 855T

hi don,

thanks for all that info! it'll help me out quite a lot. i took it to a repair facility here in nyc and they said the codes indicated an intermittent open circuit for one of the shift solenoids (they couldn't say which one) as well as a defective programmer. i'm not sure what he meant by the 'programmer' - looking it up now - but i understand the issue with the shift solenoid.

also, i have to confess that i totally misread the transmission fluid level. the first time i checked it i did it with the engine running, which was correct. the second time, i had the engine off. so naturally, the level would be higher. brain fade...

re the oil light
it didn't stay on when the engine was not running. (it's not on now at all)
i did get to look under the car on a lift and the oil is coming from where the engine and transaxle mate so it looks to be the rear main seal.

the shop recommeded a remanufactured transaxle ($1800 from volvo) since the fluid smelled kind of burnt so there's the possibility that there's been some damage internally. the total including a new torque converter, rear seal, and 8 hours of labor came to $2750. i'm debating what to do. i really like the car, but am not sure if i want to put this kind of money into it when it already has 161000 miles on it.

since the mechanic cleared the fault codes the arrow is no longer blinking. i'm wondering how serious this is right now. i know a flush is at least in order. i'm wondering if it makes sense to just flush it out, add new fluid and see what happens with it. either way, the transaxle has to come down to replace the rear seal.

If you fixed the car, it wouldn't be worth much more then $3500. It's a tough call. I would try the trans fluid flush. It's not uncommon for the fluid to get that smell after all those miles. And I don't think you can do any more damage then may presently exist.

Did you go to a dealer or an independent shop? The fault codes dealing with any problem with any of the 4 solenoids are specific to that solenoid. The shop should have been able to tell you which solenoid it was. Look at the volvospeed website I gave you earlier. You can see for yourself.

I suggest you submit a post to the board asking for recommendations for a repair shop in or near nyc. You can specify that you may need a new transmission inside your post.

Good luck.
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Don 93 & 95 854 GLT, 95 855T

I looked at those codes and I too noticed that the codes are very specific regarding the solenoid that is affected. Once I saw this level of specificity I had the sense that the shop was trying to snow me or perhaps wasn't as attentive to something as they should have been,

I went to an independent repair facility here in Brooklyn - Bay Diagnostic.

Something that also made me uncomfortable was that when I mentioned the Flame Trap as a possible issue, the mechanic replied that my car doesn't have a Flame Trap. Then he went on to say that he can't see the flame trap due to its location, but that he tests for high crankcase pressure by seeing whether there's an upward pressure at the oil cap. At first this makes sense, but if you look closer it doesn't: Since the car already has oil leaking out the rear main seal thatindicates that any inordinately high crankcase pressures that may exist are likely venting through the seal as well. It's a lot easier for air to get out the seal than for oil, right?

So I plan to manually check the flame trap myself and flush the transmission fluid. Who knows, maybe the trap is clogged and removing/replacing it might slow the rear main seal leak enough so that I can get more mileage out of it before pulling it down for replacement. It's a shame cause the engine really runs well and the car was well maintained.

Thanks for all your help too.

If the flame trap is clear, you will need to check the hoses attached to it. If that doesn't help, there is an oil trap located under the intake manifold. That is where the gases from the engine leave the engine block on their way to the flame trap. They have been known to clog up. Unfortunately, it is a labor intensive job that requires the removal of the intake manifold first. I only remember seeing one post of someone who has actually dealt with that problem and it wasn't on an 850, so it must not be too common.

Volvospeed website has info on working on the flame trap.

The only 850's without flame traps are the turbo charged engines.

Good luck.
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Don 93 & 95 854 GLT, 95 855T

Did you check the DLC for any stored codes? The only code that I can find for the transmission fluid using the lead in socket A1 is 2-3-5 which means the temperature of the fluid is too high. Did the transmission go into the limp home mode?

The only thing that comes to mind is that the transmission fluid cooler in the radiator could have sprung a leak, allowing antifreeze to enter into the cooler and mix with the transmission fluid. However, I don't know if the cooling system pressure is greater then the pressure that the transmission fluid is under when it passes through the transmission fluid cooler. It would have to be for my theory to be possible. And when the engine is cold, I know that the water pressure must be less then the transmission fluid pressure. Most likely, this isn't part of your problem. But stranger things have happened.

As for the oil light coming on, I believe that the light signals low pressure, not the actual level of the fluid. Did the light come on while driving or while stopped? If it was while stopped, it could indicate worn bearings and it probably would not be worth the expense to replace them. Either trade it in or drive it until it breaks.

I looked through the trouble codes I have and couldn't find one for the oil light. My guess (hopefully) would be either a faulty pressure sensor/wiring or oil diluted by fuel (rich mixture or incomplete combustion). That might be easy to correct.

If it is the oil pump, that is replacable like the water pump at the front of the engine.

Good Luck.
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Don 93 & 95 854 GLT, 95 855T

hi don,

thanks for your reply.

the tranny hasn't gone into limp home mode. it actually shifts perfectly. as bizarre as this sounds, the car feels like it's driving a little zippier than before!

this is my first 850. can you point me to some info on how to check the error codes? i'd really appreciate that as well.

i think the oil light came on while driving. it stayed on after shutting off/restarting the engine.

i'm wondering about the coolant-in-atf idea. i have to look at the atf again.