Volvo 850 heater core replacement 2

[precopster]

You guys are incredible! ! I don't even have friends or family as awesome and helpful as y'all!!
as soon as neighbors get home ill borrow torx again and let you know how I did

AVOID coolants like this one in the pic:

In metric speak 1 litre of coolant weighs approximately 1000 grams so this coolant in the pic is at 1/3 dilution, which should be avoided for all Volvos. If I added water at 50/50 to this stuff I would have very little coolant (around 15%) and this can cause the car to boil/overheat. Even at 33% most Volvos would find it hard not to boil over in warm/hot weather

For these Volvos you need a cooolant with 100% coolant in the bottle so roughly 1000g/ litre or if non-metric can somebody help out here????

This article may help explain the cooling system better than me, though the specifics are for many Chrysler/Dodge cars which are totally different: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/ho ... ts/1272436

[rspi]

VolvoGirl: I don't think you read my thread on my S70 overheating and having a head gasket leak. If you read it, you will likely understand what is likely going on.

Matt: I think you should move these last several post to a new thread, we are way off topic.

VolvoGirl: These cars have a pressurized coolant system. Most cars do. I fixed a Honda Accord today that was over heating because the ran wasn't working and the radiator cap was bad. $20 worth of junk yard parts fixed it. There is a chance that all you need is a GREEN coolant resevior cap and a good thermostat. Sad to say that I have both but I'm going out of town before day break and can not mail them to you. If you still have a problem Monday, I can send the stuff to you. In the mean time, try to get to a junk yard and get a green res cap.

Have you checked the oil? Is it light brown like creamy coffee? I think the car is likely fine unless you ran it out of coolant and overheated it when the heater core went out.

[cn90]

precopster,
You are from Down Under, so 33% is good enough.

"volvogirl75" lives in Houston and for the most part nice and hot. However, one never knows these cars are driven north in the winter. Therefore, in N. America, the recommendation is still 50-50 strength for coolant for N. American market.

volvogirl75, I have a spare radiator cap (from factory in 1998 with 110K on it) and a Wahler tstat with 40K on it.
I am swapping the stuff out this weekend and if you want, can mail them to you.

[volvogirl75]

You guys have been wonderful! Sorry I got everyone off topic. I apologize ...
Couldn't try any of remedies y'all suggested yet. Bad storm blew through. I will let you know either way if I get her trucking or flop. LOL

[precopster]

precopster,
You are from Down Under, so 33% is good enough. "volvogirl75" lives in Houston and for the most part nice and hot. However, one never knows these cars are driven north in the winter. Therefore, in N. America, the recommendation is still 50-50 strength for coolant for N. American market.

cn90 Did you read my thread? The whole point of my long winded and perhaps confusing for some thread is that she may have inadvertently diluted her mixture to well below 30% or worse and is simply overheating as a result.

Volvo has never recommended 33% dilution for ANY market. I certainly wouldn't do it to my car regardless of the weather as the corrosion protection is simply far lower with weaker mixtures. I was trying to dissuade volvogirl75 from using this mixture. I'm certain it's obtainable in the USA but if you're not in the know you may be tempted to buy it.

BTW we had 109deg F last summer in Melbourne over three or four days. If this isn't hot I don't know what is!!

As nobody else has mentioned strength or otherwise of the coolant she may have used after the heater bypass thought it may be best to go back to basics. BTW a Volvo will boil in even mild weather at the wrong coolant concentration. Cooling fan comes on at 105deg C which is 4deg over boiling point. Is the cooling fan coming on? Does the car boil with a/c on? (cooling fan should be on with a/c)

Start with cheapest/easiest items: Coolant, thermostat, then check fan operation/fan relay

[volvogirl75]

You guys are blessings. Nobody has taken time to help me like y'all have.
precop: yes I read ur post and checked my oil and all looks good. I used straight coolant not 50/50 or 33%. Just added couple cups of water to top off. Seemed to boil out the top so haven't been able to get more due to $ situation. I won't drive it till I have coolant. I know fan is on when I pulled over when overheating. Just not sure when fan kicks on. Do you have a link for fan relay??
thank you cp90! [*]

[rspi]

There is a chance that the water pump is bad. I had one that came apart, the propeller came off inside the motor. When I pulled the pump off it was lying in the motor.

[takane2]

If you use 100% antifreeze that might be your issue, water is much better at cooling. Antifreeze just does what the name says and also has some additives to prevent corrosion. Use a 50/50 mix.

[volvogirl75]

I tried with 50/50 as well. And with just water. .ugh! Complicated not knowing about cars

[takane2]

Each time the cooling system was opened how much was drained and how much of what mixture did you put back? If the first time you lost/drained a good amount of your coolant and then added 100% and after that just topped off boiled off with 50/50 for water you might still have too much antifreeze in the mixture.