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My '94 850 started making these sounds two days ago. I took this video this morning. It seems like the noise is getting progressively worse.

The car is silent when idle, and seems to make the noise when moving, regardless of which pedal is being applied. I think the frequency of the noise corresponds to how fast I'm driving.

My car has about 218k miles and I haven't had any problems with it until now. I love my Volvo and discovering this forum has been great. Thanks for any help!

 

You say that it's getting worse, so I'm thinking it could be one of your tires going bad. You could rotate your tires front to back and see if the noise changes. Also be sure to inspect the tires for bulges when your wheels off the ground but still bolted to their hubs. Feel for irregularities in the tread or sidewalls. At the same time check for any side play in your front wheel hubs - the noise might also be from bad front wheel bearings.

 

Trans axle.

 

Never heard the noise in my car but based on how it is happening it has to do with the wheels in to the Transmission. Somewhere there is your problem. If you have tools and can put it up on jack stands you could try turning the wheels in Neutral.
You have to eliminate all other possibilities one step at a time. For example to eliminate the entire motor start the car but don't drive. Rev the motor and listen. No noise? then it is not the motor. You can confirm it another way by rolling down an hill with the motor off, in neutral. (find a safe place to do this, if you get the drift.)
As the previous guy (Boxpin) stated it sounds like it could be the Transaxle.
That kind of clunking should be felt if the car is on jack stands.

I did have a sound like that once in a rear wheel drive car where I blew the rear end. I was in school so I did a quick repair and drove it with a crown gear that was missing one tooth. it made a similar sound. Drove it 6 months like that LOL.

 

Check the CV joints/axles as well......