1997 850 Coolant levels in reservoir tank?

christhegamer · Post by **christhegamer** » 28 Feb 2016, 22:59

Hi guys in the past about 6-8 months ago when my car was cold the coolant level was always on max but now when I check it and the car is cold it is quarter inch or half a inch above the minimum is that normal? Where should my coolant levels be when car is cold and when it is hot.. My reservoir tank has a MAX level and a MIN level do you think its concerning that 6-8 months ago when my car was cold it was on the max but now when my car is cold it is on the MIN, also when my car is hot and been driving it for 10 minutes the coolant level does not go to the max its half a inch above the MIN. My car is a VOLVO 850 1997 2.4L Non turbo....

So I guess my main 2 questions are, #1 What should my coolant level be in reservoir tank when the car is hot and when the car is cold..
My my second question would be #2 about 6-8 months ago when my car was cold it was on the max now when car is cold it is half inch above minimum is that normal or ok? Oh yea and when I check my coolant 2 weeks ago when car was hot coolant was very close to max but now when car is hot coolant is half a inch above MIN was wondering if this is all ok or any opinions or advice you guys can give me.. Now when I drive on hot coolant level is half inch above MIN and when check coolant when car is cold it is still half inch above MIN......

Thanks so much guys any input or help I can get I will appreciate it very much..

Post by **Clemens** » 29 Feb 2016, 01:07

Unless you see oil in the overflow Reservoir or smell exhaust gases (or have pressure when opening the cap with a cold motor), have white milky residue on the oil dipstick or see white clouds coming out of the exhaust I´d say you are fine.

I drove myself crazy last fall after buying my 96 850 R because I could see the level going up and down (always checked when cold in the morning). It is absolutely normal for the Level to rise when warm, even above the max. mark. And, according to alot of research and the advise of some diehard carnuts, it is also normal to have different levels when cold, explained by the system not being completely sealed (because of the 1,5 bar valve in the cap air can enter and exit the system).
Alot of people say Volvo head gaskets usually fail only after overheating.

You might wanna check the reservoir and cap for cracks. And ckeck all the coolant hoses thoroughly, I had the tiny line from the reservoir to the thermostat come lose the other day (I must have been sloppy when tightening the bolt when I replaced the thermostat) and lost a few ounces that way.

Another thing to check: the thermostat

Just one man´s opinion, but as long as you don´t lose alot of fluid, don´t bother.

Post by **abscate** » 29 Feb 2016, 05:07

Just like Clemens says.

On an old car check your coolant once a week for a daily driver, once a month for an occasional driver.

Car cold, and see if level changes. Ignore other changes during drive cycle.

Use your nose to sniff for coolant and look for the white stains near joints, clamps, ECT, underneath.

christhegamer · Post by **christhegamer** » 29 Feb 2016, 14:31

I checked my reservoir and its just coolant in therr and my oil dip stick is fine no creamy color everything looks normal also my car never over heats... The only thing is that when its cold its on the half inch above the MIN and when its hot it is still half inch above the MIN.. Is this normal? Where should my coolant level be when the car is HOT and where should it be when the car is COLD? Thanks.

christhegamer · Post by **christhegamer** » 29 Feb 2016, 14:33

Also, I notice you guys are asking me about a white creamy color or stuff of that nature do you guys think i could have a head gasket issue? I dont think I am having any symptoms of that.. My car never over heats and the dip stick and oil cap are oily color, no creamy or white color and in reservoir it is just coolant in there...

Post by **phils94850** » 29 Feb 2016, 19:21

Id say you dont have any headgasket issues.. as everyone has said considering on how much you drive it check it occasionally and you should be fine

Post by **rspi** » 29 Feb 2016, 20:01

It is good that the coolant level does not change between hot and cold.

However, it should NOT be dropping as time goes by. Put it back to the max line and see how long it takes, in miles, to get down 1/2 way between the max and min lines. Your car is LOOSING coolant somewhere. It is hard to figure out because hot coolant dries very fast when it hits the outside air when leaks are minor.

If you have to add coolant more than once per month, I consider that coolant roulette. My car was loosing a little bit of coolant for a few months and I did not find the leak. While traveling across the country, towing a trailer, the leak got worse real quick. My low coolant light came on and I pulled over to see if I could find the leak. Yes I did, it was the water pump. I had to get one and change it on the side of the road.

If your car is turbo, it has 8 coolant hoses, a coolant reservoir, radiator, water pump and a heater core. You need to keep an eye on the level and when you find it or it gets worse, fix it.

If I were you, this is what I would do...
1. With the car cold, unhook the bottle and pour out the rest of the coolant from it. Set it back in place and start the car and MAKE SURE your low coolant light shows up in the dash. It is RED with a picture of the fan on it. Once that is working move to 2. #1 is your first line of defense, it lets you know that you have lost to much coolant.
2. Fill the bottle to the max mark WHEN IT IS COLD. Put the cap back on and check it weekly to see how long it takes to get 1/2 way between max and min.
3. Look for leaks, they usually show as white residue on parts, white milky stains.
4. Check under the carpet on the drivers side for wetness/coolant. If you find coolant there, the heater core is probably leaking.

christhegamer · Post by **christhegamer** » 29 Feb 2016, 23:19

Ok thanks guys!