Hello All! First post on the forum.

Last week I purchased a 1993 945 Wagon in excellent condition with about 350,000 km. Car was properly serviced and maintained with OEM parts. The engine (B200F) and transmission were both replaced with new units in 2006, and have about 100,000 km on them since then. Within last two years, radiator was replaced, and within last year, head gasket and water pump.

Car has a few minor issues I could use some help with. First, it has an intermittent stalling issue when stopped at red lights or when idling in drive. Engine just cuts out, but has no problem restarting. Somedays happens not at all, others maybe once or twice. I am getting OBD code 2-1-4, crank position sensor, so perhaps that is the issue, though it may also be related to two other issues I have since discovered:

1) It seems to be missing a hose or two from the air intake system. There is also a small broken rubber tube and plastic part just in front of the driver side firewall, which seems like was some sort of inline air-freshener or filter. Here is a link to three photos, can anyone identify what is missing and/or broken, and if it they are important to replace/repair?

http://goo.gl/8u4uDA

2) From what I have learned from searching several forums, my car may have the incorrect expansion tank cover. It has the green 1.5 Kpa cover, and I can hear a slight hissing/gurgling sound after driving from the tank before it de-pressurizes, and there is a very small coolant leak where the small high pressure connection screws into the top rear of the radiator. The leak appears to be seeping from around the larger threads which are flush against the radiator. As mentioned above, the radiator was new about two years ago and appears to still be in excellent shape. I don't know when the green cap was installed, but from what I've been reading, this may be the cause of my current coolant leak issue.

If anyone has any ideas on how to resolve these issues, it would be much appreciated!

Cheers,

Michael

 

Looks like the Crank Sensor should be replaced...
You are missing the Preheater Hose that goes between the exhaust and the air box--can live without it if you have to...
The other things is the water line for the windshield squirters.
What cap does your car's specs call for? Look it up, get the right one.
Fix whatever leaks you have--nothing kills a Volvo faster than overheating it!

 

Thanks.

Here is where the coolant leak point that I can see is. In the photo (link below), it appears to seeping from around the larger hex head which is flush against the radiator.

How is this best repaired? I can see even today that without running the car all night there it is still wet just below the connection point.

Here's a link to the photo:

http://goo.gl/9SlVob

 

that is the transmission cooler line, and contains ATF not coolant, there's a loop of tubing inside the radiator which your transmission oil (ATF) runs through, so the radiator can cool it...

before you disconnect that fitting, you'll need to drain the transmission. I'm not sure what the best way of re-sealing that fitting onto the radiator tank is.

 

OK. Should I be concerned of the dreaded water in the ATF line?

When I bought the car last week, I noticed it was low on coolant, and that also it appears that the system contained only water and not the proper 50/50 mix, meaning the last owner must have been topping of with straight water for a while.

The car had a new water pump about a year ago, and a new radiator about 4 years ago.

 

is there water in your ATF? you'd see it as 'mocha' on the transmission dip stick. If ATF is getting into your coolant, there would be a rainbows in the coolant overflow tank.

this was your picture...



You probably just have a coolant leak at that fitting. I've never taken one of those off the radiator, so can't offer advise on how to fix. when you disconnect the transmission pipe, its critical that you have a wrench on the base nut so it can't turn at all. then you use another smaller wrench to turn and remove the compression sleeve/nut. once the transmission pipe is disconnected, I dunno how you remove the base piece on the radiator.


ahhh, hmmm. BMW and other folks have similar radiator problems, Cooling system -- radiator replacement
sounds like they have the exact same problem. nothing they've tried has held, it sounds new radiator time. again. :-/

 

Yes, that is the ATF line BUT it is leaking COOLANT from there, from the joint where the line goes into the radiator. You may try tightening the big nut a little to see if it helps, otherwise you need a new radiator.

 

Thanks. I thought about tightening the larger nut, but from what I've read about the design of these radiators, I think that trying to turn the outer nut can break the tubing inside the radiator and make matters worse.

A new radiator here (I am in Israel), is about $280 (not including install). Today after a few very short drives, it was not leaking, but it also may not have gotten all that hot. I think I'll keep a close eye on it day to day, and see how it goes.

Also, is it normal on these cars for the expansion tank to totally fill with fluid once the car warms up, and then to take a little while for the coolant to drain back into the system after the car shuts down. Even several minutes after shutdown, the tank is still under enough pressure that if your try to unscrew the cap, the tank will overflow.

 

Yes, careful, don't overtighten! But try, it just may be loose--I have had that same issue in the past.
$280 is not outrageous, in the uS is about $100 less.
Your tank description is normal... I don't keep mine so full, about half, then it expands, then goes down an inch or so...

 

the engines normal coolant operating temperature is above boiling at room temperature, as high as like 130C, because its up to 1.5 BAR. so yes, while the innards of the engine are still hot, releasing that pressure will cause the coolant to boil,.

 

Thank you Pierce and Lev for the help and advice!

Since the leak right now seems to have at least temporarily stopped, I would like to at least try and get the mix as close to 50/50 water/coolant as possible.

Since here in Israel we tend not to have the same name brands on stuff as in other parts of the world, is their a certain type or variety of coolant I should be looking for?

Also, since right now I don't have a lot of free time (we're in the middle of moving from our house to a farm), what would be the quickest/easiest method to get the mix back in line until I have some more time in a month or 2 to properly flush out the system.

 

There isn't one. You have to drain it and refill it to be sure. A couple of weeks/months won't make much difference at this point.

 

I've got a copper radiator in my car, so it's very easy to have repaired (no plastic buckets). That's one thing to consider when buying a new one.

 

yeah, our 240 has a IPD copper radiator too... you do need to be more careful with what sort of coolant you put in there, to prevent weird chemical reactions. So far, Zerex G05 has done me OK.