Hi, you can read about capacitators and the volvo fuel pump relay if you go down to #54 in this link http://volvo850wagon.wordpress.com/ Oil on top of the engine is most likely from the oil filler cap, change the rubber gasket in the filler cap and you should be fine. The oily gunk in the PCV tube i...

Glad that you got it sorted out, I´m sorry I could not answer your question regarding the 4-pin vs 5-pin relay, but you obviously sorted it out yourself. Thank you for posting what you did and the results, we all learn something from it to keep our Volvos rolling towards higher milages

I have had the exact same symptoms as you, but I didn´t move the car beforehand. Car was standing for a couple of weeks outside in the winter not beeing used. Got into the car, turned the ignition on, cranked for 1-2 seconds as normal, thought the engine catched, but when I let the key back to pos I...

I noticed the same low knocking coming from somewhere around the right side of the engine block. I have no idea of what it is, but my engine is also working fine.

Mine has the same noise.

I also got cream colored gunk on the tip of the dipstick when I drove back and from work without the engine getting warm. These engines are not designed to be be driven short stretches it seems. Clogged pcv system was to blame, but I got no pressure symptoms before I replaced it.

Many thanks to everyone for all the work and pictures you have contributed. My ABS light was coming on infrequently. I took it off and apart. I could not see any cracks in the solder using a magnifying glass so I decided to just put it back on without doing anything to it. I sprayed the connectors ...

Sounds like a bad fuel pump relay. If I were you, I would try replacing it. It doesn´t cost much.

A german import Volvo 855 20v on propane had original drivetrain and no major repair at 600 000 km at my native Volvo forum. On the local forum many people do burn their valves and I believe its because of leaking valve stem seals. Maybe the oil gets burned off and tricks the oxygen sensor into beli...

Haha, you are describing the exact things I was worried about when I got my volvo 2 years ago. The milky stuff is condensated water from the piston blowby gases in the crankcase. I got this after driving short trips where the engine never got really warm; the pcv gets clogged and the blowby gases an...