Now that my '95 854T is outside its warranty, I have decided to perfom my own oil changes (more often: 3000 miles). After doing so I noticed a drop of oil on the garage floor. Upon investigating I have developed a slow leak aroung the drain pan nut. When I visited my local dealer to buy a few genuine oil filters, the partsperson gave me a few washers to put on the nut when I drained the oil. The partsperson stated thet the "new" wahsers were made out of aluminum and Volvo has had better luck with them not leaking than the brass wahsers they used to use.

My question is: is there a specified amount of torque to use when tightening the plug?

Upon trying to remove the plug (dealer was the last one to service it) the plug was extremely tight it took quite a few tugs to loosen it. I guess I was leary about overtightening the plug because of the alum. oil pan and the "new" "better" alum. washer.

On another note, I was reading a 1997 850 Full Line Catalog and noticed one of the improvements in the 1997 model year was a 10% increase in headlamp brightness (don't know about 70 series). Although this seems slight I have noticed a difference between my '95 and a '97 I have driven. Is this difference the reflector, the lens or the bulb itself? What about those new Xenon bulbs (blue-white light)? Are they coated in a blue "stuff" or does the gas inside cast a blueness?

I love my Volvo more and more each day and I am proud to be a member of the "Volvo Family."
Thanks in advance for all those who respond.