This is a continuation of a thread I started yesterday. I tried to edit my original message, but I guess you can't do that. If someone has a suggestion on editing an existing message please let me know.

Engine Overheating.

I appreciate the replies. From reading them, however, it is clear to me that I have not articulated the problem with sufficient clarity. Let me try again.

My 245 DL wagon (1985) is not a turbo. It does have air conditioning and I have paid a small fortune ($1,000) last summer to have the compressor replaced and other work done. It seems the over heating of the engine prevents the air conditioning from operating properly, but at this point there is no evidence of any chemical being left in the air conditioning system and I have temporarily abandoned my goal of achieving air conditioning until I have the engine overheating problem solved. Once this is done, I plan to be aggressive with my mechanic about his air conditioning repair. So far I am out the $1,000 and have no result.

So help me track down the source of the engine overheating problem assuming that the air conditioning is not a factor. All of which I am about to describe occurs with the air conditioning shut off.

Possible problems mentioned in the first set of replies, such as faulty thermostat and clogged radiator, seem to me to be inconsistent with the limited nature of the problem. By limited I mean that the engine generally, in almost all conditions shows a temperature lower than half way on the guage. This is because I have installed the lowest temp thermo Volvo has. Before I did this the guage read exactly in the middle as I am use to from my other 245s and as it is suppose to be. I am not troubled by the low reading at this point and that is not the problem. It is confirmation to me that the cooling system is working under normal conditions, that the thermostat is not faulty, and that the radiator is not clogged. In fact the radiator exhibits uniform temperature to the touch so that is another factor that suggests the radiator is OK. THe radiator visually looks clean, also.

The engine overheats under one condition. It is the expected one. That is, very hot ambient conditions (say 85 and over) and very stop and go traffic. (By the way, if I ever put the air conditioning on under such conditions or idling, the temp indicator would rise to the red much quicker). Although the temp indicator falls when I turn on the heater with full blower, (a Summer experience not to be envied) I don't think it is the radiator as one of the replies suggested was indicated by this test, because the radiator symptoms are not present, such as unevenly heated radiator.

My focus right now is on two possibilities (and if I am missing others, just let me know).

First, the mechanic wants me to install a new fan clutch. To demonstrate that the clutch was not working propely he allowed the car to idle for a while. Of course the temperature guage remained steadfastly in the cool range. After a while her stuck his head under the hood, manually reved the engine. I observed that the fan spun but did not appear to increase in RPMs as the engine RPMs increased. I assumed this was normal since the engine was not hot enough to engage the clutch.

Next the mechanic placed his fingers against the whirring blades and as he did so the fan slowed and stopped. His comment was, "I should not be able to do this, unless the clutch is bad" IS THIS A VALID TEST. It seems to me that unless the clutch has engaqed, of course, he would be able to stop the fan with his hand.

Remember, please. I have swapped this fan and clutch assembly from another 240 which never exhibited overheating problems. I am presuming the clutch is OK and there is good reason to believe it is. However, the clutch is one logical source of the problem and I don't want to miss something, here.

Someone mentioned being able to hear the fan engage. How, when, why? I don't think I am aware of any different sound.

OTHER POSSIBLE ISSUE: Anti Freeze mix. I have reason to believe I may be running 100 percent Anti Freeze. Is ther any way to check. THe mixture has a thick greenish appearance. My tester shows 5 out of 5 colored balls floating and the chart that came with the tester suggests this establishes protection against freezing to minus 45 degrees farenheit. This is what leads me to the pure anti freeze theory.

Question is: If it is pure anti freeze, how significant to an overheating problem is this? Also, why are there no demonstrated factors of overheating which present themselves, other than on the limited occaisions of hot weather and stop and go traffic.

Should I just bite the bullet, replace the fan clutch $86 through IPD and eliminate at least one factor.

Everyone knows how sick to the stomach you feel when you replace a suspected failed part and the problem remains exactly as before.

Should I drain the radiator and start with a new mixture. Or how much mixture should I remove in order to have a propery mix, assuming it is pure anti freeze, now. I can always use my tester to be sure I am not loosing the anti freeze entirely.

I am stumped and really need some ideas. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Robert M. Franklin