JamesT5
Monday 18th June 2012, 19:47
Hi
Ok, so I've been out and changed the radiator coolant with some lovely fresh stuff from Volvo. At less than £10 for 2 litres it was cheaper than Halfords stuff. For those who know how to do this blindfolded I apologise, I'm not teaching you to suck eggs but for those of you who are like me and really haven't got a clue what we're doing, I hope it helps. Here's how I did it;
Make sure the engine is cool or cold, the handbrake is on the car in gear. This will prevent burns, scalds and slightly more importantly, getting run over!
Everything you need;
1x 10mm Spanner (to remove and refit trim)
1x Torx 25 piece (to remove and refit trim)
1x 7mm Spanner (to remove and refit radiator hose)
2x 1L Bottles/Containers of Volvo Engine Coolant
An old large washing up bowl, a large bucket and a clean large plastic container (i.e. old water bottle)
Cold Tap water for dilution of Coolant to 50/50 plus about 10 litres + for
radiator flushing
A Ground sheet and some cushions to rest on, (unless you have shagpile
carpet on your drive!)
Now how I did it;
1) Undo and take off the coolant resevoir screw cap (top offside of the engine bay). Next, under the front bumper, you need to remove the plastic shield. It's held in chiefly by 2 x 10mm bolts and 2 x Torx 25 screws, plus 2 clips that clip on to the front bumper from the inside. You need to remove the Torx 25 screws first, then the smaller plastic shields on the side. Then the 10mm bolts are located up in to the engine bay a bit....
Torx 25 screw on the bottom of the trim (one each side)
13605
This is the location of the 10mm bolt. This is the view looking upwards towards the engine bay from the side of the big piece of plastic shield. You won't be able to get to this until you've removed the smaller triangular trim.....
13604
Then you have to wriggle free the large plastic shield. It's secured in by two clips that are located roughly in line with the front fog lamps. This bit is a bit fiddly but stick with it....
Large plastic shield removed...
13606
Now, on the left hand side of the car attached to the radiator right at the bottom is the lower radiator hose. The reason you take the shielding off is to make getting to this a lot easier as you will now see.
Now take this hose off but be careful because coolant will come flying out of here when you take the hose off. Loosen the Jubilee clip using the 7mm spanner. Then slide the old washing up bowl underneath, pull off the hose and stand back...quickly! Watch your eyes as it rushes out like there's no tomorrow.
Here's the Jubilee Clip attaching the radiator hose (left hand side of the photo).....
13607
Coolant Drained.......
13608
Ok, so now you'll see lots of very green murky and stinky coolant in your washing up bowl and probably all over your driveway. The next step is optional but I kind if think it's a good idea to do this as I'm a bit fussy.....
Empty your old coolant in to a larger bucket. Put the now empty again washing up bowl back under the radiator hose area where it was before and then you need to get some clean cold water and pour it in to the coolant resevoir tank (the one you took the cap off).
Within a few seconds, you'll hear water pouring out of the radiator hose again in to your old washing up bowl. This has flushed out a lot of any old coolant residue. Ok, that sounds a bit unnecessary but I'm just fussy and I like to make sure I'm putting new coolant in to a clean system.
After that's finished soaking your driveway again, get back down on the floor and reattach the radiator hose, ensuring it's firmly back on the radiator and then do up the Jubilee clip tightly.
Picture showing the Jubilee clip being reattached. Ths is actually a better photo than the one above showing the location of the radiator hose and the clip.....
13609
Now the good bit - the new coolant! You need to use 2 x 1 Litre bottles of genuine Volvo Engine Coolant/Antifreeze...
13610
Add 1 bottle of the antifreeze/coolant and then wait a couple of minutes and check for any leaks. Assuming you did the jubilee clip up correctly and put the hose on nicely, the whole thing should be fine and then you can go on and pour the second bottle in.
Next, fill up the engine coolant resevoir to the maximum line with cold tap water, or if you really want to get picky, use posh distilled water. Top tip here, you can use your now empty Volvo Coolant bottles to pour water in to the coolant tank. This means zero waste as it flushes the bottles out at the same time with any excess coolant left in the bottle.
Turn on the engine but leave the lid off the resevoir. Get the engine hot, apply the throttle and bring the revs up to around 2500 - 3000 rpm. This will help work out any air trapped in the radiator system. As the air escapes through the path of least resistance (that'll be your coolant resevoir with no lid), the coolant level will drop. As it drops, top it up with more cold water to maximum and continue this process until the coolant stops dropping down. Then most or all the air is out of the system and you're all done!
Replace the screw cap on the resevoir, making sure it's tight and on securely.
Then replace the shielding and trim under the car in the reverse of how you took it off. Simples!
So there we are, one engine coolant/antifreeze change a Main Stealer will charge you about half an hours labour for.
Regards
James
Ok, so I've been out and changed the radiator coolant with some lovely fresh stuff from Volvo. At less than £10 for 2 litres it was cheaper than Halfords stuff. For those who know how to do this blindfolded I apologise, I'm not teaching you to suck eggs but for those of you who are like me and really haven't got a clue what we're doing, I hope it helps. Here's how I did it;
Make sure the engine is cool or cold, the handbrake is on the car in gear. This will prevent burns, scalds and slightly more importantly, getting run over!
Everything you need;
1x 10mm Spanner (to remove and refit trim)
1x Torx 25 piece (to remove and refit trim)
1x 7mm Spanner (to remove and refit radiator hose)
2x 1L Bottles/Containers of Volvo Engine Coolant
An old large washing up bowl, a large bucket and a clean large plastic container (i.e. old water bottle)
Cold Tap water for dilution of Coolant to 50/50 plus about 10 litres + for
radiator flushing
A Ground sheet and some cushions to rest on, (unless you have shagpile
carpet on your drive!)
Now how I did it;
1) Undo and take off the coolant resevoir screw cap (top offside of the engine bay). Next, under the front bumper, you need to remove the plastic shield. It's held in chiefly by 2 x 10mm bolts and 2 x Torx 25 screws, plus 2 clips that clip on to the front bumper from the inside. You need to remove the Torx 25 screws first, then the smaller plastic shields on the side. Then the 10mm bolts are located up in to the engine bay a bit....
Torx 25 screw on the bottom of the trim (one each side)
13605
This is the location of the 10mm bolt. This is the view looking upwards towards the engine bay from the side of the big piece of plastic shield. You won't be able to get to this until you've removed the smaller triangular trim.....
13604
Then you have to wriggle free the large plastic shield. It's secured in by two clips that are located roughly in line with the front fog lamps. This bit is a bit fiddly but stick with it....
Large plastic shield removed...
13606
Now, on the left hand side of the car attached to the radiator right at the bottom is the lower radiator hose. The reason you take the shielding off is to make getting to this a lot easier as you will now see.
Now take this hose off but be careful because coolant will come flying out of here when you take the hose off. Loosen the Jubilee clip using the 7mm spanner. Then slide the old washing up bowl underneath, pull off the hose and stand back...quickly! Watch your eyes as it rushes out like there's no tomorrow.
Here's the Jubilee Clip attaching the radiator hose (left hand side of the photo).....
13607
Coolant Drained.......
13608
Ok, so now you'll see lots of very green murky and stinky coolant in your washing up bowl and probably all over your driveway. The next step is optional but I kind if think it's a good idea to do this as I'm a bit fussy.....
Empty your old coolant in to a larger bucket. Put the now empty again washing up bowl back under the radiator hose area where it was before and then you need to get some clean cold water and pour it in to the coolant resevoir tank (the one you took the cap off).
Within a few seconds, you'll hear water pouring out of the radiator hose again in to your old washing up bowl. This has flushed out a lot of any old coolant residue. Ok, that sounds a bit unnecessary but I'm just fussy and I like to make sure I'm putting new coolant in to a clean system.
After that's finished soaking your driveway again, get back down on the floor and reattach the radiator hose, ensuring it's firmly back on the radiator and then do up the Jubilee clip tightly.
Picture showing the Jubilee clip being reattached. Ths is actually a better photo than the one above showing the location of the radiator hose and the clip.....
13609
Now the good bit - the new coolant! You need to use 2 x 1 Litre bottles of genuine Volvo Engine Coolant/Antifreeze...
13610
Add 1 bottle of the antifreeze/coolant and then wait a couple of minutes and check for any leaks. Assuming you did the jubilee clip up correctly and put the hose on nicely, the whole thing should be fine and then you can go on and pour the second bottle in.
Next, fill up the engine coolant resevoir to the maximum line with cold tap water, or if you really want to get picky, use posh distilled water. Top tip here, you can use your now empty Volvo Coolant bottles to pour water in to the coolant tank. This means zero waste as it flushes the bottles out at the same time with any excess coolant left in the bottle.
Turn on the engine but leave the lid off the resevoir. Get the engine hot, apply the throttle and bring the revs up to around 2500 - 3000 rpm. This will help work out any air trapped in the radiator system. As the air escapes through the path of least resistance (that'll be your coolant resevoir with no lid), the coolant level will drop. As it drops, top it up with more cold water to maximum and continue this process until the coolant stops dropping down. Then most or all the air is out of the system and you're all done!
Replace the screw cap on the resevoir, making sure it's tight and on securely.
Then replace the shielding and trim under the car in the reverse of how you took it off. Simples!
So there we are, one engine coolant/antifreeze change a Main Stealer will charge you about half an hours labour for.
Regards
James