960 Wagon 1995 Temperature indicator oscillates

Nombert · Post by **Nombert** » 08 Feb 2010, 19:55

Hello Volvo owners

This is my first posting. I have a 960 Wagon and lately the temperature indicator hand has been acting funnily. It's oscillating when the motor is hot, it goes to warm (center position) when the car is cold. It has not yet gone into the red zone. Oil is ok. I asked a Firestone repair man, and he said the temperature gauge in the radiator has to be replaced, a $240 repair, 2 - 2 1/2 hours of time required. Thanks you for your input

Post by **jblackburn** » 08 Feb 2010, 20:11

Welcome to the site!

I'm not sure how hard it is on a 960, but on an 850 it takes literally 30 minutes to open the thermostat housing and fix the coolant temp sensor.

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/p ... emp+sensor

There's your part. Search 'thermostat replacement' on the site here to find a good write-up for the 850. Your location will be a bit different, but just follow the upper radiator hose to the thermostat. Really, the hardest part is just getting the bolts out.

Nombert · Post by **Nombert** » 08 Feb 2010, 20:55

So glad to hear from you. Will check it out and get the part from Boston Volvo. Might save me a bunch. Do you think coolant will run out if I remove the gauge? Thanks again.

Post by **jblackburn** » 08 Feb 2010, 21:00

It will come out of the top radiator hose as you remove the housing, and the coolant tank line can be pinched off with something. I used a big plastic slurpee cup from a football game to catch the spill over from the thermostat housing, or you can put a pan up under the car. Just fill it back up and you should be fine - there is no need to 'bleed' these cars as others require.

Post by **billofdurham** » 09 Feb 2010, 11:58

Your Firestone repair man is out of date with his information. The 760 turbo had the sender unit in the top of a metal radiator. The 960 has the sender unit mounted in the thermostat housing. If you are only replacing the sender unit it can be done without removing the thermostat. However, as the thermostat is usually the root cause for temperature fluctuations, it is good practice to replace both.

Has the check engine light come on, indicating a fault code has been set?

Bill.