I found a small spot of oil in my driveay that I attributed to a family member's car the last couple of weeks. It has been small but building lately. Well, it now is identified as coming from my 1995 850 (non-turbo). I see it from the bottom of the car coming out of the driver sside of of what appears to be the transmission (sorry, I'm not sure what side the trans sits). the oil level has been fine (even though it takes the normal quart every 3000 miles.) I had the car serviced about one month ago and that is when it seems to have started. I am embarressed to say that I have never changed my own oil on this car (easier to get rid of the oil via the dealer) so I don't know where the plug is and if it is tightened correctly. I do see a bolt that could be a plug and the oil seems to have gathered around it.

On a different note, I have what appears to be clear fluid inside my passenger side alloy wheel. I was adding windshield washer fluid and the tank over flowed via the overflow tubes attached to the washer tank. Would this flow down inside the engine compartment and then down into the wheel? The fluid was clear but once it hitthe brake dust and signs of blue washer fluid is lost. Any ideas before I visit the dealer Monday?

Thanks

This is what you will see when your rear main seal is leaking:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/34779031/147485335ScaLzu

The rectangular shaped hole next to the bolt is a weep hole. And as you can see, some golden colored oil (freshly changed!) has leaked through the weel hole and pooled on the bolt next to the hole.

To clean or replace your flame trap, look here:

http://volvospeed.com/Repair/ftrap.htm

my non turbo uses perhaps 1/2 ltr in 10,000 miles - i would not argue for noticable usage in 3k miles as being 'normal'

my non turbo uses perhaps 1/2 ltr in 10,000 miles - i would not argue for noticable usage in 3k miles as being 'normal'

Not to worry. The oil plug is dead center of the width of your car, but the plug is a horizontal bolt facing rearward towards the heatshields. I am a thin guy and still recommended (if you do not have a hydraulic jack) driving the front wheels on blocks to give you a couple of inches. Then slide yourself under the front bumper and you'll see the bolt. You can also try putting newspaper under the car to see where the drops are coming from. Hopefully it will match the location of the bolt.

Regarding leaky fluid, there are no colorless fluids in the car. My guess is when you filled your washer fluid, it leaked between the clear/white filler neck and the black tube just below it. Try twisting the filler neck by hand and you will see what I mean. This happened to me a few times as well.

Good luck.

Before you have the dealer rolling dollar signs in his eyes for a new rear main, clean the flame trap and the vacuum tube leading to it. If it is clogged, eventually every seal will start to leak. Some of us have found that the leak diminishes after the flame trap is cleaned.

Yes, the overflow is inside the engine compartment by the right front wheel.

Klaus
--
98 V70R awd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 75 164 (176K mi), 88 245(165K mi)

The oil leak could be the rear main seal, which is located at the side of the engine that faces the transmission, so when it leaks, it shows up there. If that's the case, it will be expensive to replace. The seal is about 30 bucks, but the transmission must be removed to access it, so the labor costs are the kicker.

The clear liquid is probably the overflowed washer solution. I'd worry more about the rear main seal. The leak will continue to get worse, usually at high speed driving over around town driving. The rear main seal is a wek point with this engine, I had mine replaced on my 95 850 a few months ago.