98 V70XC freezing intercooler

lucashenryp · Post by **lucashenryp** » 15 Feb 2008, 15:25

Hello all...my first post.

Our 1998 Volvo V70XC (222k kms) has a problem. The intercooler is freezing up and starving the car of intake air.

Following discussions from this forum I ordered all new hoses and filter for the crankcase ventilation system so that is all new and clean. I hoped this would solve the problem but it still happens when it gets really cold. I mean really cold (-25c or -15F). I also opened up the drain holes a little larger hoping it would drain better. Maybe it never gets warm enough to thaw inside the intercooler? why so much moisture to begin with?

Anyone have any new ideas on how to solve this problem?

Lucas

farupp · Post by **farupp** » 15 Feb 2008, 16:10

It sounds like you live in the frozen north and your intercooler has condensation in it which has frozen. Can you put your car in a warm garage for a day to thaw out the intercooler? If you can pull off the bottom hose so the water can easily drain out.

If not, maybe try to warm it up with a hair dryer. It may take a while, though.

lucashenryp · Post by **lucashenryp** » 19 Feb 2008, 10:25

Thanks for the advice, you may be right and maybe that's all we can really do. I poured a bunch of methyl hydrate in the intercooler and the next day when the weather warmed up is all drained out the holes.

Do you know what those intercoolers are made of? Aluminum? or some sort of plastic? Maybe I could put a small block heater in it so it melts when I plug the car in? We don't have a garage to park it in.

You think I could bypass the intercooler for the really cold weather? It realy doesn't serve much purpose at these temperatures.

Lucas

1998 Volvo V70XC 222k kms
1979 VW Westfalia 120k miles
1971 VW Type 3 Fastback (? miles)
1993 Toyota 4 runner 298k kms
1976 Kawasaki KD175
1998 Kawasaki KLX300R

farupp · Post by **farupp** » 19 Feb 2008, 10:49

I don't know what the inside of the intercoolers are made of but I don't think they are plastic (except for the frame on our 855 for example) as their function is to remove heat from the intake air, and heat transfer is best accomplished by metal fins. Maybe MIJ knows exactly what they are made of inside.

You could bypass it but what I am wondering is why it gets so much water in it that it freezes and blocks air flow totally. You may want to check your PVC system as possibly that is where the moisture is coming from: condensation in the crankcase (especially in cold weather) makes its way through the PVC system, to the turbo, through the air intake tube and then to the intercooler.

Possibly you need to drive it occasionally for a long distance at highway speeds to really heat up the engine oil and evaporate all the crankcase condensation. Does your engine oil dipstick have a white film on it when the engine is cold? If it does, that is a sign of condensation (and water) in the crankcase.

lucashenryp · Post by **lucashenryp** » 19 Feb 2008, 10:58

Yes it shows signs of condensation in the oil. Are you thinking this maybe a head gasket issue? We don't seem to be loosing any coolant and we did test for exhaust gasses in the coolant system in September, it looked ok.

I replaced all the PVC system compenents including hoses and filter hoping that would solve the problem.

Lucas
1998 Volvo V70XC 222k kms
1979 VW Westfalia 120k miles
1971 VW Type 3 Fastback (? miles)
1993 Toyota 4 runner 298k kms
1976 Kawasaki KD175
1998 Kawasaki KLX300R

farupp · Post by **farupp** » 19 Feb 2008, 11:07

No, probably not a head gasket issue or you would have more problems than the intercooler. I just think its a lot of crankcase condensation because of the cold weather. Unless the oil itself is also milky. Then you have water in the oil and a bigger problem, like a leaking head gasket.

Thaw out the intercooler and take the car out for a long, high speed drive to really heat up the engine oil and evaporate the water in the crankcase.

And, have fun doing it! That's what turbos are made for.

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 19 Feb 2008, 17:44

lucashenryp wrote: Maybe I could put a small block heater in it so it melts when I plug the car in?

I parked outside the first 2 years I had my car. We hit -50F around here.
I currently use an unheated garage. No problems with the I/C.
I can't help but wonder if you have some other issue.
A heater would just be a bandaid, not a cure...
I'd keep looking.

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 19 Feb 2008, 17:44

lucashenryp wrote: Maybe I could put a small block heater in it so it melts when I plug the car in?

I parked outside the first 2 years I had my car. We hit -50F around here.
I currently use an unheated garage. No problems with the I/C.
I can't help but wonder if you have some other issue.
A heater would just be a bandaid, not a cure...
I'd keep looking.

farupp · Post by **farupp** » 27 Feb 2008, 14:50

Lucas, did you ever figure it out?

sony2000 · Post by **sony2000** » 27 Feb 2008, 18:30

Frozen intercoolers occasionally happen, when the humid air is rapidly cooled and forced through the radiator. Twice it happened to me. The car would idle, but die above 900rpm. So I closed the hood and let it run for 20 minutes. The heat in the water radiator as well as the engine, will melt the ice crystals in the cooler. It will come as quickly as it goes, and is hard to forecast. One telltale sign was the 3" rubber hose from the cooler was collapsing from the vacuum. Also. if this hose is disconnected, the car will start and only idle. But thats what you want.