1800: Air in cooling system

[Derek UK]

My original post was here http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...ling+pipe+head

It seems that if you try and scroll back through all of your posts after clicking "Find all of your posts" in your account Statistics, you are limited to 500 posts and that will take you back as far as the date that the earliest one was posted. I post too much so that wasn't very far.

[Derek UK]

Ron, the "Look what I found" big picture is on top of a bunch of useful text. Can you just make the thumbnails clickable to enlarge?

FYI look at this video from 11:25
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lEdNKLJTAI

Watch this one first https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0y5qu3cLgg

[Ron Kwas]

Derek;

Excellent! That thread with its pictures clears it up even better, and I will amend my notes to reflect this...from that thread...the Dist Pipe is essentially round in cross-section, but somewhat formed at the Tstat end, such that it is an interference fit in the Head casting and can be slightly deformed to remain in place rotationally, and this is supposed to be with distribution slots pointing toward exhaust halves.

It seems to me that a slight rattling which might be detectable when Head is off an engine is not unusual as the Cyl 4 end of the pipe is simply in its clearance and not secured there particularly well...but when in-situ and "padded" by surrounding coolant this wouldn't be an issue...what is important is that the pipe be oriented correctly on installation, and deformed to remain in that rotational position, so that coolant flow is as designed, and not exiting the Pipe in the wrong direction...

Derek; I would like to add your pictures to the notes article so request permission to repost.

Cheers

Edit: I will have a look at vids.

[Phid]

Thanks to everyone's help and advice I've made some progress.

I put the front of the car up on ramps, took the rad cap off and tried to bleed out the air. No luck - air just not shifting from the hose between block and heater valve. So I then tried bypassing the heater control valve - and all is well. Heater core is hot and no apparent leaks.

So it seems the control valve is the problem - I assume the mechanism inside is stuck. There are signs that it has had work done to it in the past with what looks like brazing on the bottom of the vertical. Ready for the bin I think?

So I'm ok for the winter but suspect I will need to address this again before temperatures rise.

[Derek UK]

Ron, I nicked the pics off the net, think it was from the Yahoo 1800 forum, so I guess if you use the normal disclaimer and agree to take them down if asked, all should be fine.

From here, are you a member? If not join. Yes 1800 but lots of cross over and the picture folders are a mine of information.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/...bums/364356465

[Phid]

Another update...
I took the car out for a decent long run today. Heater was lovely and warm (of course I couldn't turn it down as control valve bypassed) but it was leaking at the bottom of the heater box. I had the core professionally tested (old school radiator place) - I wonder if it's the slippy waterless coolant finding holes that normal water/antifreeze would not?

Any thoughts out there? How are radiators pressure tested?

Thanks

[Ron Kwas]

Phil;

Cooling System components can be individually tested or on a system level...pressure test is typically a "Leakdown Test"...that is pressurize component or system to typical working pressure, plus some margin (for a 50 year old cooling system, I wouldn't go more than 50% over), then monitor pressure for some period of time to see if it drops...obviously any leak would cause this, and size of leak would determine how fast pressure is released.

With Brass Rad and Heater Core, most discontinuities which lead to leaks can be soldered up...sealing goop is a quick and (very) dirty fix that leads to more problems than its worth...so not recommended!

I read further back that you don't suspect a leak based on not finding green Coolant, rather "mud"...I hope you are right...sometimes what comes out of the bottom of Rad of Heater Core can look pretty much like mud...

Cheers

[Phid]

Thanks for the explanation Ron -

It's definitely green coolant coming out of the bottom of the heater box. Coolant is all very clean due to new waterless coolant system installed by previous owner and a recent engine rebuild.

[simonvolvo]

Originally Posted by simonvolvo

No, it’s me who got it all wrong.

Well, maybe not. Continued in a new thread.