Hi,

We need some help with a 1988 Volvo 240 dl wagon. Two weeks ago, my husband pulled into work, turned off the car, and saw the red battery light glow. Jump starts were unsuccessful, and he ended up having a local shop replace the alternator. They charged the battery at the same time and said it was fine, but 2 days later, we had a no-start in our driveway which was solved by a new battery. Thinking all was good now, my husband noticed an occasional drop in the fuel tank gauge but ignored it. The fuel tank gauge would sometimes read empty when we knew there was gas in the tank, then suddenly resolve itself. Three weeks after the alternator job, my husband had lights and gauges shutting down on him and the car eventually stalled on the highway. Another tow to the mechanic, and they told us an oil leak is dripping on the alternator and shorting it out intermittently. They have replaced the alternator but refuse to warranty it further once we pick up the car. The oil leak is not consuming much oil... maybe a quart every few weeks (mileage on the car is 275,000). Does the mechanic's story sound right...that an oil leak can ruin a 3-week-old alternator and battery....or does this sound (with the fuel gauge situation also going on) like an incorrectly-diagnosed electrical problem? The shop said if the leak goes on, it will eventually ruin the wiring harness. We have had reason to mistrust the shop's integrity on another occasion, and they say they don't fix oil leaks, so we are really at their mercy right now. Any opinions?