Hello all,

Noticed last week that my car (1996 S40 2.0i) is using a lot of coolant. Filled it up to just below the MAX mark and than drove the car from the UK to Holland (400 miles) When i got back home and the engine cooled down the level was just above the MIN level. I've checked the oil level and this is still the same as before i made the journey. There is also no mayo on the dipstick.

Fortunately i have got the car booked into a garage on tuesday and asked them if they could identify the problem for me. As previously the car used hardly any water at all. It seems that they got a test which they use to test if there is any oil in the water (which i don't think there is). And secondly they can pressurize the cooling system and check it on leaks.

As there is a wealth of experience on this forum has anybody an idea what i possibly could be??

Others expect it might be the headgasket. Is there any history on this car with blown head gaskets?? My machine has done 91000 miles.

Thank already for your input.

FT

 

The Lower Radiator hose has a bleeder in the line which is known to leak.
Also the upper hose is known to leak at the Joints where the hoses meet in the middle.

The test they are talking about Detects Exhaust gases in the coolant system which come with a blown headgasket.

 

Car has been in the garage today and unfortunately the mechanic had some bad news. The headgasket is leaking slowly. At the moment i need to refill the coolant by approx half an inch every 350 miles.

Are there any temporary fixes for this? I have heard from some other people that there is an addative which you add to the coolant and this will seal the hole. Does anybody have any experience with this?

And for the more experienced DIY'er, how difficult is it to replace the headgasket yourself? (Will get the head shaved by a pro) Hardly done any car maintenance but got the Haynes manual and VADIS. Oh, and i am an aircraft engineer so have a bit of experience on those types of machines.

Cheers, FT

 

I would not use the sealer might clog the rest of the system.

I think you could do it.

 

Tech,

Thanks for your advice. When i have some spare time and the weather improves a bit i will change the head gasket. I will post my findings.

Cheers,

FT

 

Couple of questions regarding the renewal of the head gasket.

1) Once the cylinderhead is removed which components need to be removed from the head before i can send it of to be skimmed?

2)If i buy the below mentioned gasket set do i than have all the gaskets required for the job? Apart from the liquid gasket.
http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/...oducts_id=4359
Of course i will also need some new Head bolts and all the belts and tensioners. And while i am at it i would like to renew the Valve stem seals
also.

3) How do i make sure the timing is correctly when i have completed the job. The Haynes manual is straight forward but if the Cylinder head needs
to be taken apart for skimming than how do i make sure everything is correct?

Any information is welcome. If people know another website that i can use as a reference than that would be really helpful. I am also a member of the Dutch Volvo site but the only advice i get there is don't do it yourself bring it to a dealer!!. However i do like the challenge and i think i have the technical background to do such a task. But before i start i want to make sure i understand all the pitfalls of the job.

Sorry for asking so many questions.

FT

 

1. make sure all lifters and sensor are out of the head.

2.That set should have everythuing you need.

3.This is kind of a pain I will try to dig up the info for you.
Do you have the Vadis program?

 

Tech,

Thanks for your help AGAIN .

Yes, I do have the VADIS program. But any extra help regarding the timing is more than welcome.

Just an idea. If i give al parts a dap of paint before removing them and after the head is skimmed replace all the components and make sure the dap of paint is in the same position. Is the timing than roughly set? And how do you fine tune it?

Tech, If you can give me any extra info that would be really nice.

Cheers, FT

 

The last one we did at work we had to take the pulley off the exhaust manifold to get the Cam cover off.

That screws the timing up big time.
But if you have Vadis then pull up installing the VVT. Actually look up front cam seal replacement and you will see in there how to reset the pulley.
The intake side you can just mark and remove.(No biggie)

 

Tech,

With the risk of sounding like a complete moron. Where can i find the VVT in Vadis?

If i don't have to remove the pulley to get the cma cover off than the timing should be correct?

When changing the head gasket i would like to change th valve stem seals also. If i make a mark on the camshafts and a corresponding mark on the casing when reinstalling the marks the timing should be ok? Or is there something that i miss?

My logic tells me that if i remove camshafts and instal them in the exact same way the timing should be ok. The only 'problem' is going to be the exhaust pulley. But i can instal that with the use of Vadis or the haynes manual.

Cheers, FT

 

Look up replacing the headgasket. It should get to a point where it tells you how to install the VVT pulley.

 

Tech you are a star!

Found it indeed. But the way they describe it is with the camshafts not removed.

-To be able to skim the head do the camshafts have to be removed?

-And when changing the valve stem seals you need to remove the camshafts is there any procedure how you get them back in correctly. Or is it just exactly the same as how you removed them?

Cheers, FT

 

The Camshafts will come out once the top Cam cover is removed.
You will most likely need to remove the Cam Pulleys to get the cam cover off.

To relpace the stem seals you will have to remove the lifter buckets.

 

Thanks again Tech.

If i can find a machine shop whichcan skim the head and grind in the valves than i will change the headgasket at the end of this month. However i would like to make sure i have all the right seals, belts and tensioners. So i have made a list with all the parts i think i need for this job. Could you please have a look at this list and add or remove anything that is (not) required.

-Auxiliary drive belt
-Auxiliary drive belt tensioner
-Timing belt
-Timing belt tensioner
-Camshaft front oil seals
-Camshaft rear oil seals
-Waterpump
-Cylinder head bolts (10)
-Cylinder head gasket
-Valve stem oil seals (16)
-Gasket between coolant pipe and rear of cylinder head
-Inlet camshaft cover
-Exhaust manifold gaskets
-Sealing ring/ flange gasket front pipe to exhaust manifold
-Sealing O-rings in spark plug well.

-Coolant
-Engine oil
-Oil filter

Some of these parts i can buy as a set. But while looking at the set i cant work out which seal are including and which one are not. Could you also please have a look at the following link and (if possible) tell me which seals are included in this set.

http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/...oducts_id=4359

And one more question. To change the valve stem oil seals i need to buy a spring compressor. I have found three, but they are ranging from small, medium to large engines. Below you find three links, could you please tell me which one is suitable for the Volvo S40.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...s/brand/clarke
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...s/brand/clarke
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...s/brand/clarke


Hopefully these are the last questions. If i start asking more questions to the end of the month than something has gone terribly wrong.

Thanks very much Tech for all your help. If it wasn't for your help i would have brought the car to the Dealer to sort it out.

apart from this forum i also be a member of the Dutch forum but the only reply you get on that forum is not to attemp anything yourself. It's better to bring it to the dealer. And apart from that 'advise' if somebody tries to do something themselves and they make a mistake than you get the usual; I told you to bring it to the Dealer. At least on this forum people really help each other. And i would like to thank everybody using this forum for all their wisdom.

Cheers, FT