I am in St. Louis and my daughter is in Boston with the '87 740. She took it in for a couple of minor issues, and the shop is suggesting that it needs a new heater core. I talk to the mechanic this morning to get the bad news - $$$.

What is a reasonable cost for this job?

Any thoughts on letting it go and just adding coolant as it gets low? Maybe it will last till this summer when she brings it back home.

I have heard Alumaseal might be a good temporary fix. I have searched the archives and only found one reference to this product and it was favorable. Most of what I have read about Bars is --"Don't". Anyone else tried Alumaseal with good results.

Thanks in advance.

Dan

I stopped a heater Core leak in my '80gle V8 with two applications of ground pepper (don't laugh — or sneeze). I used about 3 tablespoons full each time, right into the expansion tank.

I don't recall how fast it worked, but I did it in 12/02, and It was still holding when I sold the car in 5/03 (or at least till I quit using the heater for the season).

P.S. Did it work, Art?
--
Bruce Young,
'93 940-NA (current), '80 GLE V8 (Sold), '86 240dl, '85 244 ti, '83 245t
'76 244 (R.I.P at 255k), 73 142 (98K), '71 144 (ex circle track car)
Used '70 144 from '78 to '92, New 144 from '67 to '78, Used '62 122 from '63 to '67

In the middle of last winter the heater core in my 1987 745T started leaking badly. I added one can of Bar's Leak, and the leak stopped. I made it through the winter, and put the job off until late last year whe it started leaking again.

I am a fairly experienced shade tree mechanic, and I can tell you that it is about a ten hour job to replace the heater core in a 740. The shop will quote you about $200 for the heater core, and probably 8-10 hours of labor. That is a lot of money to spend on a 1987 car. That's why I maintain my own cars.
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john

Thanks for the advice. I too like to do most of my maintenance and everything was fine when I had ready access to the car. I bought this car about 5 years ago with the intent that it would be a three-year car. This was long enough for my daughter to get through college and out in the working world. She tricked me by going on to further her education and now the three year requirement has turned into six years. Oh well, I could have much worse problems.

Dan

Both of my kids drive Volvos, and probably will for a very long time.

I hope the Bar's Leak works. I can send you a file from the service manual on changing the heater core if you are going to do the work. A local independant Volvo shop charges ten hours of labor to do a 740 heater core.
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john

I need help. I have gotten to the box that has the heater core in it. Do I take the box apart? Can you send me the info on the service manuel?

Yes, you take the box apart. If you need more information, send me an email, and have a emaill address which will take an 8MB file.
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john

Hello,

John Sargent mentioned a file containing manual pages regarding heater core replacement in a 740. I have a 1989 740 Turbo wagon, does this file apply to my car? Is it possible to send it to me?

themann@iname.com

Thanks,
Harry

Yes, it applies. It is a large file. Message me directly if you want it sent to you.
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john

Hi,

Somehow, my emails are not geting through to you. Mine is themann@iname.com and I would very much appreciate having that file. I have a broadband connection so file size is not important at my end.

thanks,
harry

I assume she is going to a knowledgeable mechanic: Swenson's in Brookline is a Volvo indy specialist and good.

Using some Bar's Leak (which is merely fibre clumps in a dispersant liquid) or Alumaseal powder might be your best bet if the leak is small. You can flush it out later. That will get her into March, when the heater will no longer be needed. She can have the shop then merely cut off the heater hoses at the firewall and splice them together for the trip back to St Louis so it doesn't die on the road. You can then replace the core and hoses at your leisure. If the radiator is original then that certainly has to go as well. See the FAQ.

If the leak is a big one, with fluid on the carpet and a noticeable drip, then you're probably stuck getting a new core since she will need the heater for the next two months. If she is willing to go without, just splice the hoses together.

Thanks for the tips. Glad to hear your vote of confidence on Swanson's. I did my research a few months ago and this is where the car is located. I just spoke with Mr. Swanson and he is going to check further to make sure that the problem is not from water that has leaked into the blower assembly. I'll know more tomorrow.

Dan

Radiator sealants get badmouthed a lot. There is no question that replacing a leaking core or radiator is infinitely better than trying to seal a leak with an additive. However, there are times that they make all the sense in the world and I think you are at that crossroad at the present time.

I have used Bars Leak at various times over the past few decades with good results. I have never had a bad experience with it as in clogging a system and causing it to overheat. I would imagine that if you had a marginal system a bottle of Bars Leak might put it over the edge, but otherwise I think it is basically good stuff and it has worked for me. I don't think you have anything to lose ($$and everything to gain$$)by giving it a try.

I would not just pour it into the expansion tank. Lower the coolant level enough that you can take the upper radiator hose off at the thermostat housing and pour it into the top of the radiator. Reattach the hose and add the coolant to get to a safe level. Start the car, turn the heater on full and drive. I would drive a minimum of 50 miles to keep the system hot and circulating.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I know the anxiety of having a car stationed away from home and having issues like you are facing.

Randy

Randy is correct in pointing out the best method of introducing Bars Leaks or similar into the system. And it's very important to run the car at full operating temp after application. I used to manage a small import/domestic garage, and we used Bars Leaks routinely, most notably on older vehicles belonging to customers with shallow pockets. There are times when it just doesn't make economic sense to be 100 percent. Also, in at least the 1980s and 1990s, Bars Leaks was factory approved (and used) by GM, Ford and a few others. GM evidently used it for porosity problems, a problem familiar to some owners of early 960s.
Richard
--
86 740T/87 745GLE/96 960 Wagon

When I was in the Swedish army, assigned to a truck platoon in the mid fifties, we learned that horse manure also functioned well as an emergency radiator sealer.
Never had a chance to try it. Don't know which degree of freshness is the best. The price is right though.
Hope I am not giving away any Swedish military secrets.