So I had my car looked at today. It wasn't running at optimal temperature and I noticed I was low on coolant. So I filled it up with water and waited till my appointment today to have a tech look at it. Now I didn't go to VOLVO to do this. I went to a local shop we trust.

The checked the system and noticed that the coolant was bad as it had sludge in it and the tech cleaned it out and flushed the system and filled it back up again.

They couldn't find a leak anywhere. However I am still smelling a sweet maple syrup smell. Which I know is the coolant.

I have a feeling it is leaking at the HEATER CORE and the tech said he priced it out and it was like $500 something to replace it.

Does this seem right? He said it included all the parts. Now I am not going to do this right now. See how quickly the coolant leaks and then see if it is a big big problem.

 

That sounds pretty close on the price.

 

Ok well i think my 99 s70 t5's heater core is going out also, i get the weird burning smell which made me think so... im taking it to my volvo guy soon but i have a few questons

does the smell come from the coolant leaking? because ive gone through about a galon of coolant in about 4 - 6 weeks, its not going that fast but it should not be going that low! hah
so is the heater core most likely the reason for the leakin of the coolant?

im thinking it wont be too bad to replace it thought, will give me a reason to fix the annyoing noise the dash makes hah

 

My first experience with a coolant problem was my radiator had a hole in it and had to have it replaced or patched up. I had it replaced as the patch was just a temporary fix...

I still have the sweet syrupy smell of coolant so the next option is the heater core.

I'd have your radiator checked first and then your heater core. To get to the heater core is a b*tch for your mech. The whole dash has to be ripped out basically.

 

I believe below thread/link applies to the heater core R&R up through and including 1999 MY S70...
http://www.volvospeed.com/vs_forum/i...-core-install/

If so, you can DIY in about 2-3 hrs or less; definitely don't have to pull the dash.

Tech, am I wrong?

 

Purely from the stand point at which part of their forum that thread was posted in it states...

FWD/AWD 1998 and Prior

I didn't read the thread so it may say that it applies to the 1999 models too. But from that stand point it's not the same.

 

No dash pulling required.
The 99 and 00 are the same as the 98's.

 

Yeah, the heater core is actually quite easy to change. You pull back the carpet on either side of the console, unclip 2 covers next to the console, and there's a little white cover that you remove, and then the heater core. Follow the directions in that writeup.

Oh, and don't wait too long... if it fails completely, you will get hot coolant all over the carpet- and maybe your feet. When mine started dripping, I was riding in the car and my wife was driving- I had my foot up against the corner by the console, and I actually had a couple drops of hot coolant drip onto my foot... hurt like hell. I changed the core the next day

 

It's going to have to be taken to a repair shop. I don't have the time the tools or the know how to do this myself or with the help of someone else.

 

ok, my issue seems like it is the heater core but is there a way to know before taking it out? I'm loosing coolant and there is a small leak under the car passanger side right by the back of the front tire.. Reason I think/thought it is the heater core is because of the smell when I turn on the heater..

Also at night when the heater is on the windows fog up, what would that be related to?

Anything I schold check for before doing the job??

Thank you in advance!!!!

 

Pull the carpet back and remove the cover. If the core is leaking you will see marks under the area of the core.

 

Okay well i pulled the carpet back and i can see it leaking from the bottem of the heater core housing, so im going to do the project this week.. which band is best to buy or are they all the same?



http://www.eeuroparts.com/Main/PartD...px?id=9144221K

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exe...category_id/66

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/se...tt=heater+core

Thank for all your help!!!!!

 

The Behr or the Nissens are good ones.

 

Agree with Tech... Behr is the OEM brand on your car. Stay away from Ready Rad... it's CCC (Cheap Chinese Crap)

 

Just got the core in the mail, going to replace it today but I was wondering about flushing the coolant with water.. Do you just drain it fill it up and drain it again?
Or is it even recomended to flush the system?

Thank you in advance!

 

If the coolant is not all that old just swap the core and go.

 

Thanks! one more thing..
The lining that goes around the core, is that so air does not pass the sides and goes directly through the core? how important is that pice?

thanks in advance!

 

yeah, it's a seal, so that air goes through the core and not around it. It's kind of important, because air will take the path of least resistance, and your heat won't be that strong. The new core should come with that seal.