Clip issue on heater core intake hoses

Post by **SonicAdventure** » 05 Oct 2020, 01:10

Hi all,

Replaced my original OEM Volvo/Behr heater core (11/1995 manufacture date) and the two OEM original Volvo heater core inlet hoses (8/1995 manufacture date) today.

Used a black-bottomed "Swedish Car Parts" $40 heater core from ebay. It fit in fine, but man does it throw off some noxious fumes. I was aware of this and was told it just needs to burn off / air out for a little bit. It kinda smells like kerosene or burnt gun oil. Anyway, it did fit in very nice no issues there.

Had some issues with the block to firewall inlet hoses. I know they sell these clip sets now with the taller yellow clips and the o-ring/yellow washer/o-ring three-piece stack. However, the hoses pulled from my car had lower-profile whiteish clips and no discernable o-ring stack. In fact, when I got the clips loose, I did not even see a single o-ring in either port. It feels like it goes straight to the metal tubes that connect to the core. I even picked around in there with a dental pick and nothing came out of either port. Abscate mentioned the o-rings may be seated somewhere in the metal firewall housing, but I couldn't see anything, and I don't think I felt anything.

Long story short, I couldn't make the newer, taller yellow clips work at all, let alone add any of the o-rings. I was able to salvage one of the original white ones and it fits fine with the new hoses and seated with a satisfying click. I trimmed one of the yellow clips down and then sanded it until it was the size of the white ones, about 3/16" shorter than they come from FCP. That one also fit perfectly with the new hose and resulted in a firm click.

I've more or less buttoned up the job, but I drove about 70 miles tonight on the highway to check everything. No sign of seepage near the heater core and no signs of seepage at the firewall. Everything is dry as a bone.

See photos. This car is a 1996 base 850 auto. It seems no work has been done to this system since new, but I'm wondering if I'm missing something. Does it look like there is an o-ring in the ports? To me it looks and feels like metal. Once the brass part of the hose is about 5/8" in the tube the plastic clips seats and locks it in.

I don't really feel totally comfortable knowing I'm using one 25 y.o. original and one modified clip to hold these important hoses in with. But, they seem to be fine. They weren't leaking before, I am just replacing them on interval principle as I replaced the other four main coolant hoses earlier this summer. Is it possible this setup is ok without an o-ring? are the taller yellow clips and stacked o-rings for an updated firewall inlet? The tubes from firewall to heater core in mine seemed like unfinished aluminum.

Post by **abscate** » 05 Oct 2020, 03:44

They show the same part number for the internal o rings on the heater core and the firewall bulkhead on volvowebstore.

I do have a broken one I can cannibalise to sort this out.

Post by **erikv11** » 05 Oct 2020, 09:16

TL/DR but you didn't get out the spacers and o-rings. There is no metal inside there, it is plastic and o-rings. Hopefully they last.

Post by **Chuck W** » 05 Oct 2020, 10:15

erikv11 wrote: ↑05 Oct 2020, 09:16 TL/DR but you didn't get out the spacers and o-rings. There is no metal inside there, it is plastic and o-rings. Hopefully they last.

This.
I had this same "issue" when I was putting my car back together.

Dig in there more, you'll pull out the old stuff.

Post by **wizechatmgr** » 05 Oct 2020, 11:32

Next time run the heater core through the dish washer. It works wonders for the smell.

Post by **SonicAdventure** » 05 Oct 2020, 11:36

How do you pull the lower plastic door jamb molding to remove the front carpet sections? Or does it not need to be removed to pull the carpet?

I need to get the driver's side section out for pressure washing and drying.

Post by **wizechatmgr** » 05 Oct 2020, 11:53

SonicAdventure wrote: ↑05 Oct 2020, 11:36 How do you pull the lower plastic door jamb molding to remove the front carpet sections? Or does it not need to be removed to pull the carpet?

I need to get the driver's side section out for pressure washing and drying.

Pull carpet back then the plastics slide out. I believe both sides of the "under dash" covers need to be removed to do this.

Post by **abscate** » 07 Oct 2020, 04:38

When I did my first radiator in 2013 I had the same issue with the clips, the supplied ones did not latch. I’m still using the 1999 ones in my T5.

Post by **abscate** » 07 Oct 2020, 05:09

Here’s the picture from that thread