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850 95 Oil leak

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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Klausc
Posts: 793
Joined: 11 October 2006
Year and Model: 1995 855 Turbo
Location: Shorewood, MN
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Re: 850 95 Oil leak

Post by Klausc »

Time to read up on PCV problems. The RMS usually begins leaking when the crankcase pressure gets too high. Reduce the pressure and the leak can reduce considerably.
If you have a turbo, check the PCT for a clogged nipple.
Klaus
If I had a larger garage, I could have more Volvos.

osmium
Posts: 208
Joined: 2 July 2009
Year and Model: 96 850 GLT
Location: Nashua, NH

Post by osmium »

wdckwrth wrote:Looks like it is the RMS.

Got the car up on the lift, sprayed part cleaner on everything with oil on it and wiped it down clean. Started the car up and stood around and BS'ed while we waited to see where it was going to leak from. Sure enough we got oil leaking out of the weep hole.

They are going to write me up a quote but several folks on this thread have already commented on switching to "high mileage" oil. Is that a viable option instead of actually fixing the issue? Any better or worse than the "stop leak" products?

I've got a small leak out of the weep hole too. Switching to a high mileage oil has reduced it considerably. My indie mechanic advised against any stopleak products on that engine. He stopped his leak by going to heavier weight high mileage oil on his XC.

I'm sure the cold weather has helped too!

-os
1996 850 GLT 262k miles (gone :( )

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1999 Honda Civic (gone)
1996 850 GLT (gone, no more Volvos :( )
2000 Buick Park Avenue (gone)
2005 Honda Odyssey (gone)
2013 Lexus ES350 (replaced Volvo 850)
2021 Honda Pilot

wdckwrth
Posts: 14
Joined: 4 January 2010
Year and Model: 855 NA '95
Location: Maryland

Post by wdckwrth »

osmium wrote: I'm sure the cold weather has helped too!
I've been thinking that as well. That once spring hits the leak is going to be a lot bigger then it is right now.

Reading up on PVC on non-turbos.

osmium
Posts: 208
Joined: 2 July 2009
Year and Model: 96 850 GLT
Location: Nashua, NH

Post by osmium »

wdckwrth wrote:
osmium wrote: I'm sure the cold weather has helped too!
I've been thinking that as well. That once spring hits the leak is going to be a lot bigger then it is right now.

Reading up on PVC on non-turbos.

When the spring comes, I'll probably go to a heavier oil than the 10W30 I'm using now.

-os
1996 850 GLT 262k miles (gone :( )

Image

1999 Honda Civic (gone)
1996 850 GLT (gone, no more Volvos :( )
2000 Buick Park Avenue (gone)
2005 Honda Odyssey (gone)
2013 Lexus ES350 (replaced Volvo 850)
2021 Honda Pilot

_HighVoltage_
Posts: 57
Joined: 7 April 2009
Year and Model: 1994 850 NA
Location: Athens, WV

Post by _HighVoltage_ »

Ahhh...the good old RMS.

I've been fighting mine since the summer. I switched to Mobil 1 High Mileage (I don't know what it had before) and it made it worse.
Put a bottle of Bar's RMS Stop leak...nothing changed.

I was losing as much as 1qt per 500 miles :shock: :shock: :shock:

Then I started to put Valvoline MaxLife 10W40 (Semi-Synthetic) and behold...it helped a lot. Now I'm only losing 1/2qt per 1000 miles, if even that.

I can't give you any advice...just telling you what I did. You decide what you want to try. (you could also spend $800+ to change the RMS and the PCV)

Ozark Lee
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Post by Ozark Lee »

Servicing the PCV will help to relieve the crankcase pressure and perhaps buy you some more time on the RMS change. It will also help to prevent other seals from failing.

...Lee
'94 850 N/A 5 speed
'96 Platinum Edition Turbo
Previous:
1999 V70XC - Nautic Blue - Totaled while parked.
1999 V70XC - RIP - Wrecked Parts Car.
1998 S70 T5
1996 850 N/A
1989 740 GLT
1986 740 GLT
1972 142 Grand Luxe

9394volvo850s
Posts: 239
Joined: 12 October 2009
Year and Model: 93 850 5spd 94 850T5
Location: New York

Post by 9394volvo850s »

heavier oil means mor fuel consumption and more stress on an old oil pump. and I was using a high mileage oil when the leak started. and there is no better alternative then to just fix it. less to worry about.
93 850 5spd 320k (the daily)
94 850 T5 190K (race car)
95 T-5R wagon yellow (summer wag)
90 745 5spd 295k (winter wag)
67 122 2 door 4spd 69k :))

Klausc
Posts: 793
Joined: 11 October 2006
Year and Model: 1995 855 Turbo
Location: Shorewood, MN
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Post by Klausc »

Replacing 10W30 with 20W50 will do more harm than good. The oil pump has to work harder, the engine will warm up slower, the hydraulic lifters will get clogged up, and your mpg will drop. Heavier oil is not the answer, fixing the crankcase ventilation is the only viable solution.

For turbo engines, check the PCT nipple and clean it first. For NA engines, clean out the flame trap and hoses first. Then attack the oil separator box and associated hoses, a 5 hour DIY job. Don't wreck your engine by adding heavier oil or adding stop leak products to mask the symptoms.
Klaus
If I had a larger garage, I could have more Volvos.

wdckwrth
Posts: 14
Joined: 4 January 2010
Year and Model: 855 NA '95
Location: Maryland

Post by wdckwrth »

Follow up. I had the RMS replaced yesterday. I had the mechanic check the PVC but I am going to check it myself as well. Thanks everyone.

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