just visited the http://volvospeed.com/bay13.htm site, some great stuff there!
 I saw the procedure for cleaning the frame trap on an 850 NA engine and had a question for you.
 After my 80K service the dealer informed me that I had a rear main seal leak and it will cost about $800 to
 fix. I was really surprised that a VOLVO would have a rear main seal leak at 80K so I started asking
 questions and searching online. The dealer said that this was quite common, he sees the 850 series
 coming in with this leak right after the 60K maintenance. Is this true?
 I also found a document online that said a clogged flame trap could cause a leak such as this but I wonder
 if that is the case here. I noticed the car leaking oil slowly right after the 75K maintenance (leaked 1QT in
 5,000 miles) and thought it was the oil filter, it starts leaking right after I start it.
 If this is a rear main seal leak I would like to postpone an expensive repair as long as possible; are there
 any other repair options for this type of problem (esp. without dropping the AT)?
               

 I have seen rear main leaks as early as 10k. Flame trap clean as a whistle. If the seal is leaking, only
 option is to replace it. Other leak sources are the flex plate bolts and the two center rear oil pan bolts.
 These bolts will allow oil to seep around the threads. 1 qt in 5000 miles is not bad but be advised, it will not
 stop leaking.
 --
 bob
               

 >David, There is no real short cut or "silver bullet" to fix
 >a leaking rear main seal. Not all 850s need the rear main
 >seal replaced at 60-80K. I have done them a lot recently on
 >used cars with only 20-30K. I think the sitting around and
 >not running the vehicle might have something to do with it.
 >The seals do leak so I would imagine there is a lot of
 >information on the internet to support that fact, I'm just
 >not sure it's all of the cars, if that was the case I'd be
 >replacing a lot more seals. There is a very old trick I've
 >heard around the shop that says if you put a half pint of
 >brake fluid in with the engine oil it will cause the seals to
 >swell up and it might seal the leak, don't know if you want
 >to try it but, if your leak isn't that bad (1qt in 5000 miles)
 >and yours doesn't sound too bad, it might work.
 >
 >Rich K.

 Bob & Rich,
 Thanks for the info! Rich, I hope you don't mind that I posted your response.
 DB
               

 IF YOU GOT 80K OUT OF YOUR REAR MAIN YOU DID GOOD. VOLVO IS NOT A SUPER MACHINE IT
 IS A CAR. YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT WHAT PROBLEMS VOVLO HAS THAT MOST PEOPLE
 DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
 INTERNAL ENGINE PROBLEMS
 TRANS PROBLEMS
 BIG TIME EMISSION PROBLEMS
 ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS (BIG TIME)
 ETC,ETC.
 

 LOL! As I told Rich K, I've spent around $250 per service (that's $250 per 5000 miles). Most people I've
 spoken with think that you pay more for maintenance on a foreign car but have fewer problems. I'm
 learning... very quickly! :o)
               

 My 95 850 wagon just had her rear-main seal replaced...at 49632 miles...

 Yep, it sucked. I held off as long as humanly possible, but the leak progressively became worse over a 2-3
 week period. The shop said it may have worsened rather quickly because the clogged flametrap.
               

 I hope you were able to sneak that in under the warranty (5yrs/50K, that's pretty darn close to 50K!!)
               

 David,
 I just had mine replaced at 162,000km...it's a $27cdn part and the new seal is an improved version of the
 old. They have added a sponge type material to the rubber. The cost you were quoted concerns me...it
 takes 5 - 6 hrs labor. My total cost with taxes was $480Cdn thats $330 American!
 --
 Tony G, '94 850GLT, '82 240DL (mint) July '99 "Rolling" cover
               

 They quoted $70 for the seal plus 8hrs labor @$75 per hour. The service dept said about $800 for the job
 but if you do the math it comes out to $670. If it were $330 American (which I live in Massachusettes), it
 wouldn't be all that bad. I'm still surprised that the rear main seal let go at such low mileage. I had a 1972
 Volvo wagon with 250,000 on it, replaced the universal joint & tranny fluid somewhere before 300K but that
 was the extent of drivetrain problems on that car! (although it wasn't half the car the 855 is!!)
 Thanks for letting me know the new seal is of better quality! I WAS actually wondering about what I would
 do when 160K came around!!