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850 GLT Radiator Clogged?

Hi everyone-

About two and a half months ago, the radiator on my 1993 Volvo 850 GLT (~122k miles) cracked badly in multiple places, leading me to limp home ~60 miles with frequent refills. Got it replaced, everything's been dandy since...

Until Thursday night. While driving, the engine temperature shot up, and upon pulling over, I found that the coolant tank was empty.

My diagnosis so far:

-No visible leaking coming from the radiator or any hoses while the car is off or in idle at the start of a drive.

-The leaking seems to be coming from the cap of the coolant reservoir.

-After driving for a short while, the temperature will increase. When I pull over, the pressure in the reservoir seems uncharacteristically high for the length of time driven, and there's some leakage over the top.

My guess is that one of the hoses is partially clogged or collapsed, causing the pressure to build (thus the leakage) and circulation to decrease (thus, the overheating). I'd think that a drain, flush, and refill, along with a careful inspection would fix this.

I'm taking it back to the place that did my radiator tomorrow morning. Does my reasoning on what's wrong seem to be correct?

Thanks,

Noah

Reply to
lorang
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I'm sorry to say that this kind of pressure buildup almost always points to a head gasket problem.

Reply to
Mike F

Does this place specialize in Volvos? If not, go somewhere else that does. You want a mechanic who works on these cars all the time, not someone who is learning on yours.

John

Reply to
John Horner

I'm afraid I agree with Mike F; it sounds like head gasket failure. The recent history of inadequate coolant is especially ominous. You can do a "shadetree" test: starting with a cold engine, remove the pressure cap and start the engine. Pinch off any overflow hose and place the palm of your hand over the opening for five to ten seconds. If you feel a steady rise in pressure or (worse) fluctuation in pressure there is a great likelihood the head will have to come off for repair. A hydrocarbon test by a professional shop will confirm.

Some people have been able to fix early failures with a sealant that goes in the coolant, but I am leery of those.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

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