Hi Rep,

Sounds like two threads in one.

I'm new to the 850 word this summer, and had to do the strut mounts a control arm/ball joint and two motor mounts and sway bar links. After alignment and retightening a loose top bolt at the strut mount? its been good. It wasn't
to hard of a job but you need a strut tool and the rest is ordinary tools.

The oil leak sounds serious.
When was the EGR system cleaned out last? If it's plugged then you'll blow oil.
You need to cleanout the EGR port at the intake manifold and throw away the flame trap. This is well documented and a nasty knuckle buster job for my big hands.

Also after you clean out the EGR blockage, switch to synthetic oil that is less
prone to block up like dyno-oil. I had that problem and used the BARS rear main seal treatment. It seems to have worked for me after maybe 1000-1200 miles.
Which is a huge relief since the rear main seal is a huge job.

I have a hunch that you might be able to clear the intake manifold blockage without pulling the manifold, but thats just speculation and doesn't include
paying attention to the oil separator. My oil separator was OK and all the trouble blockage was at the EGR valve and the port at the intake manifold
where it hooks up.

What color is your transmission fluid? I have a hunch it's brown or black.
Then you have another maintenance project to flush.

There's a lot of work that's no fun in the snowpiles

Good luck, Bill