Volvo AWD 850 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 2/2011 850 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

losing water please help!!! 850

posted by  someone claiming to be gsd on  Wed Aug 14 21:26 CST 2002 [RELATED]

my 96 850 t5 is losing water but i don't know where. i've looked under the car (while switched on and hot), in the oil (mayo deposits), in the atf (leak between the rads) but nothing. wheres the water leaking to?

it drops from the max to the min in under a week about 100 miles, this can't be right can it?

it all started after the thermostat and expansion cap were replaced due to to much pressure in the system breaking them but the car has never overheated and has had all its regualr services. any ideas thanks.

the search on the forum is not working for me so i couldn't do a search for this prob.








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    I May Have the Answer >>losing water please help!!! 850

    posted by  someone claiming to be GNB on  Fri Aug 16 17:06 CST 2002 [RELATED]

    I have a 95 850 Turbo.

    After replacing the hoses and thermostat a few months ago I began to mysteriously lose coolant.

    I bought a fluorescent dye kit and u/v light and traced the leak to the thermostat housing.

    Here's what I did wrong when I replaced the thermostat and gasket:

    The rubber thermostat housing gaskethas a inner lip that the edge of the thermostat must fit into. I had merely placed the gasket on the housing and bolted the thing back together.

    My indy volvo mechanic pointed this out to me BTW- because it's not readily apparent.


    My suggestion to you - remove the thermostat housing and check out the gasket.

    Just be sure to use the proper #40 Torx and turn sloooowly ( that another long story) so as not to strip out the alloy headed bolt. Go to your Volvo dealer and get replacement bolts that are now steel.

    Good Luck !








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    losing water please help!!! 850

    posted by  someone claiming to be Rene on  Thu Aug 15 02:45 CST 2002 [RELATED]

    Also check the radiator cap.

    Rene








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      losing water please help!!! 850

      posted by  someone claiming to be gsd on  Thu Aug 15 03:18 CST 2002 [RELATED]

      had a new one fitted the old one cracked








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

        losing water please help!!! 850

        posted by  someone claiming to be Rene on  Thu Aug 15 06:41 CST 2002 [RELATED]

        My neighbor had a similar problem with a Saab. It ended up being a pinched bottom hose right on the bottom. The hole was so small that vapor will come out leaving no trace. Just for change check this one too.

        Good Luck,

        Rene








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    Pressure test? 850

    posted by  someone claiming to be Glen on  Wed Aug 14 23:33 CST 2002 [RELATED]

    Have it pressure tested if you can't see it otherwise but the first place you should now look is inside the car. Remove the plastic cover under the carpet to the right of your gas pedal and look at the heater core area and pipes between the firewall and heater core. Check under the matting below the carpet there too for signs of coolant.
    If it's dry, then a pressure test should be able to locate to source and if internal engine leakage is suspected, remove spark plugs while it's under pressure and see if coolant's getting inside the cylinders.








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      Pressure test? 850

      posted by  someone claiming to be gsd on  Thu Aug 15 02:29 CST 2002 [RELATED]

      i don't want to sound stupid but how do u check inside the cylinder through the spark plug hole it looks to small to see anything???

      if it is an internal engine leak is it a expensive fix???

      the car has never overheated and i don't abuse it so i can't see how the head gasket has gone???

      thanks for any advise








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

        Pressure test? 850

        posted by  someone claiming to be Glen on  Thu Aug 15 17:10 CST 2002 [RELATED]

        There's a couple tools that'll work, some are costly. I have a tool made by Snap-On that's nothing more than a very small bulb at the end of a flexible wire, powered by batteries (like a remote mini-flashlight) and it was only about $20 15 yrs ago. The bulb fits inside spark plug holes and I can see inside with my bare eyes using this. I don't know if you can buy anything like that today elsewhere.
        For ALOT more money, there's a device known as a boroscope which is made for seeing details inside a cylinder w/o taking the head off. Most auto shops have one.
        As far as it being a head gasket, highly unlikely if never ovedheated but I've seen and heard of cracked blocks (also rare) and if it's cracked, it'll be cracked between two cylinders and only visable with the head removed. A cracked blocked is best cured by replacing the engine with a reman so hopefully that's not your problem.








        •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

          Pressure test? 850

          posted by  someone claiming to be gsd on  Thu Aug 15 22:17 CST 2002 [RELATED]

          thanks for the advise i checked the heater inside the car but all dry, you said it might be a cracked block but wouldn't that cause other problems???

          the car runs fine never had a ecu light

          would a compression test tell me if the blocks cracked???

          thanks for your insight







<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.