Hi. I recently bought a 1991 240. I had some belts and a water pump replaced and thought everything was fine. Then I discovered that it is still leaking radiator fluid. I dont have the money to fix it yet so I keep checking the level and keeping it up. I put some more in it al least a week ago and it's not going down at all. I know it needs it, it's definately not full. Is this just a clog? How do I check it out by myself? I do have a friend who works on cars that will help me but I know volvos can be a little different. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

what reason do you have for not trusting the coolant level? If there was a clog in the system your car would be overheating.

Every water pump I've ever replaced has left tell tale signs of the job for at least 2 weeks after the fact. Draining the coolant is messy, bleeding the air out of the system can be messy, the original leak can be messy. All this to say that there are various nooks and crannys where random coolant can collect and continue to drain for some time. Are you sure this isn't the case here?

 

Well I had it replaced in November and the coolant was completely empty again about a month later. I've been checking it every week and keeping it up. It would take about a week for it to be almost empty after filling it. I filled it about 2 weeks ago and it's still completely full. But the gage says it is over heating sometimes. It isnt hot and it's not smoking but the gage says it's overheating and I can smell coolant burning.

 

pressure testing system is the way to look for leaks. However, short having the tool or paying for it, park somewhere clean and flat when the engine is hot and check under the car and the in the skid plate for any dips or puddles of coolant from a small hole in the seals, radiator or hoses. Another suspect could be the hose and heater core inside the cabin which is virtually impossible to see (or fix) but you will smell the coolant more inside the car than outside. If it's been this long I would guess there should be coolant residue around the floor by the firewall.
Lastly there is the possibility of a bad head gasket or a crack in the blocks cooling jacket. This will sometimes show up in the oil turning milky.
If all this checks out it could just be overheating because the radiator or thermostat are bad which won't necessarily show up in a pressure test since its more a clog than a leak.

 

Thank you so much for your help.