2016 T6 Momentum coolant change -- where is the drain???

soundquest · Post by **soundquest** » 27 Jul 2019, 15:22

I am doing some cooling system repairs on my '16 T6 Momentum Drive-E 4 cyl (leaking coolant valve and leaking coolant hose) and need to drain the cooling system in order to move forward with said repairs. However (as you can gather from the title) there is no radiator petcock drain valve like you would expect to find. Zero. Zilch. So the question is... HOW DO I GET THIS THING DRAINED WITHOUT SHOOTING COOLANT ALL OVER MY GARAGE BY REMOVING THE LOWER RAD HOSE??? Sorry for the caps... but COME ON VOLVO!!!

Post by **jimmy57** » 27 Jul 2019, 16:09

driver side up in a hole is a drain cock that requires a deep 13mm socket to open. Usually it will loosen about a turn and only drip and you slide a piece of hose on it and unscrew it to open it where it drains at a decent rate. when you are done take off upper hose by pulling the metal lock ring and pour coolant into the block. Few late models fill easily like older cars did. The coolant flow changes and The t-stat in block make for dry blocks if you fill the tank only. The new way of doing business is to use a vacuum coolant fill gizmo or fill the block through upper hose.

soundquest · Post by **soundquest** » 27 Jul 2019, 19:02

Could not find the hole you mentioned on the driver side, but i did manage to find a drain petcock on the passenger side (extremely difficult to get to and loosen -- of course). So I am halfway there -- I just need to know where the engine block cooling system drain plug is (I believe there is only one on this engine). Also, Jimmy, I did see you quoted in one helpful article (Coolant flush warning modern volvos)

to go along with your advice above. Much appreciated. to be clear, the hose you are referring to is the upper rad. hose on the passenger side of the radiator... and you are talking about disconnecting it from the radiator end and then using that hose as a neck to fill the engine block from the top. Is this correct? So once that hose fills up with coolant (or almost full) connect it to the radiator and proceed to fill up the rest of the system via the cooling reservoir? And finally, I am assuming for air-bleed purposes, one would want to run the engine with the reservoir cap off to let the system bleed of some air? or is this not necessary because of the air bleed design already built into this system? Thanks much for all of your great help Jimmy.

Post by **jimmy57** » 27 Jul 2019, 23:54

Fill the upper hose, wait, and repeat to assure it gets as full as possible. The electric coolant pump system senses load on pump so empty pump may stop you, or at least delay you getting it air purged. Yes, run the engine as that will run the electric pump and circulate coolant to get it to thermostat opening temp so the air purges completely. I can't remember the location of, if there is, the drain. The coolant jacket is pretty shallow and the hoses may be the drain point for block. Coolant servicing is not required yet using normal maintenance schedule. Normal repairs get replaced coolant for what is lost for the repair.