Well the car has now sprung it's 3rd coolant leak, and I am really, really annoyed at it. The coolant was originally leaking from the outlet pipe and this was repaired by a hose. Then I found that the top radiator hose had somehow gotten itself loose and was dripping some coolant, so this was then repaired. Now after a long country drive (and thankfully I got home) before the third leak caused a "Coolant low" warning on the dash. I have jacked the car up and I can not see where this third leak is coming from. While jacked up, I can see that the leak seems to be coming from under the "front" of the engine (ie looking at the engine from east to west not from the front of the car).

It is dripping from what appears to be 3 areas, but then this may just be 1 leak that is being split up when hitting other things on the way down. Does anyone have a diagram of the cooling system so that I can find where this pipe is and fix it?

Also note this is a RHD car. I now need to fix this so that I can sell this car, as it is just problem after problem since before I owned it (was in the repair shop 2 weeks after I bought it)

 

The best thing to do is; start the car cold and wait for it to just begin to start leaking. Shut it down and look now. Remove shrouds if you have to to isolate the leak. Be patient, you will find the source.

 

I have had a chance today to start the car after it has been sitting in the driveway for about 3 days jacked up on stands. The leak seems to be one main leak that looks like it just behind the crossmember right in the middle. Does anyone have a diagram so I can get an idea where and how the culprit pipe sits?

 

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks Tech for the diagram I am sure it will be of assistance as I try and figure out what exactly has broken or come loose.

 

I have checked the car again this morning and it now isn't leaking as it was previously. I thought this may have been due to the elevation on the car ramps, so I moved it to level ground again and a smallish puddle of coolant was now visible on the car. I put it back on the car ramps (so the front is lifted) and no leak is able to be sighted. Note this is after a cold start (been sitting in the driveway for probably around 20 hours).

I am now so confused as to what could be causing this coolant leak.

 

Maybe a hose has a small slicc in it and only leaks under pretty high pressure thats why it was leaking before. Maybe leave it run for a little while on the ramps and see if it starts leaking again.

 

I took the car for a drive around the block a couple of times and got it to start leaking. I got it home, parked it on level ground and it was leaking. So I popped open the bonnet again and I can see that it's leaking, but can't see where it's leaking from. This is so frustrating. I am so close yet so far at the same time. Here is a picture of the area and basically it is dripping down from somewhere and then making a move along the sub-frame to the back of the engine bay and leaking out , so in fact is more forward then previously thought. I will see if any of the pipes might have a tiny slice in it and see if it is at all dripping. It is a fast leak, so wouldn't have thought a small slice would cause it to drip that quickly.

http://www.amnet.net.au/~draco3/leak1.jpg

http://www.amnet.net.au/~draco3/leak2.jpg

 

Maybe water pump on the front of the engine?

 

Took the car to a Volvo specialist this monring to run a pressure test and they have found a 2 - 2.5" split on the drivers side of the radiator. This has been spraying coolant onto the belts and then this fluid has been collecting and pooling down from where I saw it. It wasn't a hose after all hence why I couldn't find the leak on any of the pipes. So know I am going to have to replace the radiator which is going to cost me $553 (Australian) + the labour which will work out to around $940 all up. Argh!!!!!!

Is it easy to take the radiator out, as from what I have heard, it needs to be "dropped" out and the turbo lines have to be disconnected as they "wrap" around the radiator as it. If it's not easy, guess I am going to have to spend the money, fix it up and then get rid of it.

 

Its not all that bad just takes time to get it done.

 

Thanks Tech. They put in a new radiator and got it all connected again, and it's still leaking [:@]. After looking at it and they could also show me directly, the water pump is also cactus and will need to be replaced. An additional $340 on top of what I was already paying. So the car won't be done until basically Friday and then that's it hopefully. It's out the door as soon as I can get it done.

 

Im glad all in all it is fixed.