I said i'll be back! - Page 26

Laird Scooby · Oct 15th, 2021, 07:37

Something i didn't mention in the last update was a leaky radiator, 760 V6 rads are now Unobtainium so thanks to a heads-up from Luke (360beast) i found a 940 heavy duty rad that was almost the same dimensions.

However, firstly it was for a manual (a bonus IMHO - why will be explained in due course) and secondly, the stubs for the top and bottom hoses are the traditional stubs at right angles to the radiator.
That might not sound like a problem but the stubs on the V6 are at ~45 degrees and the hoses are designed to suit. During the days i spent researching the differences in the radiators, i also checked the box of V6 bits Luke very kindly sent me when he sent one off to be converted to alternative power as the engine had suffered serious HGF among other problems.

In that box i found the two thermostat elbow hoses that link the heads with the 'stat housings. They are a 45deg bend - perfect! Ordered a pair of alloy hose connectors on fleabay so these bends could go on the rad stubs and then the existing top and bottom hoses could be used.

Also the original V6 rad has an ATF cooler built in to one end tank on the rad and (on mine at least) an auxiliary ATF cooler mounted in front of the rad. The ATF cooler lines are 8mm external diameter and the chosen replacement external ATF cooler uses 3/8" stubs or 10mm in foreign. A pair of hose joiner/reducers 10 x 8mm were sourced, again on fleabay and some 8mm bore hose to link the reducers to the metal cooler lines.

I mentioned earlier that having to fit an external ATF cooler was a bonus. Many moons ago i experienced the anguish of an ATF heat exchanger in a rad end tank developing a leak. This was not obvious but killed the auto box in the last SD1 i had. Fitted a new box, fluid etc and all was good for 6 months until the new box died in the same mysterious circumstances as the first. Since then, whenver i've had an auto with an integral ATF cooler in the rad, whenever the rad has failed, i've fitted the manual version and an external ATF cooler.
Often this has worked out cheaper than the "correct" auto radiator and eliminates the possibility of gearbox failure from an unseen leak.

Anyway, enough waffle! Onto the pretty

pictures!

What i started with ^^^^^ The 45deg stubs can be seen on the old rad and so can the ATF cooler lines, cooling fan thermoswitch etc. The ATF cooler lines go through the external auxiliary cooler first before coming back into the top of the built-in heat exchanger in the end tank before returning to the box sump from the bottom connection on the rad.

The old rad and auxiliary ATF cooler removed, you can see how many fins are missing particularly at the bottom of the rad (vertical on the right of the first pic) and also how small the auxiliary cooler really is, especially compared to the new one (shown in second pic) which is the same size as i've used on my other beast.

Top view showing metal ATF lines cut in readiness for fitting the 8mm hose ^^^^^

8mm bore hose, reducers and 10mm bore hose to new ATF cooler ^^^^^

New external ATF cooler in position behind AC condenser and in front of radiator ^^^^^ Note use of original holes for pipe routing.

Dummy plug for thermoswitch (also shown) removed from new rad ^^^^^

New rad showing seal for thermoswitch ^^^^^

Rad in, all hoses (except top hose) and thermoswitch fitted ^^^^^ looking nearly complete again!

Top hose, not quite long enough

^^^^^

Made up 2 of these in case i needed to use both, one for the top and t'other for the bottom hose ^^^^^

The solution ^^^^^ Ironically this made the straight section of the top hose that goes on the 'stat housing too long so that lost ~1.5" in length

Strangely, the bottom hose almost fell into place ^^^^^ No need for my elbow/joiner idea!

Filled it up with water (still some antifreeze in the system, managed to keep it in by lifting the old rad with the bottom hose still connected and fitted the bottom hose on the new rad as i lowered it in) as a precaution in case there are leaks, don't want it peeing fresh antifreeze out onto the road! Also there are a couple of other jobs to do, first is to renew the expansion tank to rad hose, annoyingly it's 3/4" bore one end (19mm) and 5/8" bore on the rad end (16mm) so i couldn't use the length of 5/8" heater hose to do that yesterday when i did the job. I have some 3/4" bore heater hose too so will by a 19 x 16mm reducer and use what i have to create a new hose. Also i need to make a bracket to mount the new ATF cooler securely, i cold have used the supplied fixings which are similar to a cross between a nail and a cale tie. Basically they go through the rad, foam rubber cushion over them then through the cooler and are fixed using a strange sort of ratcheting collet, a bit like valve stem collets but one piece with a slit so they expend and contract to ratchet over the ridges in the shaft of the "tie/nail". However they can (and do!) fail and that would leave the ATF cooler dangling in the breeze, free to rattle between the rad and the AC condenser potentially damaging all three! I used those fixings on my other beast but on that it sits in front of the AC condenser and i monitor how the remaining fixings are holding up on a fairly regular basis. Due to the location on the Volvo, i can't do that so a bracket will be made (using the one on my other beast for dimensions) then fitted using the original fitting points of the auxiliary cooler.

Another job that i'll be doing soon is fitting the engine oil cooler, the car should have had one but the previous owner had it removed as "it was leaking ATF" - yeah, right! Not! The wheel alignment was so far out and the rack wasn't even central in the straight ahead position that the PAS was always working so eventually would boil the fluid, at which point it frothed up and out of the breather hole in the reservoir cap (integral reservoir/pump) which just happens to be above where the engien oil cooler is.
Took me a long time to find an engine oil cooler as they are different to the 940 version despite using the same oil filter. Finally found one in Sweden with the help of a Rover forum member who lives in Sweden and drives Rovers but doesn't like Volvos!

At the same time, i'll plumb in the LPG reducer (for coolant at least, the gas will wait a bit longer!) as that will use the oil cooler feed from the head then back to the oil cooler.

Once the ATF cooler has its bracket and the other items have been done and i've proved it's leak-free, then i'll drain, flush and refill with antifreeze, ready for winter.

In the meantime, i'm glad i no longer have to worry about it overheating!

Oct 15th, 2021, 07:37	#251
Laird Scooby Premier Member Last Online: Yesterday 23:44 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Lakenheath	Something i didn't mention in the last update was a leaky radiator, 760 V6 rads are now Unobtainium so thanks to a heads-up from Luke (360beast) i found a 940 heavy duty rad that was almost the same dimensions. However, firstly it was for a manual (a bonus IMHO - why will be explained in due course) and secondly, the stubs for the top and bottom hoses are the traditional stubs at right angles to the radiator. That might not sound like a problem but the stubs on the V6 are at ~45 degrees and the hoses are designed to suit. During the days i spent researching the differences in the radiators, i also checked the box of V6 bits Luke very kindly sent me when he sent one off to be converted to alternative power as the engine had suffered serious HGF among other problems. In that box i found the two thermostat elbow hoses that link the heads with the 'stat housings. They are a 45deg bend - perfect! Ordered a pair of alloy hose connectors on fleabay so these bends could go on the rad stubs and then the existing top and bottom hoses could be used. Also the original V6 rad has an ATF cooler built in to one end tank on the rad and (on mine at least) an auxiliary ATF cooler mounted in front of the rad. The ATF cooler lines are 8mm external diameter and the chosen replacement external ATF cooler uses 3/8" stubs or 10mm in foreign. A pair of hose joiner/reducers 10 x 8mm were sourced, again on fleabay and some 8mm bore hose to link the reducers to the metal cooler lines. I mentioned earlier that having to fit an external ATF cooler was a bonus. Many moons ago i experienced the anguish of an ATF heat exchanger in a rad end tank developing a leak. This was not obvious but killed the auto box in the last SD1 i had. Fitted a new box, fluid etc and all was good for 6 months until the new box died in the same mysterious circumstances as the first. Since then, whenver i've had an auto with an integral ATF cooler in the rad, whenever the rad has failed, i've fitted the manual version and an external ATF cooler. Often this has worked out cheaper than the "correct" auto radiator and eliminates the possibility of gearbox failure from an unseen leak. Anyway, enough waffle! Onto the pretty pictures! What i started with ^^^^^ The 45deg stubs can be seen on the old rad and so can the ATF cooler lines, cooling fan thermoswitch etc. The ATF cooler lines go through the external auxiliary cooler first before coming back into the top of the built-in heat exchanger in the end tank before returning to the box sump from the bottom connection on the rad. The old rad and auxiliary ATF cooler removed, you can see how many fins are missing particularly at the bottom of the rad (vertical on the right of the first pic) and also how small the auxiliary cooler really is, especially compared to the new one (shown in second pic) which is the same size as i've used on my other beast. Top view showing metal ATF lines cut in readiness for fitting the 8mm hose ^^^^^ 8mm bore hose, reducers and 10mm bore hose to new ATF cooler ^^^^^ New external ATF cooler in position behind AC condenser and in front of radiator ^^^^^ Note use of original holes for pipe routing. Dummy plug for thermoswitch (also shown) removed from new rad ^^^^^ New rad showing seal for thermoswitch ^^^^^ Rad in, all hoses (except top hose) and thermoswitch fitted ^^^^^ looking nearly complete again! Top hose, not quite long enough ^^^^^ Made up 2 of these in case i needed to use both, one for the top and t'other for the bottom hose ^^^^^ The solution ^^^^^ Ironically this made the straight section of the top hose that goes on the 'stat housing too long so that lost ~1.5" in length Strangely, the bottom hose almost fell into place ^^^^^ No need for my elbow/joiner idea! Filled it up with water (still some antifreeze in the system, managed to keep it in by lifting the old rad with the bottom hose still connected and fitted the bottom hose on the new rad as i lowered it in) as a precaution in case there are leaks, don't want it peeing fresh antifreeze out onto the road! Also there are a couple of other jobs to do, first is to renew the expansion tank to rad hose, annoyingly it's 3/4" bore one end (19mm) and 5/8" bore on the rad end (16mm) so i couldn't use the length of 5/8" heater hose to do that yesterday when i did the job. I have some 3/4" bore heater hose too so will by a 19 x 16mm reducer and use what i have to create a new hose. Also i need to make a bracket to mount the new ATF cooler securely, i cold have used the supplied fixings which are similar to a cross between a nail and a cale tie. Basically they go through the rad, foam rubber cushion over them then through the cooler and are fixed using a strange sort of ratcheting collet, a bit like valve stem collets but one piece with a slit so they expend and contract to ratchet over the ridges in the shaft of the "tie/nail". However they can (and do!) fail and that would leave the ATF cooler dangling in the breeze, free to rattle between the rad and the AC condenser potentially damaging all three! I used those fixings on my other beast but on that it sits in front of the AC condenser and i monitor how the remaining fixings are holding up on a fairly regular basis. Due to the location on the Volvo, i can't do that so a bracket will be made (using the one on my other beast for dimensions) then fitted using the original fitting points of the auxiliary cooler. Another job that i'll be doing soon is fitting the engine oil cooler, the car should have had one but the previous owner had it removed as "it was leaking ATF" - yeah, right! Not! The wheel alignment was so far out and the rack wasn't even central in the straight ahead position that the PAS was always working so eventually would boil the fluid, at which point it frothed up and out of the breather hole in the reservoir cap (integral reservoir/pump) which just happens to be above where the engien oil cooler is. Took me a long time to find an engine oil cooler as they are different to the 940 version despite using the same oil filter. Finally found one in Sweden with the help of a Rover forum member who lives in Sweden and drives Rovers but doesn't like Volvos! At the same time, i'll plumb in the LPG reducer (for coolant at least, the gas will wait a bit longer!) as that will use the oil cooler feed from the head then back to the oil cooler. Once the ATF cooler has its bracket and the other items have been done and i've proved it's leak-free, then i'll drain, flush and refill with antifreeze, ready for winter. In the meantime, i'm glad i no longer have to worry about it overheating! __________________ Cheers Dave Next Door to Top-Gun with a Honda CR-V & S Type Jag Volvo gone but not forgotten........

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