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Have 1995 960 wagon. Having a over temp issue. Replaced my radiator which had cracks at the top snout. I bought a "summitt" on-line, re-used volvo thermostat temporarily until I could buy new. Now it will operate in temp zone center while in driveway and have been careful to "burb" system as soon as I get out on the road it goes to orange on temp gauge. re-did process again and same thing. Could be a bad or inadequate radiator? Summitt said "this fits your vehicle" on-line. I have removed the radiator on this car several times and have never experienced this problem, I think I know what I am doing here. I am stumped tho. I am going to put the cracked snout one back in tonight and try and take the new radiator element out. Any other suggesstions?
Also, just in the last couple of days there is a type of whinning/grinding noise coming from the area where the oil filter screws on and two coolant lines come too. What is this area called? Could this be connected to my overheat. Is this a type of oil cooler area? Is the oil pump near here?
Thanks a bunch.
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If its a straight six the temp sender is at the back of the engine near the crankshaft sensor. There is also one at the front under the thermostat i dont know which one does the guage.
Make sure that grinding noise isnt from the water pump, if you lose the timing belt you will lose your engine, I know just been through hell and back and it cost me $10,000 Aus dollars to fix.
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Thanks for the help. The sending unit is upfront at the base of the thermostat housing. But as I had mentioned, the overheat problem is solved. I am going to remove that water cooled oil pump tonight. I used a automotive stethescope and listened real close and the "growling" is coming from that area. I guess just loosing big bolt and drop her down.(?)
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Yes, that is all that is required but there are few o rings that you will need too. What could have gotten in there to cause the sound? Let us know what you find.
Wonder if the growl is from the oil pump, which goes around the crankshaft up front?
Just be aware.
DanR '964 387,000 miles (153,000 on the new engine)
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DanR
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DanR, I first noticed this noise as I was picking up my 960 from a mech. shop who were going to charge my A/C unit. After several days of "change orders" I knew I was in the process of getting shafted. I told them stop the work, I am picking up my car. The next phone call, 10 min. later was that they had accidentally broken the top snout off my radiator "but it was so old and crumbly anyway". Things were going south fast so I said don't touch it again. I showed up with a used radiator changed it in the gravel lot. At start up I hear this growl, It is possible that they dropped a small crumb of this broken radiator snout and it lodged up or damaged the cooling pump area near the oil filter. At this point it is a thought, I will hopefully know more tonight.
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So last night I changed out the oil cooler. For anyone information this is pretty simple if you are careful. Upon inspection of this cooler I cannot find a single moving part with in it. It really look like a place for some coolant to flow through some blades/fins and that's it. Now with not moving parts what could have been making the growl sound? I changed it out with another one that I knew was good, no more noise (at least at this point). I am skepticle, very scepticle. How could changing this non moving part unit effect anything? I must say the more I work on these 960's the less I am liking them. Been a 240's owner of many for 25 years.
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Dear Emmett,
Hope you're well. Sometimes, if a part is ever-so-slightly loose, it will vibrate under a narrow range of conditions, e.g., if the engine is turning at a specific rate. At a higher or lower rotation rate, the sound vanishes.
Speed-related vibrations often occur when driveline components age and so get a tad loose. Plainly, the oil cooler has nothing to do with any drive-train item. But the engine could trigger vibrations, if the oil cooler was not properly snug and/or positioned.
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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OK, I have achieved the idiot award. New radiator had two thin rubber covers on the inlet and outlet,I took the top one off and somewhere my helper and I left the bottom one on! Result it slipped nicely into the center of bottom coolant return hose and restricted 100% of the flow! Removed and now it is good.
Thank you for the input. I am not a new self mechanic but was distracted on this job a bit and well what else can I say.
The water pump is new and I am pretty sure the whin/grind noise is coming from the water cooled oil/filter area. Does anyone have thoughts on taking this off and replacing with a used one I have on another engine?
Also, I did stuff the previous engine when the idler pulley lost bearings. It has been a very expensive and true learning experience. This white block will perform like nobody's business but every single aspect of maintenance is CRITICAL!
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Dear Emmett,
Hope you're well. Thanks for the update.
Even if the water pump is new, I'd check it carefully. You can use a tube (plastic or wood) as a "stethoscope" to listen to the pump. If the whine/grinding noise comes from that area, presume the pump is "on the way out" and replace it preventively.
While I don't operate a 960, I doubt that the oil filter has any moving parts, that would/could create a noise that sounded like "grinding" or "a whine".
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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First, without knowing you have a BRAND NEW thermostat, all bets are off.
Get one and stop guessing, and come back and ask if there's still an issue. BTW, a 960 is one of those few Volvo's that require, or should I say MUST recieve regular coolant maintenance, not just when it breaks. That means a full coolant system flush, new T-stat and Volvo (like) coolant every 2 yrs or 30k miles by the book. Throw the t-stat out and don't ask questions if it works, they fail more often than you would think.
Another area to be sure of is the cooling system pressure, as if there's a bad overflow cap, or small leak the engine temps will rise when under load as the leak is opened up when it gets hotter, and the system pressure drops.
As for the Summitt radiator, is it the same physical size and number of rows and fins?
There's not much better than the Volvo Blackstone radiators, and the black coating does improve heat transfer over shinny alumnimum, but doubt that's where your problem lies.
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Forgot about the oil cooler and lines. Yes the 960 has a water to oil oil cooler. It's very common to have these lines leak and crack, so if they are remotely questionable, replace them. The hoses on the 960 take a thermal beating due to the IL6 whiteblock high heat transfer rate into the coolant, and they go sooner than other Volvo's. If they buldge, or if there's signs of white dried coolant on the fittings, replace them. Under load, stop & go driving w/AC, they are leaking even if you don't see it leaking in your driveway.
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Yes, I am learning a tone about the white block (have two). Love the performance and mileage but do not appreciate how sensitive they are compared to my 240's. I have brand new coolant lines/clamps to the oil cooler, feel confident in the lines. It is the pump that is starting to whine/grind. Without a manual I guess I would undo the big bolt on the bottom and pull it off, have a spare one on a parts car 960. When I replaced the radiator I put a new t-stat in. After problem arose I pulled it back out and temporarily put the used one in that had been working the day earlier. Also, I noticed that while the car is running coolant is actually flowing through the top small return hose to the reservoir. Almost like there is a restriction somewhere and it is trying to circulate through this small hose, I don't recall ever seeing this before.
In summary, would anyone recommend unscrewing the big nut next to the oil filter at the oil cooler and pulling that unit off? I would hate to have springs and clinkers fall out. In addition, any further thoughts on overheat?
Thanks a million
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Dear Emmett,
Hope you're well. Yes. If the gauge reads "hot", I'd use an infrared thermometer to measure: (a) the temperature of water in the hoses and (b) the temperature of the head. If the temperatures are at/below 200ºF (95ºC), then the engine is not over-heated.
Did instrument cluster temp gauge readings seem erratic? Did the gauge show over-heating, under conditions where over-heating was "impossible" (e.g., at start-up, on a day when ambient temps were, say 75ºF (24ºC)? If so, then either the temperature gauge itself has failed, or - more likely - the failure is in the sensor, that provides a signal to the instrument cluster temperature gauge.
I As I do not own an 960, I'm not sure where is mounted the sensor, that sends a signal to the instrument cluster temperature gauge. On 940s - likely not of much relevance - the temp gauge sender is mounted in the head, under the intake manifold runners.
The only temp sensor I can find for a 960 is Part #9186773. Be advised: I'm not sure if this item sends a signal to the temp gauge: it seems to be relevant to engine management. This sensor costs about $50 (MSRP).
A less likely failure is that of the temperature gauge itself. Over several years, I recall few posts reporting temperature gauge failures in 940s or 960s. Should you need one, the temp gauge is Part #9148541 (MSRP is about $150).
I would not reinstall the radiator with a "cracked snout". That part is likely to fail, which failure will cause a genuine over-heating.
I'd call a Volvo dealer, and ask if there's a temp sensor, that feeds a signal to the instrument cluster temperature gauge. That likely is the source of your problems. These sensors "wear out".
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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