Howdy. I have a 97 850 GLT. After a long drive, it was parked in the garage all night. In the morning, there was about a 4-inch diameter "leak puddle" on the floor. When I first looked at it from above, it looked almost greenish and I was thinking anitfreeze, but when I wiped it with a paper towel it looked yellowish. I know I have a very slow P.S. fluid leak, but that fluid is pink. Any ideas?

I've also noticed similar leaks lately when I've parked in garages on other occassions. Again, the fluid looks kinda green from above, but it doesn't look green on the paper towel.

I guess this could be your standard motor oil leak, but I am somewhat confused by the greenish tint to it from above.

How's your coolant level? Is it dropping? By "on the floor" do you mean the floor of the garage right?

I just replaced the radiator on my '95 855t as it was starting to seep from the passenger side tank seal.

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Erwin in Memphis, '88 745t 190,000 miles, '95 855t 92,000 miles

I haven't noticed any heavy coolant level fluctuations, but I haven't been paying very close attention to it lately as I assumed the leak couldn't be coolant. I'll check again tonight.

Yep, I meant the floor of the garage.

Is the leak on the driver side floor ? Did the fluid feel oily. If it is, then it is definitely coolant leak from either the heater core or the pipes going into the heater core. Coolant looks greenish when looking into the coolant tank in the car but sort of clear/yellowish when looking into the coolant container from dealer or autoshop.

Ching-Ho Cheng
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1995 855 NA, Bilstein Strut & Shocks, Volvo Protective Grill, K&N Filter, E-Code Lens, Alpine CD-Changer, AutoDim RearView Mirror, 6000K HID

It wasn't heavily to one side or the other, but I'd say it was a little closer to the driver's side than to the passenger side.

It did have an oily feel to it.

So when you say that it could be from heater core or pipes going into the heater core, does this mean that if the leak is indeed coolant, that it's not necessarily the water pump?

Thanks.

P.E.

the water pump's on the 850 are very well built and do not leak/fail often from what I have read. The coolent leak (assuming it is coolent) can be coming from a heater hose, heater core, radiater hose, hose to coolent tank on fender, or even the cap on the coolent tank can develop a crack and leak under pressure. I believe there was even a recall on the coolent cap due to cracking and leaks. The water pump is by far not the only thing to look at when you have a leak.

Good Luck and keep us posted!

Dan
1997 850 GLT Turbo

Your initial post didn't specify which floor (garage or inside footwell floor). Now, your other post said that it was on the garage floor. Then, this will not be the heater core or the pipes (o-rings) going into the heater core. As I said that heater core is located inside the car behind the center console. If it leaks, coolant would be seen either in driver side or passenger side footwell inside the car not on the garage floor.
Where is the leak seen ? Under the engine or under the catalyst converter ? If it is under the engine and around the timing belt area then it could be the water pump leak. If the leak is around the engine/tranny side then it could be the radiator hose (lower hose). If the leak is around the front of the engine, it could be the radiator itself or the lower hose (radiator side).

Ching-Ho Cheng
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1995 855 NA, Bilstein Strut & Shocks, Volvo Protective Grill, K&N Filter, E-Code Lens, Alpine CD-Changer, AutoDim RearView Mirror, 6000K HID

Or maybe even the air conditioning dumping condensed water out?

Is it normal for the AC to dump out condensed water? The reason I ask is that this past summer I noticed a stream of water would occassionally be flowing down to the gutter of the street after I stopped the car & after the AC was on.
I couldn't detect exactly where it was coming from, but it looked like it was coming from that part of the undercarriage which is located beneath the front passenger seat.

The issue in my post above doesn't appear to be AC related, as I haven't been using the AC lately.

If the fluid is not oily and clear then it could be water from the clogged AC drain pipe behind the center console.

Ching-Ho Cheng
--
1995 855 NA, Bilstein Strut & Shocks, Volvo Protective Grill, K&N Filter, E-Code Lens, Alpine CD-Changer, AutoDim RearView Mirror, 6000K HID