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Can anyone help me to locate the heater control valve and hose? I went through the FAQ, but I still having problem locating them? How much is the valve and hose all together? Is it difficult to replace them? Thanks for any advice!
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Dear 940 4ever,
Good p.m./a.m. and may this find you well. Below, I set forth a procedure for changing the heater control valve and the hoses. If you do according to this procedure, you'll find the job manageable.
Yours faithfully,
spook
Heater Hoses/Control Valve 1993 940 N/A
ACCESS. I used a 16" wide board (68" long and 1 1/4" thick) as a work platform. I put foam tape on the underside, at the ends (to protect the fenders) and laid the board over the engine bay. I made sure the leading edge (closest to the radiator) was not resting on the fan shroud. I made sure that the trailing edge (closest to the firewall) was not resting on the coil (Rex Regina coil sticks up). In this way, I was able to lay on top of the engine, and so to look down at the hose clamp, that secured the hose to the port on the side of the head, below the intake manifold.
HOSE REMOVAL.
Clamp removal. If the clamps are original (you will know this because the teeth are cut into - but do not go all the way through - the metal), use a 9/32" socket to loosen them. Loosen them completely.
If the clamps are not corroded, put a bit of lithium grease into the screw, and re-use them. Make sure no grease gets onto the inside surface of the metal: wipe this area with a solvent (e.g., brake cleaner). The grease in the screw area will make it easier to re-install the clamp.
To minimize the risk of cutting into the copper heater core hose ports (that takes water through the firewall and to the heater core), use a utility knife to cut through the heater hose 3" from the firewall. Then, using a utility knife, cut towards the hose port, spreading the cut hose with your fingers, behind the blade. You will see the edge of the hose port, before the blade touches it. Starting at the leading end of the hose port (that closest to the front of the car), gently make a cut along the length of the hose that is still on the hose port, towards the firewall. Do NOT try to cut all the way through the hose: you will almost certainly cut into the hose port wall: that will give rise to a leak. Once you have made the first cut, deepen it, while spreading the hose from behind the blade, so that you can see how deep you’ve gone. Gradually deepen the cut. At some point - before you’ve cut all the way through - the rubber will give way, when you spread the hose. You will be able to remove the stub from the heater port, without the blade ever having touched the heater port wall.
Generally, you can simply pull the hoses off the other two ports - that on the side of the head (under the intake manifold) and that on the pipe, which runs behind the exhaust manifold and around the back of the head. How you remove these hoses depends on your hand size. If you have a small hand, you will be able to grip the hose under the exhaust manifold. If you cannot do this, use a pliers to grip the hose, and pull it off of the port in the side of the head. You likely will need to wiggle the hose to “walk” it along the port.
HOSE RE-INSTALLATION.
Clean the hose ports with solvent - I used methyl ethyl ketone (MEK, a chemical cousin of acetone, works well but is highly flammable and carcinogenic) - to remove any grit, rubber particles, etc. This will ensure a tight seal.
Do not forget to put clamps on the hoses, before you run the hoses to the port on the side of the head and to the pipe behind the head.
First, do the lower hose (the one that runs to the head, and into which the heater valve has been installed). It should pass between the wiring harness (with the ridged cover) and the oil dipstick tube, on the passenger side of the dipstick tube.
Making sure that the clamp screw will point upwards, install the clamp on the hose at the end, which is to go on the port, on the side of the head.. Reach under the intake manifold, and push the hose to the point where the hose opening is just touching the edge of the port. Then, slowly work the hose along the port, until it is against the base of the port. Position the clamp 3/16" from the base of the port, and tighten the clamp, using the flexible shaft screwdriver, through the opening in the intake manifold branches.
The upper hose should pass behind the 1" thick wiring harness (with a ridged covering), on its way to the tube, which is behind the head, and which runs along the side of the head, behind the exhaust manifold, to the back of the water pump. Position the hose clamp on the end of the hose, making sure that the hex head points upwards. Push this hose onto the end of the pipe, until it reaches the stop. Position the clamp 3/16" from the stop and tighten it. This hose should fit into a black plastic clip - with a swivel - which attaches to the fuel return line.
When you slide the clamps over the hoses, before pushing the hoses onto the heater core ports, position the clamps so that the hex head of the clamp screws on the hose clamps point to the driver's door. Push the hoses all the way onto the port, until the hose contacts the foam gasket at the base of the port (closest to the firewall). Position the clamp about 3/16" from the end of the hose. Tighten the clamp until it is snug, using a flexible shaft screwdriver, or a flexible shaft extension, with a socket on the end.
Connect the vacuum hose to the bottom of the heater control valve. Make sure to reconnect the hose from the side of the flame trap to the intake manifold, and the vacuum line to the cruise control actuator (if either has been dislodged).
REFILLING THE SYSTEM / PURGING TRAPPED AIR
Refill the system will coolant/water (50:50) mix. Start engine, wait for it to warm up (temp indicator in the middle). Check for leaks where hoses attach to ports. If necessary, snug hose clamps.
Turn the climate control setting to max heat. If you feel a blast of heat, everything is fine. If the air is only warm, there likely is an air bubble in the heater core. Turn the car around, so that the nose is pointing down (if the car was angled up before, or vice versa). This should allow the air bubble to escape. You’re good for another decade, or so.
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Heater valve: $14 from fcpgroton.com
Hose that the valve splices into: $30.68 + shipping from BostonVolvo.com (Volvo dealership that discounts parts). I use Boston Volvo because I needed to replace the hose ASAP (but wasn't going to pay local dealer prices) the turn around time was fast since I live in Rhode Island. If I had more time, I would have ordered from Borton Volvo in Minnesota (borton.com) their prices are a little better.
FCP Groton also has the heater hoses that you need for less but considering how tough it is to get to I would highly recommend spending the extra on Volvo hoses which are of the highest quality. Also, while you are in there I would change the other hose too unless it's been change somewhat recently.
One last recommendation, if your car has a turbo then also check your oil cooler hoses which are just underneath the oil filter. These typically swell up from the repeated exposure to oil and eventually fail.
Good luck,
Bean
--
'80 242GT 92k, '94 945T 123k
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The heater hoses and valve are under the intake manifold near the firewall. It's hard to see them and the area is crowded.
The valve is under $20 and the hoses aren't much more. One of the hoses must be cur at the appropriate spot and the valve spliced in.
I replaced these in my 940 and it was sort of a "braille" job done mostly by feel. It was hard to route the hoses in the right place and I lost some knuckles doing it. If I do it again, I'll unbolt the intake manifold and pull it back to expose all the hoses, clamps and wiring under there. This would also give a great chance to pull and clean the oil separator and check the engine temperature sensor.
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Jim,
Are those prices really correct? Here in the UK, I was quoted £80 (thats about $144 USD) for the valve and hoses by my local Volvo dealer, I decided to put the purchase off to the next coolant change.
Paul.
--
1993 940 Estate (Wagon!) 199k Miles and counting.
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Paul,
The Volvo branded valve is aroung $65 in the US. I think the $15 dollar price is an aftermarket valve made by MTC.
Ian
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Dear Paul,
Good p.m. and hope this finds you well. I bought two heater hoses from Borton vOLVO (Minneapolis, MN, USA) for $66 (inclusive of shipping). I bought the heater control valve from eeuroparts.com for $15 + shipping.
Generally, UK price = US price x 2.
Rather than putting-off the repair, order from Borton's and ask them to ship seamail. It will take 4-6 weeks, but the cost should be small. Even with VAT - I doubt the amount would be large enough to attract duty - you'll be way ahead of the game.
For example, to ship a 4 lb parcel, air mail parcel post, would cost about $23 (GBP13) from the US to the UK. It might be possible to put the heater hoses and the valve in a Global Priority Mail Large envelope, which would cost $9 (GBP 5)for 4 lbs. Whichever method is used, you'd be way ahead. Only a small customs declaration form need be filled out by the shipper.
The only question to be resolved is whether for a small parcel, you'll need a customs broker (frightfully costly). I suspect that for a small parcel, the Royal Mail will deliver it to you, and collect from you what's due. Check with them to see if this is so. If my guess is correct, you'll be far ahead to buy in the hoses in the US and have them shipped across.
Hope this helps to protect your wallet.
Yours faithfully,
spook
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Spook,
Thank you, thats very useful information. Something I can definitely use for planned maintenance. On the subject of the hose/valve replacement, the Volvo Dealer parts man (who is usually very helpful) was very dubious about the necessity for replacement. He said that in his experience, its very rare that the valves/hoses fail.... he hardly ever has to order them. Having read the FAQ, I understand that failure could be catastrophic, but is it any more likely than other potential failures (Cam belt, oil cooler hoses etc) or are we just talking about mitigating risk and comparing $$'s for valve and hose to $$$$$ for a new engine...
I and most of my fellow Brickboarders are Volvo fanatics, and would rather pay for the parts than be mourning the loss of their engine/car, but its not always easy to prioritise repair and restoration work due to the lack of objective information regarding failure rates. Thats not meant as a criticism, just an observation.
Finally, (and I apologise that this post is going off topic) every now and again some of the UK newspapers start a campaign (usually called "Rip Off Britain") comparing prices charged in the UK to those in our neighbours in Europe and the US. This ranges from food to CDs/DVDs to Clothes to Cars. I find it incredible that companies are able to do this to us, but now we have access to ww suppliers through the www, I live in hope that change will come.
Thanks again for the info and sorry for the long post.
Paul.
--
1993 940 Estate (Wagon!) 199k Miles and counting.
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Dear Paul,
Good a.m. and may this find you well. It is the heater valve - more than the hoses - that is likely to fail. Plastic gets brittle, with long exposure to heat, as the plasticizers - usually compounds in the phthalate family, that make the plastic resin flexible - slowly evaporate. When the heater valve fails, the water pump does not turn off, so there is very rapid coolant loss.
Rapid coolant loss usually means a warped head, and so a head gasket job, which is quite dear, relative to the cost of doing heater hoses.
In evaluating preventive maintenance, I look at:
(a) the failure mode (slow or catastrophic)
(b) the failure cost (large [engine loss] or small [delay in making a journey]).
Heater valve failure is catastrophic and the cost is large. Shock absorber failure is usually slow and the cost of failure is usually small (uncomfortable ride).
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
spook
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