Questions on coolant recovery tank...

The crack is more likely a cause of overheating rather than a result. And with the crack, the system can't build up normal operating pressure and you will lose coolant - both likely to cause overheating in the summer. I recommend you focus on replacing the reservoir (and check the cap for cracks that run along the sides) before turning your sights on the radiator.

The recovery tank is unusual in that it is pressurized; most recovery tanks are past the pressure cap. But although cracks in the cap are common, the tank doesn't often crack. Check Volvos in wrecking yards near you.

Mike

If you get really stuck, you can use plastic bond epoxy to repair the tank for now, and I can grab another one the next time I go to the wrecking yard, there's gotta be some yards near you though.

Yes, source a replacement reservoir from a wrecking yard, preferably a U Pull It.

While you're there, consider buying the hardware to switch back to a stock cooling set up (mechanical fan, shroud and ancillary bits: very simple)

I like the electric fans personally, much quieter and they don't rob as much engine power. Converting both of my Volvos is on the list.

FCPGroton is a damn good place to order from. They have any part you could ever need for cheap and they are all good quality. I just got done rebuilding my 240s engine, and I gotta say, without their cheap prices on good parts, I would have been stuck. They are nice too. I kept ordering stuff because every time I looked at the car, I figured out I needed something else, and they combined everything and refunded part of the shipping cost that I was ready to pay 3 or 4 times for because I had that many different orders.

the expansi> Its a 1992 Volvo 740 GL turbo wagon. THe car overheated....didn't

Uh, that last post I referred to the expansion tank that goes on MY car not yours. hehe.

here's the real link;

it's $39.50 for your car, sorry for the false advertisement!!

lo

ger> Its a 1992 Volvo 740 GL turbo wagon. THe car overheated....didn't

James....I fixed the first crack abt 3/8 in long on top of tank near the return line with automotive Goop. This is holding fine. But the next time my wife drove it, and not even very far, it started to overheat. My wife filled up the recovery tank as I had told her to do if low, and she said water was running out along the tank seams. So there is something very wrong here, must have built up a lot of pressure. If that cap is suppose to open up on overheat to relieve excessive pressure, so that the tank doesn't rupture, its not. But again, it didn't ever get up to the red area.

So yea, I will get a coolant tank at local junk yard if possible.....if not, buy one from you. I have a spare 740 radiator from my now defunct '89 740...unfortunately we didn't save the coolant reservoir before having it towed away. The spare looks in better shape than the one installed now, so I think I better swap radiators, and seal the recovery tank seam up with Goop, and see what happens. Actually, with no shroud on the radiator, it would be possible to put TWO of these Autozone 12 in. integral-shrouded cooling fans on the radiator. But I have to be sure that the alternator and relay can handle a second fan....and I don't know what the ampacity rating of either is really. If you have some manual that gives the max ampacity of the fan control relay, plse let me know. The fuse rating for the control relay would be max amount, whatever that is. This setup would be a lot better, seems to me. What do you think about dual fans? I could easily set it up to turn on whenever the AC is switched on. I know this shouldn't be done as a work-around for some other coolant system fault...but once the system is properly fixed, seems like dual fans would be a good idea for better reliability and relief from heat stress.

I have the mechanical fan that was on the 89 740. There wouldn't be a shroud on it if I installed it, and the lower hose from the radiator is a problem, as it needs to be a couple of inches longer so it can be positioned far enough towards the RH side of car so it will clear the fan. Maybe is a bad idea if it makes it noisier and significantly increases the load on the engine. I guess especially if I setup dual fans its unnecessary.

Geronimo

Thanks, I will keep this parts source in mind...that is a real good price. Might be better to just buy a new tank rather than an old one. Geronimo

Geronimo My two cents. I had similar issues with my '87 744T. Ended up being just a cracked tank for no particular reason other then that it got old.

Replaced it and never had another problem with it.

don b.

The tank is still not holding. I know from experience the tank does not crack even if the temperature gets into the red; at that point the cap releases.

Mike

you might give some thought to the possibility of a leaking head gasket, allowing hot gasses to escape from the cylinder into the coolant. This would cause both overheating and an increase in pressure in the cooling system, which could rupture the plastic recovery tank...

An the engine driven fan was last used on the 1991 models - a '92 would have only had the later style 2 speed puller fan, like the front drive cars. This fan is very effective at cooling (when it works).