98 S70 upper radiator hose again

[MrAl]

How in the heck do you get past that line on the right T40 torx on the thermostat? I tried my socket with extension and bit and no way.
I'm looking at ordering one of these -- one is a Klein which is nice but wondering what you use to get access to that screw?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005G ... 0DER&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CH1 ... RL4X&psc=1

Think one of these will do it? -- thanks

edit -- I have another question. My heater works fine. Can the core still be an issue if you have normal heating?

Hello there,

Wow, 23 years, that's a long time to own a car but that may be more typical today then years ago.

Back with the older cars if we thought we had an issue with the thermostat, we would just remove it. If everything worked after that we knew it was the thermostat. Not sure if you can do that with these cars though.

When I got my radiator replaced, they did not get all the air out of the system so when I took the car around the block the coolant light came on and I had to to right back to the shop to get them to get the air out.

Here are the links you posted, see if they show up like this...
"//www.amazon.com/TEKTON-Drive-Long-Socket ... r=8-1&th=1"
"//www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005G3B500/re ... 0DER&psc=1"
"//www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CH1DK1D7/re ... RL4X&psc=1"

You will have to put the "https:" back at the beginning of each link there. It will not show up with that at the beginning.

If not, they are links to:
1. Socket drive T40, long.
2. "T" handle T40 wrench.
3. Another "T" handle T40 wrench.

Good luck with it.

Here is a pic of the T40 long socket drive tool:

T40-Long_20240429_064824.png (254.36 KiB) Viewed 429 times

[mar601]

I'm a nervous wreck. Getting the parts today and (1) replacing thermostat and testing the old one (2) do the combustion gas test
I'm screwed without a car.
70, single, and don't have a pot to ____ in. Yeah, that's the socket I bought.

[454cid]

Replacing the thermostat was pretty easy on my 96 and 99. I did not have any trouble with the bolts. The gaskets are rubber, so no gasket scraping of a paper gasket like would have been required in days past.

Unless you've got something odd going on, you should do just fine. Just make sure the socket is fully seated in the bolt. I didn't break the seal of the upper hose, since I wasn't replacing it.

[MrAl]

I'm a nervous wreck. Getting the parts today and (1) replacing thermostat and testing the old one (2) do the combustion gas test
I'm screwed without a car.
70, single, and don't have a pot to ____ in. Yeah, that's the socket I bought.

Hi,

How did you make out with this car in the past for so long? Nothing went wrong with it?

I hope everything goes smoothly.
Just to note, I had some rather large Torx screws in the spark plug cover and they were rusted in. When I went to take them out for the first time in probably 100 years, I broke my T handle wrench. I got a different wrench or something and they did come out not one broke. The larger bolts are less likely to break.
The small ones I don't know about. I had one of the bolts that holds the distributor cap on break off that was a bummer, and someone took the water pump off and broke two of those bolts, but they are smaller diameter. The ones on the spark plug cover were very very tight in there but they eventually came out and did not break.
If they break I guess you have to drill them out, which is not that easy but people do it.
I do not know what the diameter of the thermostat bolts are maybe someone here knows.

LATER:
I found a reference that says they are M7. That's a pretty thick bolt so I would not expect them to break. I guess some penetrating oil left overnight first, then try to get them out. M7 is slightly bigger than 1/4 inch diameter. That's a very decent size bolt so they are stronger.
Torx wrench tip firmly seated in the top of the bolt of course. Might check for any debris inside the Torx recess first and remove.

[abscate]

Boiling coolant when the cap is opened is normal on a hot engine. The system uses both coolant mix and pressure to prevent coolant boilovers

[foggydogg]

I'm a nervous wreck. Getting the parts today and (1) replacing thermostat and testing the old one (2) do the combustion gas test
I'm screwed without a car.
70, single, and don't have a pot to ____ in. Yeah, that's the socket I bought.

Those screws can be reluctant because of a bit of galvanic corrosion, they go through to air on the bottom of the travel; certainly squirt them down with your Magic Juice of preference. I prefer PB over WD-40, but WD makes a penetrating fluid as well. Kroil is good but hard to find and otherworldly expensive. Use a straw and try to get some under, then go have an iced tea and wait a bit. Get the hose out of the way - if it's been ballooned it is likely stretched and should be replaced anyway. Apply a bit of gentle heat to the screw heads, respray, and another iced tea. Apply patience. Good luck, let us know.

[MrAl]

I'm a nervous wreck. Getting the parts today and (1) replacing thermostat and testing the old one (2) do the combustion gas test
I'm screwed without a car.
70, single, and don't have a pot to ____ in. Yeah, that's the socket I bought.

Those screws can be reluctant because of a bit of galvanic corrosion, they go through to air on the bottom of the travel; certainly squirt them down with your Magic Juice of preference. I prefer PB over WD-40, but WD makes a penetrating fluid as well. Kroil is good but hard to find and otherworldly expensive. Use a straw and try to get some under, then go have an iced tea and wait a bit. Get the hose out of the way - if it's been ballooned it is likely stretched and should be replaced anyway. Apply a bit of gentle heat to the screw heads, respray, and another iced tea. Apply patience. Good luck, let us know.

Hi,

Can they be shot with penetrating oil from the bottom too then?

[abscate]

If you order new ones from FCP each thermostat job , head stripping becomes a distant memory



The Volvo thermostat in the blue box comes with new bolts. Hmmmm

[scot850]

They come with new bolts? I have at least one new one in the garage so I need to go check as I don't recall seeing bolts in there.

Neil.