cooling system help needed. Stuck at work.

jinxd12 · Post by **jinxd12** » 18 Jun 2018, 09:35

I have a new issue that I have researched but not 100% sure of route I need to go. Ont the way to work this morning 345 am I look over the passenger side of my hood and i see steam/smoke coming out between the hood and the fender. I immediately look at my dash gauges and everything is fine, and I give her some gas and it is still peppy. 1 mile later I arrive at work and pop the hood open, THE DREADED COOLANT BOIL!

In the past on my 850's i would just go buy a new cap. This car is different in alot of aspects, so I am reaching out for help.

While at work here today, after the car cooled down, I pulled the cap of the coolant reservoir and there is no coolant in the bottle at ALL. I squeeze the hoses and they are definitely soft.

Step 2- Grabbed a gallon of water (yes I know water isn't a long term fix) filled the reservoir up and squeezed the lines and ended up with the whole gallon gone.

Step 3- Started car without cap on, squeezed the lines a few times no coolant moved into the reservoir so I left it at idle.

Step 4- After about 5-7 min the car is just about at operating temperature, and the water level hasn't really changed..good right?

Step 5- I increase idle to about 1500-1800 RPM for a few minutes, jump out and check the level...cap is still removed. No change I throw the heater on high at this point.

Step 6- I wait a few more minutes sitting in the car at idle, I go check under the hood and the water is bubbling out of the reservoir, no cap on. I immediately shut the car off, then go back under the hood and all the water I just added is all over the ground nothing left in the reservoir. WTF?

Does anyone have any opinions on this, the water pump is new, and so is the thermostat....leads me to believe that the radiator could be clogged. Ive been driving this car for 2 weeks, zero real issues and excellent mpgs.

Post by **scot850** » 18 Jun 2018, 10:04

Possibly head gasket if it is bubbling.

Neil.

Post by **tryingbe** » 18 Jun 2018, 10:35

Coolant system needs a CAP because it only works correctly under pressure. No cap = will boil out for sure.

Year, model, n/a, turbo?
Is the radiator fan working?

jinxd12 · Post by **jinxd12** » 18 Jun 2018, 12:06

Sorry thought it was in my signature. 2004 C70 5 speed automatic 2.4 LPT. I was checking the fluid this past weekend, Im wondering if I didnt screw the CAP on super tight maybe I caused my own problems?

The fan does work, but it didnt kick on in the 10 minutes I let it idle before the water came back out. I have a new ECT sensor on its way, I ordered it this morning in my rush of worries. But after thinking the worst maybe it was my own fault.

The cap, and bottle are brand new along with the thermostat housing and thermostat. My old man said the housing came with the ECT in it.

If I unplug the ECT will my fans run constantly until I possibly limp this ol'girl home?

Post by **scot850** » 18 Jun 2018, 12:18

Good question. Not sure. Fan does need power and it gets the signal from the ECT through the relay which may still be on the top of the radiator in an 04 C70. I think you would need to run a lead from the battery to the the relay to get the fan to run, but maybe someone else will come in and confirm. If the ECT was new in the thermostat housing and that was a Volvo par then unless the relay is bad it should be ok. If the ECT is not a Volvo part then good luck as other than Vernet I am not aware of any other working with Volvos and playing nice.

Neil.

jinxd12 · Post by **jinxd12** » 18 Jun 2018, 12:34

Well I just went outside, after the car sitting for about 2 hours or so. I had tightened the hell out of the cap upon reading on a forum about cap leaking issues. Brought my water with me to fill up, didnt need any water it was still between min/max. I started the car and let it idle for 15 min and jumped the RPMs upto 2k every few minutes and no issues so far! The fan didnt kick on which is good (right) and the temp was as always still good. I even ran the car at idle with the AC on for about 5 min and still seems fine.

Again the fan does work, it runs sometimes even when i shut the car off. And the fan did come on when i turned the AC on...so hopefully this was a mistake on my part of not tightening the cap all the way.

I will keep everyone posted after my drive home later today...unless someone has something else to note about the way I just did this..idle/rpm/heat/AC cycle to test for bubbling occurring?

Post by **j-dawg** » 18 Jun 2018, 23:24

Could just be a leak. A leak will (a) put coolant on the ground if it's big enough, and (b) prevent pressure buildup in your coolant system, allowing it to boil.

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 18 Jun 2018, 23:37

Hum ... have not heard from Jinxd for 12 hours. Did it go up in flames?

Post by **abscate** » 19 Jun 2018, 05:23

That mile you drive after seeing steam can be a $3000 mile very easily.

Steam mean stop, cool, and tow

jinxd12 · Post by **jinxd12** » 19 Jun 2018, 08:34

I'm back guys, and not from the dead!

So after I tightened the cap during work yesterday and letting the car cool to check coolant/water level I drove the car home...zero issues. Temp stayed at the normal spot even got stick on the highway for 15 min, it was 102 degrees out yesterday. When I got home I opened the hood to check the reservoir and it looked normal and the coolant was between the min/max lines so I was content.

I let it cool down for about 3 hours at home and went and bought 2 gallons of Zerek G48. I drained as much water as I could and jacked the car up a little to get a little more out.

I refilled with the g48 a little less than 1.5 gallons and took it for a little drive. After the drive I checked the reservoir and it looked about where I filled it to.Then I let it sit until I was leaving work this morning.

Before I left for work I opened the reservoir and topped it up with maybe a quart of G48 and drive it to work today.

So far so good, I'll check coolant level before I head home from work. This car is just a daily driver I got from my parents, they had no use for it. I could have driven my truck but I felt good enough about the health of the car that I drove it today!

It's supposed to be super hot this week 105-112 here in AZ so truth will be told if it was just my idiot self not tightening the cap when I originally checked, or there is a hidden gremlin in my cooling system.

Any opinions or ideas are always welcome!