1995 Volvo 850 Base / GLT 2.4L I5 MPI
Has anyone used head gasket sealer liquid in an 850 with any success? Will it work at all? Does it make the car unrepairable?

The techs in Ithaca have determined my head gasket is going but refuse to fix it. New management. Doesn't matter I've been a service customer for about a decade+. Absolutely refuse. Yet they claim I can drive it. As is. Claim I can drive it 200 miles. Claim I just need to keep topping off the coolant.
Drive until the goo mixes, block cracks and I'm stranded on the road.

Now I'm searching blind for someone to fix it. Most repair shops I called won't touch the repair. Too old and too expensive to open up and potentially find more damage than can be repaired. And NO other shop I've spoken has said drive it.
They all said emphatically NOT to drive.

I'm losing about 2 oz coolant overnight that puddles under car. It started during sub-zero temps this Christmas.
I guess there's likely some spewing at every hose while driving by residue seen.

I've got 126,348 miles on the car.
I've got clean oil and clean coolant. No mixing so far.
I have been chasing a coolant loss for ages.

1. 2/21 new radiator and overflow tank
2. 12/21 replaced heater hoses, clamp, coolant level sensor
3. 1/22 replaced thermostat and reservoir cap

If no one will fix it, it's a lost cause. I can not repair this myself. I will likely have to buy a different car but could use some time to do that.

Does anyone have experience, good or bad, with head gasket sealer liquid. Any chance it'll work? Any particular brand? Will it give me time to buy a new ride or a new shop?
Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Generally - No, head gasket in a can does not work -

Exactly where is your coolant leak? Has someone actually seen where it is leaking? It's unusual for a head gasket to leak coolant - unless it's been overheated. (and Volvos don't mix oil with the coolant with head gasket problems, other brands do)

I can understand shops refusing to do a head gasket on a 28 year old Volvo. I would not do that type of work at my shop either partly due to age, but mainly using the same rule your insurance company uses. If repairs are more than ~60% of the value of the car - the car is totaled.

However, the 6 cyl version of that engine (in a 960) would develop a visible when cold coolant leak in the Right rear corner of the head gasket under the exhaust manifold. Several times I successfully used a stop leak product in those engines for a customer- Same as in your case the proper repair costs more than the value of the car. I've never seen 4 or 5 cyl white block leak externally from the head gasket.

If the coolant is leaking externally from the head gasket area -
Drain enough coolant out to be able to pour the head gasket in a can directly into the head after removing the thermostat. Reassemble and drive. That way it will directly/immediately circulate in the engine rather that trying to get there from the reservoir. If you pour the head gasket in a can into the reservoir instead - it will probably not get to where you want it due to the remote reservoir design - I used the k-seal product.

As for driving 200 miles - I would not drive ANY 28 year old car with known problems 200 miles.

 

Thanks for reply. Too bad. Hoped it would get me through a little bit. Need car here and dog doesn't own one.

Fluids don't mix? That's a new one on me. I was told to look for milkshake oil and expanding fluid in reservoir. You say this really can't happen with 850? Does that explains clear coolant and oil???

The volvo techs decided this was a head gasket problem yesterday Friday 1/6.
They have said that it is NOT the head gasket for 3 years of chasing down coolant loss. Now they say it is.
I can only assume they did the vacuum test as they have many times before. I do not know as I was not in the work area. I always thought their diagnosis could be trusted. But, as said, new management might change that.

I thought it was sub-zero temps loosening connections or such. But as said, I do not repair much, just check n notice n fill liquids. I'm an old 68 arthritic hands that can't open a jar old lady so can't wield a wrench and need to depend on kindness and payment to others.

This new leak I found is coming from under car's radiator shroud but you can see residue on hoses, etc. I do not know what or where to look to see if there's leaking from gasket.
Pics help? Here's some I took while trying to find leaking.


This is what's missing daily after sitting overnight since sub-zero temps.

This is the leaking from under the radiator

top hose on radiator side

radiator shroud drips coolant

coolant wet on shroud

 

sounds like you have a radiator or coolant hose leak not a head gasket issue. A proper shop can pressurize the cooling system as a diagnostic test to help ID where the leak is coming from. As to the head gasket goes, as hoonk noted that's usually a byproduct of an over heating event. Assuming you've owned the car for a while - have you ever had the car overheat on you? Its not unheard of for a replacement after-market part (like a radiator) to fail or for a tech to not properly tighten or seal the hoses, or for the replacement part to be a poor fit. I'd probably be looking for a second shop to check out the source of the leak.

 

Thanks for reply!
No, never overheats. As you can see by history, coolant system has been overhauled, checked and checked again. Coolant is coolant and oil is oil. No intermingling.
I'm wondering if you may be correct, just a leak.
I will try to get 2nd opinion from another shop though I drive to Ithaca because I have found most shops in my immediate area can not be trusted, ethically or mechanically. There is one I have heard good things about and may try them.
I've gone to this well known Volvo only repair shop over a decade and trusted them with 2 cars but I'm wondering if the new management wants to be rid of the old car problems. As said, I do not know if they performed a pressure test Friday but they have in the past many times and have always said it was NOT the head gasket.
I got back from Ithaca (only 35 miles each way but over an hour drive each way due to small towns) And again had the same amount of coolant leak from under shroud overnight as pictured above.
I did not use it yesterday and a teeny bit leaked as of this am.
Today I looked again at all the connections and the big one at top of radiator (reservoir side) was wet and there was dripping coolant down radiator. I tightened the ring connector as tight as I could and leak is now a hint of a spot. I idled the car for about 20 minutes and the connection and radiator corner were dry. I forgot to wipe down he shroud thing so will now do another idle and see if it still leaks. The hose on bottom of radiator on opposite side feels dry. There is wet seen way at the bottom of the leak which I can't tell if it's same drip or separate leak and it's night so I guess I'll wait til tomorrow to see. The 2nd pic shows tiny white glean from wet.
FYI, not much leaking while idling second time but guess tomorrow will tell.
Here's a pic of the leaky spot and idle curiosity, what is that metal hole? If that's the oil coolant hose, where is it?? Do I need it?? Robert DYI explained he doesn't use them either so guess they were removed.

If this is the leak, it would definitely drip in the shroud where I found dripping under car.


Could just be whats left in shroud or new leak spot.

 

Yes I noticed in the below picture of yours the stains on the radiator - indicating a leak. It would be embarrassing to me - as a former Volvo shop owner of 40 years if a tech claimed the head gasket was bad because he was incompetent, did not want to work on the car, or just too lazy to do the job right. You just don't do that to any customer. Certainly you can tell them you can't service their car because it's too old or for whatever reason, but don't give them wrong info. That's just mean.

The hose clamp might not be factory or positioned differently from the factory installed position, but the upper hose does not look very healthy. Perhaps being 3x years old is part of the problem. And using a new or re positioned clamp on an old hose - can easily create a leak. Replace the upper hose with a quality part please! The old one is hard, no longer pliable, swollen, and will leak around the edges. (no personal comments needed!)

The hole you are asking about - is where the oil cooler for the transmission or engine connects. There's another lower on that side for the feed/return. If so - you have a manual transmission or non turbo car - and technically - the WRONG radiator was installed. Not a big deal. But it's still a major screw up (quality control!) for whoever put that radiator in (IMHO) but will not cause any future problems. The radiator will work fine.

Unfortunately - as an old retired shop owner guy - and now having no shop and no techs to babysit - I only purchase or lease new cars, and have them fixed under warranty, and then sell them before the warranty runs out. I know the industry and the people that work in it. And I know what "techs" are capable of.

Sorry for your troubles. (I've had to deal with crap like this just to get tires mounted and balanced correctly, that are not under warranty!)

 

Thanks for your input.
All I can do at this juncture is get a second opinion.
The place I have been going to has been honest, competent and generally a good price for good work.
They may be correct. This very well could be the end of this car but seems there room to doubt.

 

Did not you just say you corrected/slow down/solved a leak by tightening the upper radiator hose clamp?

If your coolant leak was slowed down/stopped by the car owner/customer tightening a clamp on the upper radiator hose - and recently a "trusted" shop told you it was a head gasket problem --- after someone (perhaps them) replaced the radiator - You might want to find a new shop and find out if you can "trust" them. Unfortunately many shops will not work on cars that old. I would/will not. (unless you were an existing customer and you had other newer cars or I had at least imagined you might in the future!)

Sorry for your troubles.

 

I have an automatic non turbo 1995 Volvo 850 4 dr.
Thanks for your help

 

So those unused ports of the radiator are for an engine oil cooler - that the turbo cars have. There are 2 ports on the left side of the radiator - those are for the transmission cooler.

 

Thanks again.
FYI they did do a pressure test, saw no leaks, said overflow too full and found engine gases mixing w coolant. Described as head gasket leaking and over pressurizing coolant system.
Not sure how they missed the shroud filled with coolant that would have led them to the hose that was leaking but if it didn't have enough to drip, guess the shroud could hide leaked coolant.
The overflow is way pressurized when opening like always. I have yet to see it too full but I have found fresh coolant around cap after driving so must be a bad head gasket as said.
I just drove it maybe 20 miles, the hose I tightened is dry, no puddles under car yet. Not sure if I should drive at all but guess I must until it dies or I find another car.