Catastrophic oil leak!? 850 T5
 

Morning all. After a cold (-3deg) drive to work this morning (3 miles), I parked up to discover a huge oil leak from behind the driver's headlamp - please see photos.

Can anyone think what the failure point could be? Oil cooler? Currently waiting to be recovered to a local Volvo garage

From the location it could be a camshaft seal, but looks quite a lot of oil just for this, or maybe one of the hoses under the intake manifold has split, but again quite a lot of oil.
Has the pvc system been replaced ?
May be an idea to clean as much off as you can and try running engine to spot anything

In that area, looks like engine oil cooler (end of radiator) to me, or the feed lines going to it. Do check the feed lines carefully, they are only held in with little spring clips, which can corrode and weaken, and although it's not common it's perfectly possible that all that has happened is that the feed or return pipe has popped out, in which case you've got a major cleaning up job to do but an easy fix. If it's the cooler on the end of the radiator then you're into a new rad, but failure of this is fairly common and on most cars it'll only be a matter of time before it needs replacing - although failure isn't normally as dramatic as that, which is why I'd be suspecting the feed pipes.

If you do replace the radiator, then you should also fit new spring clips and O rings to those feed pipes, same on the other side if it's an auto, easily and cheaply available from Volvo. In fact I'd be replacing all four (assuming auto) of those clips whether or not they are at fault. On mine I added a little cable tie round them too, for belt-and-braces protection.

Surely in that area it's got to be one of those two things?

All the best - happy cleaning up!

Is the oil filter ok?

Looks like the oil cooler line has gone AWOL.

Make sure the aux belt is also 100% clean or replace it as you don't want that contaminated with oil otherwise it could slip off and take out the cam belt.

If the cam seals go then they will chuck out quite a bit of oil but it won't spray all over the engine bay, it will run down the block as the drivers side are behind the cams & cover and the passenger side are behind the dizzy/cam sensor.

Might also want to get that grey coolant cap changed for a new green one.

Definitely with you on this ..I'll put money in top cooler line or bottom spraying this out !

Within that location I'd say it's your oil cooler line.

Like other have said check both lines. Look for any cracks that will push oil out. By the looks of it I'd say you'll be able to spot it easily

Covered in the killers and FAQ thread:

I've seen similar on the other side, sprayed all over the battery area. That was a missing battery-tray retention-clip. The battery comes unhooked and takes out the upper transmission cooler line. ATF goes everywhere. Notice it in seconds and you'll be fine. Else, goodnight transmission.

Battery-tray retention-clips: Seem to get lost/forgotten. I've seen several cars without them. If you've never had one, you won't know it's missing until too late - make sure you have yours.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=263883

Drill the clip & tray- you can then make up a strap to stop it going on holiday:~
Tie wraps- fishing line- nylon cord or similar will be fine.
Bob.

You don't have to drill anything. The clip has a hole in it already and there are holes in and around the battery tray that you can loop some wire through. I used plastic coated garden wire after my original clip disappeared...