Mumble, Mumble, Blasted Autos

[Colonialgirl]

Okay, Okay; So my Volvo has been losing coolant, a little bit now and then; Finally Caught the Upper Radiator hose not properly doing its thing; SO I replaced the nasty thing. HMMM still losing coolant a little at a time (grumble, grumble); AH HA !! lower heater hose is leaking a bit and looks swollen/nasty where the lower end hits the engine block; Volvo heater hoses have a special fitting at the upper end; Pamela says "BE SMART !!" :roll: :roll: Replace BOTH hoses. Got them via mail order from a Volvo parts specialist place in Oregon (Much cheaper than Volvo dealers and it IS original parts); work sweat and say some words that would make a Bo'sun mate blush and get them BOTH mounted. :shock: :shock: :shock: Sacre Bleu!! Still losing some coolant. :roll: :roll: Wonder IF it's a cracked block or bad head gasket. :roll: :roll:
So laid out the cash for a product GUARANTEED to stop such things, got it poured into the radiator and ran it until it got hot ++. LOOKED UNDER the Car and DRIP DRIP DRIP. @#$#$^&*&%^&**(()*&&^^%$$@@#$$%%. Got out the old trusty three cell flash light AND the newer Florescent trouble light and :shock: :shock: :shock: SURPRISE, SURPRISE SURPRISE (thank you PFC Gomer Pyle ) Yes, the lower radiator hose IS LEAKING under pressure.
I think I'll make some calls to my local garage (good guy) and see what it will cost me to replace the hose (He's a NAPA garage , so I know the hose runs about $40).
Sigh, I JUST CANT FACE crawling under the car to do the work and I KNOW he has a hoist ( :roll: Wish I did)
PS: the lower hose looked okay when I was doing the heater hoses. :roll: :roll:

Wish I had the cash to buy a new auto.

 

[powder smoke]

The joys of working on cars I hate them.
Upper hose is bad enough lower is a pain.
Good luck. ps

 

[toysoldier]

I used to work on my vehicles. Then I started buying Toyotas. Just about no work needed.

 

[Tweety Bird]

I used to work on my vehicles. Then I started buying Toyotas. Just about no work needed.

I had the same experience with my 95 Dodge Intrepid. Killed by a deer at almost a quarter million trouble-free miles.

 

[Colonialgirl]

I used to work on my vehicles. Then I started buying Toyotas. Just about no work needed.

Well, I bought this one used in 2006, 74K miles; got it for a good price, and it's performed pretty well all these years; Drove it up to the Ruger gathering twice now and headed that way again this year. I had the timing belt, water pump and tensioner replaced after buying it. SO, over all its done pretty well; I'm just getting too old and grouchy to work on them anymore.

Just all of a sudden reminds me of replacing tubes in the old TV sets where you go from tube to tube to tube. :wink: :wink:

 

[Tweety Bird]

You know what they say; if it has wheels or boobs, you're going to have trouble with it.

(Ladies, substitute your own noun in that statement.)

Unless something bad happens with my financial position, I plan to NEVER buy another used car. I drive 'em until the wheels come off but I hate having to fix a daily driver. I love working on old cars as a hobby but nothing is worse than having to fix a car tonight because you need it tomorrow.

But an even bigger problem for me is the cheapskate streak that HATES to pay anyone to do work that I know I can do myself. That's why from now on, it's new cars with long warranties, good PM and trust in the engineering of the vehicle to keep it reliable down the road.

Pamela, I've been in your position several times and coolant leaks are sometimes miserable to track down. My daughter's cheap college car was a Chevy Beretta that had small leaks from the day she bought it until the day we donated it to charity. It had several (corroded) hard lines for the heater and I was convinced that I'd have to pull the engine to replace those lines. So I taught her how to keep an eye on the coolant and how to replenish it now and again. It served her well for 4 years but I'm sure glad I never had to get serious about fixing that pesky leak.

 

[4kdave]

Pam, after the lower hose is replaced you better watch the passenger side floor carpet because the heater core will be next !!!!!!

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Rule of thumb from a shooting buddy who owned a radiator shop for a number of years has served me well: if it's been over five years since you replaced ALL of your hoses, replace them ALL, NOW.

Those of you who don't live in climes as warm and dry as mine might stretch it out a year or more further, but it's still a lot easier to get it ALL done at once than to piecemeal it and wonder what's gonna spring a leak next! All those hoses are made of the same stuff, so if one's dangerously dry and brittle, it's a safe bet the rest the rest are, too... and a lot of hoses today are such specialty items one doesn't want to get caught needing to find one "right now" and paying for it in lost time and added cost!

And a 50-50 mix of coolant and DISTILLED water can help both radiators and heater cores live longer, happier lives...

Rick C

 

[Colonialgirl]

Pam, after the lower hose is replaced you better watch the passenger side floor carpet because the heater core will be next !!!!!!

NOPE !!
:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Did THAT already and thought THAT would cure the coolant losses. It was leaking and I bought the new core from the same place up in Oregon. Again highly recommended replacement and much lower cost than Dealer.
The replacement was also more straight forward than the way it's written up in the Volvo "official" repair manuals . They want you to take the whole dash apart when in truth you can pull the "bolsters" under the dash on both sides, a couple of plastic side panels on the console and there she IS !! Three or four screws, a little manipulation and its out and the NEW one set in place. About 3 hours worth of work at my age.

 

[RugerHound]

Handiest tool for coolant problems is the radiator pressurization kit. They used to be plenty cheap, but I'll bet they're plenty 'spensive these days. It's been 30 years since I've bought one. This thread got me curious... Haven't seen mine in a goodly number of years. Went to the garage and rummaged through my various rollaround tool boxes... Nada...

Must have loaned it out and never found its way home again... :?

 

[m657]

CG: we've got a 21 year old Volvo that just turned 100,000 in the PARKING LOT!!!

Relatively few repairs over the decades; recently had an odd combination of minor stutters & intermittent 'quits running or won't start' .....

Local shade tree gang couldn't Dx it; next best just-retired long term independent mechanic made a guess but said he WAS retired. Had to leave it with our favored (Oregon) independent Volvo garage. Owner drove it for TWO WEEKS before calling excitedly reported besides being almost killed & run over when the symptom appeared, he now knew what it was & ready to repair it. Yes it was bit spendy but amortized over the 21 years of ultimate reliability, the repair added a mere 25 cents/day to operating cost.

Given the minor nature of all prior normal maintenance, a small price at that.

We did have the hoses replaced at the time too, by the way, for the very reason mentioned.

The 850 remains comfortable for all day drives as passenger OR driver. Getting in/out is a bit more tricky for me in these recent years where the gravitometric anomalies have been adding up, but I'm fine for driving cross country tomorrow with it.....now the squeeky wiper bearing has been replaced.

Now if only Volvo built a pickup.....(sigh)...............

 

[Tweety Bird]

Handiest tool for coolant problems is the radiator pressurization kit. They used to be plenty cheap, but I'll bet they're plenty 'spensive these days. It's been 30 years since I've bought one. This thread got me curious... Haven't seen mine in a goodly number of years. Went to the garage and rummaged through my various rollaround tool boxes... Nada...

Must have loaned it out and never found its way home again... :?

Mine was about a hundred bux from Summit, last year. Great troubleshooting tool, indeed, as is my leak down compression tester.

 

[Merle1948]

Okay, Okay; So my Volvo has been losing coolant, a little bit now and then; Finally Caught the Upper Radiator hose not properly doing its thing; SO I replaced the nasty thing. HMMM still losing coolant a little at a time (grumble, grumble); AH HA !! lower heater hose is leaking a bit and looks swollen/nasty where the lower end hits the engine block; Volvo heater hoses have a special fitting at the upper end; Pamela says "BE SMART !!" :roll: :roll: Replace BOTH hoses. Got them via mail order from a Volvo parts specialist place in Oregon (Much cheaper than Volvo dealers and it IS original parts); work sweat and say some words that would make a Bo'sun mate blush and get them BOTH mounted. :shock: :shock: :shock: Sacre Bleu!! Still losing some coolant. :roll: :roll: Wonder IF it's a cracked block or bad head gasket. :roll: :roll:
So laid out the cash for a product GUARANTEED to stop such things, got it poured into the radiator and ran it until it got hot ++. LOOKED UNDER the Car and DRIP DRIP DRIP. @#$#$^&*&%^&**(()*&&^^%$$@@#$$%%. Got out the old trusty three cell flash light AND the newer Florescent trouble light and :shock: :shock: :shock: SURPRISE, SURPRISE SURPRISE (thank you PFC Gomer Pyle ) Yes, the lower radiator hose IS LEAKING under pressure.
I think I'll make some calls to my local garage (good guy) and see what it will cost me to replace the hose (He's a NAPA garage , so I know the hose runs about $40).
Sigh, I JUST CANT FACE crawling under the car to do the work and I KNOW he has a hoist ( :roll: Wish I did)
PS: the lower hose looked okay when I was doing the heater hoses. :roll: :roll:

Wish I had the cash to buy a new auto.

Didn't you just replace that hose? Makes me think the hose wasn't the entire problem. It COULD BE the tube coming out of the radiator is deformed & won't seal the hose - or possibly the tube is loose at the radiator. :?:

 

[coach]

Keep an eye on the water pump. If any leak, replace.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Okay, Okay; So my Volvo has been losing coolant, a little bit now and then; Finally Caught the Upper Radiator hose not properly doing its thing; SO I replaced the nasty thing. HMMM still losing coolant a little at a time (grumble, grumble); AH HA !! lower heater hose is leaking a bit and looks swollen/nasty where the lower end hits the engine block; Volvo heater hoses have a special fitting at the upper end; Pamela says "BE SMART !!" :roll: :roll: Replace BOTH hoses. Got them via mail order from a Volvo parts specialist place in Oregon (Much cheaper than Volvo dealers and it IS original parts); work sweat and say some words that would make a Bo'sun mate blush and get them BOTH mounted. :shock: :shock: :shock: Sacre Bleu!! Still losing some coolant. :roll: :roll: Wonder IF it's a cracked block or bad head gasket. :roll: :roll:
So laid out the cash for a product GUARANTEED to stop such things, got it poured into the radiator and ran it until it got hot ++. LOOKED UNDER the Car and DRIP DRIP DRIP. @#$#$^&*&%^&**(()*&&^^%$$@@#$$%%. Got out the old trusty three cell flash light AND the newer Florescent trouble light and :shock: :shock: :shock: SURPRISE, SURPRISE SURPRISE (thank you PFC Gomer Pyle ) Yes, the lower radiator hose IS LEAKING under pressure.
I think I'll make some calls to my local garage (good guy) and see what it will cost me to replace the hose (He's a NAPA garage , so I know the hose runs about $40).
Sigh, I JUST CANT FACE crawling under the car to do the work and I KNOW he has a hoist ( :roll: Wish I did)
PS: the lower hose looked okay when I was doing the heater hoses. :roll: :roll:

Wish I had the cash to buy a new auto.

Didn't you just replace that hose? Makes me think the hose wasn't the entire problem. It COULD BE the tube coming out of the radiator is deformed & won't seal the hose - or possibly the tube is loose at the radiator. :?:

Nope, Replaced the UPPER radiator hose and BOTH heater hoses. I saw the bottom hose spraying a little coolant from a crack when I heated up the coolant. The dang hose runs from low on the back (right side looking at it over the left fender) the engine, across the end of the transmission passing under the heater hoses and then under a couple of other "things" to finally duck down to hook into the bottom of the radiator. Replacing it would have meant crawling UNDER the car to loosen/remove BOTH hose clamps, crawling back out and removing the air cleaner and other "air hoses" to the same; then working the old hose out and the new hose in and then BACK under the car to hook up to the bottom of the radiator and the engine fitting. TOO much for this old lady to face on a dirt car port. Cost me $280 at the local Napa garage for parts and labor; parts included the hose, coolant, a new thermostat (why not as long as I'm having someone else do the work) and then a new overflow tank too as they say mine was cracked and leaking. SIGH, :roll: :roll: :roll: Maybe I can hit the lotto, jack up the gas tank and put a new auto around it. :roll: :wink: :wink:

 

[certified angus]

Would you be so kind as to provide the name/contact info for the mail order supplier? I have a friend who needs some Volvo electrical parts in a bad way. We do have a Volvo salvage/used parts supplier nearby, but I don't know on the availability on what is needed. My friend thinks his brain box is bad on his 94.

 

[exavid]

Don't even think about heater cores. One of the main reasons I keep my '01 Jeep Wrangler is because it doesn't have air conditioning. Most cars with AC are absolute bears to replace heater cores in. My old '98 Grand Marquis was a nearly impossible job to replace the core in. I still shudder from the memory. For a while I was afraid I'd have to remove the rear bumper before the job was done. I do less and less of my own automobile maintenance these years. I still do all my own maintenance on my two motorbikes, but just don't want to work on the cars anymore. After 30 years in Alaska where you had to do all of your own work I'm retired from that too.

 

[revhigh]

I used to work on my vehicles. Then I started buying Toyotas. Just about no work needed.

Uh oh .. . Here we go again ....the Toyota police are sure to come down on you ....

REV

 

[Merle1948]

Okay, Okay; So my Volvo has been losing coolant, a little bit now and then; Finally Caught the Upper Radiator hose not properly doing its thing; SO I replaced the nasty thing. HMMM still losing coolant a little at a time (grumble, grumble); AH HA !! lower heater hose is leaking a bit and looks swollen/nasty where the lower end hits the engine block; Volvo heater hoses have a special fitting at the upper end; Pamela says "BE SMART !!" :roll: :roll: Replace BOTH hoses. Got them via mail order from a Volvo parts specialist place in Oregon (Much cheaper than Volvo dealers and it IS original parts); work sweat and say some words that would make a Bo'sun mate blush and get them BOTH mounted. :shock: :shock: :shock: Sacre Bleu!! Still losing some coolant. :roll: :roll: Wonder IF it's a cracked block or bad head gasket. :roll: :roll:
So laid out the cash for a product GUARANTEED to stop such things, got it poured into the radiator and ran it until it got hot ++. LOOKED UNDER the Car and DRIP DRIP DRIP. @#$#$^&*&%^&**(()*&&^^%$$@@#$$%%. Got out the old trusty three cell flash light AND the newer Florescent trouble light and :shock: :shock: :shock: SURPRISE, SURPRISE SURPRISE (thank you PFC Gomer Pyle ) Yes, the lower radiator hose IS LEAKING under pressure.
I think I'll make some calls to my local garage (good guy) and see what it will cost me to replace the hose (He's a NAPA garage , so I know the hose runs about $40).
Sigh, I JUST CANT FACE crawling under the car to do the work and I KNOW he has a hoist ( :roll: Wish I did)
PS: the lower hose looked okay when I was doing the heater hoses. :roll: :roll:

Wish I had the cash to buy a new auto.

Didn't you just replace that hose? Makes me think the hose wasn't the entire problem. It COULD BE the tube coming out of the radiator is deformed & won't seal the hose - or possibly the tube is loose at the radiator. :?:

Nope, Replaced the UPPER radiator hose and BOTH heater hoses. I saw the bottom hose spraying a little coolant from a crack when I heated up the coolant. The dang hose runs from low on the back (right side looking at it over the left fender) the engine, across the end of the transmission passing under the heater hoses and then under a couple of other "things" to finally duck down to hook into the bottom of the radiator. Replacing it would have meant crawling UNDER the car to loosen/remove BOTH hose clamps, crawling back out and removing the air cleaner and other "air hoses" to the same; then working the old hose out and the new hose in and then BACK under the car to hook up to the bottom of the radiator and the engine fitting. TOO much for this old lady to face on a dirt car port. Cost me $280 at the local Napa garage for parts and labor; parts included the hose, coolant, a new thermostat (why not as long as I'm having someone else do the work) and then a new overflow tank too as they say mine was cracked and leaking. SIGH, :roll: :roll: :roll: Maybe I can hit the lotto, jack up the gas tank and put a new auto around it. :roll: :wink: :wink:

Sorry to hear about your troubles - I'm currently struggling with similar issues with my 95 T-Bird. Instead of the gas tank, why not drive a new car under the rear view mirror? :mrgreen:

 

[Merle1948]

Would you be so kind as to provide the name/contact info for the mail order supplier? I have a friend who needs some Volvo electrical parts in a bad way. We do have a Volvo salvage/used parts supplier nearby, but I don't know on the availability on what is needed. My friend thinks his brain box is bad on his 94.

I don't want to be a wet blanket, but SOMETIMES used electrical parts are a bad deal.
It's a gamble if they'll work or not, and some yards won't take them back if they don't work. :roll:

 

[Merle1948]

I used to work on my vehicles. Then I started buying Toyotas. Just about no work needed.

Uh oh .. . Here we go again ....the Toyota police are sure to come down on you ....

REV

Well, at least I refrained from voicing my opinions on Toyotas. :evil:
The first one was great, but the second one is also the LAST ONE!

 

[graygun]

Would you be so kind as to provide the name/contact info for the mail order supplier? I have a friend who needs some Volvo electrical parts in a bad way. We do have a Volvo salvage/used parts supplier nearby, but I don't know on the availability on what is needed. My friend thinks his brain box is bad on his 94.

I don't want to be a wet blanket, but SOMETIMES used electrical parts are a bad deal.
It's a gamble if they'll work or not, and some yards won't take them back if they don't work. :roll:

Yes and they'll probably charge about 50% of the cost of a new one so try to verify it is bad first.

 

[graygun]

Pam,hope you get it fixed soon...Ty is expecting you up there.

PS: book arrived yesterday

 

[twobit]

FYI..... it is never a good idea to put that radiator stop leak goo in a radiator.

 

[DGW1949]

I realize that the cow has already busted through the fence....but....

Hoses fail from the inside out, so it's next to impossable to look at the outside and determine that it's good.
When one fails, the others won't be far behind, so RickC is right, it's best to replace them all every 5 years. By then, you should also be on your second drain/rinse/refill of the coolant system. Reason is...a modern day engine and coolant system is comprised of way too many dis-similar metals, which over time, causes the system to become comtaminated, which shortly leads to rot down of the heater core, hoses, water pump, the radiator, and finaly the freeze plugs. On high-milage, poorly maintaned vehicles, I've even seen it eat away the coolant passages inside intake manifolds and timing covers....and/or the trans cooler line inside the radiator (then it's bye-bye transmission).

About the only defense ya got against that sort of stuff is to replace the coolant mixture about every two years, and the hoses every five. And yeah, like RickC said, do use distilled water.

DGW

 

[Colonialgirl]

Would you be so kind as to provide the name/contact info for the mail order supplier? I have a friend who needs some Volvo electrical parts in a bad way. We do have a Volvo salvage/used parts supplier nearby, but I don't know on the availability on what is needed. My friend thinks his brain box is bad on his 94.

Here's there URL for them; They ask for your year, model and engine and will list several options for all most every part.

http://www.ipdusa.com/

Here's a handy forum for ALL Volvo owners; Lots of Handy Dandy repair tips, trouble shooting guides etc including some short cuts that make the repair MUCH quicker than the "official" manuals; also some step by step videos.
http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=1

And if its an ABS Control Module that you need, try this one:
https://www.midwest-abs.com/

They rebuild and test them and Guarantee them for a year. Most are $79 exchange Provided NO "self repair damage" to your unit and your get it back to them within 15 days. Oh, they also include the handy little Torx E-5 fitting you NEED to remove the unit and install the new one; It HAS to go back too.
The ABS module will usually cure ABS Brake problems ( :roll: ) along with speedometer problems and make it so you have to step on the brake to Shift into drive on the Autoatics; There may be a couple of other functions, but those are the MAIN ones.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Don't even think about heater cores. One of the main reasons I keep my '01 Jeep Wrangler is because it doesn't have air conditioning. Most cars with AC are absolute bears to replace heater cores in. My old '98 Grand Marquis was a nearly impossible job to replace the core in. I still shudder from the memory. For a while I was afraid I'd have to remove the rear bumper before the job was done. I do less and less of my own automobile maintenance these years. I still do all my own maintenance on my two motorbikes, but just don't want to work on the cars anymore. After 30 years in Alaska where you had to do all of your own work I'm retired from that too.

Fortunately, for the most part, Volvo's have always been fairly easy and straight forward to work on and do replacements; it only got screwed up a bit when Ford bought a share and then the Ford engineers messed about with the Swedish Engineers. Keep in mind that Volvo's are designed and BUILT to drive around in the Swedish winter time. I found that they have a quick responsive steering and usually a very tight turning radius, then you add in the Well constructed passenger compartment, solid doors, great roof support and top it ALL off with really comfortable seats. DId I forget to mention the Fold-down back seat and the "ski" pass through panel from the trunk to the interior.
Okay; FUNNY STORY:
I was at a Home Depot or Lowes and had purchased some 8 foot long boards (1x6) for a project at home; I wheeled them out to my trusty old Volvo 760 GLE, popped the trunk opened the "Ski Panel" and was sliding them LONG boards into that trunk with out stopping. This gentle came wandering up and leaned over to take a look into the trunk and then Said, "I wondered what kind of MAGIC you were doing to get those boards all the way into the trunk of that car." :roll: :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[bobski]

i pay people to suffer. let your garage guy do it!

i use to thank GOD i wasnt a jet mech in the navy. i use to watch those poor suckers change out fod'ed tf40's and wondered how in GODS name they remembered where everything went when they replaced it!

 

[m657]

speaking of leaks.....once upon a time I had a Mazda Wankel RX3 or whatever the smaller one was called.

It had 3 radiators.

They all leaked.

Only small 'econo' car I ever had, that had all the disadvantages of a small car, with all the disadvantages of a big car (fuel mileage/maintenance) and none of the advantages of either.

 

[dougader]

I used to work on my vehicles. Then I started buying Toyotas. Just about no work needed.

Funny that. The first head gasket I ever replaced was on a Toyota Corolla. Pain in the butt.