Hi Dave,

I did the test:

- Before starting the engine, the antifreeze was at min. level, cold engine.
- I removed the expansion tank cap, turned the engine on.
- Slowly I have seen the antifreeze level going up, no bubbles.
- Soon after the temperature needle reached the middle, the antifreeze overflew from the tank, but no bubbles.
- I turned the engine off.

I still think it is the head gasket because I noticed in an area between the cylinder head and the block, say, the part looking at the water pump, it is wet, so something is coming out from the gasket.

Tomorrow, the car will be at Volvo, let's see what they say.

However, I would not know how to explain the pressure and leaks from the hoses to the radiator, other than the expansion tank cap been defective.

I mean, are the two things connected someway?
Leaking hoses means high pressure in the circuit, but I do not understand how this could be connected to the blown head gasket, which instead, explains why the engine starts roughly.

Alessandro