Yep, my 1996 960 had the same problem. I fixed it temporarily with JB Weld, but finally decided to have it replaced. If I knew then what I know now, I would have done the replacement myself, but I had a guy do it for me. I now know how easy it is to remove the fuel rail. It just pulls right out once all the stuff around it has been removed. I had to replace a fuel line from the fire wall to the fuel rail, and I bought it off a junk car, so I had to remove two fuel rails in one day.

Dear bogy1,

Hope you're well. I don't operate 960s, but recall a post, to the effect that Volvo has a replacement fuel rail with a more secure end-cap. As fuel leaks are by definition dangerous, I'd seek an upgraded part. It will be hard to seal the leak, as the JB Weld (an excellent product) cannot get into the gap, because the gap is very small. Further, the gasoline is under pressure.

Even so, if you want to try JB Weld, I'd roughen the metal with fine sandpaper, and clean the area with a strong solvent - e.g., methyl ethyl ketone (chemical cousin of acetone; both very flammable) - to get the metal surgically clean. I'd then apply the JB Weld. If there's the slightest oily film on the metal, few sealants will adhere properly. Making the metal slightly rough will give the sealant a better grip.

It might be more effective to wrap a strip of rubber around the end of the fuel rail, over the seam between the rail's tube and the end-cap. Use a hose clamp to compress the rubber strip and keep it pressed against the metal. This might stop the leak. I would cut the rubber strip, so that the length exactly matches the circumference of the fuel rail. I'd not overlap the rubber strip, because a single layer will be compressed more evenly by the hose clamp.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook