I'm going to be flushing and refilling the coolant system soon. I might replace all 6 hoses and clamps along with the expansion tank. This site says that Volvo OE hoses aren't what they used to be and may not be worth the money. Mackay hoses available from fcpeuro.com are said to be of good quality. The best clamps are said to be the Breeze aero seal liner clamps because they won't cut into the hose. What size clamps do i need to buy. There are 12 of them. The four for the radiator hoses, the four for the heater hoses, and the four for the expansion tank hoses. For the hoses, Volvo OE, Mackay or another brand? Best hose regardless of price. Clamp sizes in millimeter. This site is great. They should have a site like this for all cars. Thanks for your help.

I checked the hoses and they look like they can last at least 2 more years. I'm going to just flush and refill. Thanks

Last week I had an upper rad hose failure (Volvo brand) and decided to replace both upper and lower ones because they looked in similar condition. Checking FCPEuro, I saw Genuine Volvo and Mackay hoses, with the Mackay costing half what the Volvo cost. Mackay were made in Australia by a GM OEM supplier and the Volvo ones were made in Poland. It seems not many Genuine Volvo parts are made in Sweden anymore. They're made all over, including China. I really couldn't determine if there would be any difference in quality between the two suppliers, so I chose the cheaper Mackay because half of my cost would be tax, exchange, brokerage and shipping to Canada anyway.

As for clamps, I always reuse them if they're in good shape and buy stainless steel worm gear clamps when needed. I've never seen a hose failure from rubber extruding through the slots like they say. My upper hose had failed by splitting just next to the clamp where the lip of the thermostat housing is. I did find a lot of corrosion buildup on the thermostat neck and water pump that I had to scrape and wire brush off.

Incidentally, since the rad has no drain cock and I couldn't find any engine block drain like mentioned in the FAQ, I simply pulled off the lower rad hose like I do with most cars.
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1992 745, >500k km

I get additional coolant draining out of the engine block drain spigot even after draining via the lower rad hose. The drain is located low on the back of the right side of the block below the #4 cylinder exhaust port. Takes a 13mm open end. Go gently when retightening - it's brass. Just snug it up.

After draining, I run a few fill-and-drain cycles with tap water until it runs clear. Have the heater valve on full hot while doing this.

After the final draining and buttoning up the system, I pour in 4-5 litres of 100% antifreeze and top up with distilled or deionized water. Then (full anal mode here) I run the engine a bit, cool down, and drain about a litre from the block drain and pour that back into the reservoir. I figure this gives me a well mixed solution throughout, including the reservoir.
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Bob: Son's XC70, my 83 244DL, 89 745 (V8), 98 S90, and XC60. Also '77 MGB and some old motorcycles

Thanks for the detailed description Volvodad. I looked for a drain exactly where you describe, but didn't see it. My drained coolant looked quite clean, except for a few debris I didn't pour back in. I'm not that anal about the coolant mixture. In fact, I worked in the electrolytic capacitor industry and had a couple of 5 gallon pails of scrap glycol I'd use for mixing antig=freeze solution. We also made deionized water, but I read that it's corrosive and should not be used in car cooling systems.

Speaking of the overflow tank, mine looks quite dirty inside even after rinsing it out. I cleaned out the one on my Camaro by shaking it with water containing sand and gravel, but the Volvo one has all kinds of compartments and nooks and carnies, so I don't want to do that. I know it's only cosmetic, but can these be cleaned, or do I have to replace it if I don't like the looks of it?
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1992 745, >500k km

Commercial anti-freeze (Prestone et al) has corrosion inhibitors and they tell you right on the jug to use deionized/distilled water. Depending on the TDS in your tap water you can create a lot of scale in the cooling system, since nucleate boiling is going on all the time at hot spots (eg: exhaust ports).

I have used small stones in my coolant reservoir to clean out the scale and crud of 30+ years, and you can get them all out with enough shaking. Then blocked off the outlets and filled it with horticultural vinegar - much stronger acetic acid content than the stuff in your kitchen - and let it sit overnight. Came out quite clean.
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Bob: Son's XC70, my 83 244DL, 89 745 (V8), 98 S90, and XC60. Also '77 MGB and some old motorcycles

I took a look at a jug of Prestone concentrate and it advises to use SOFT water to blend with the antifreeze. Distilled water is not mentioned. I do recall a car forum in which a Prestone tech adviser's email response to a question recommended use of distilled or deionized water.

I always use distilled water as the diluting fluid in my vehicles even though we have pretty soft tap water here, since the anti-corrosion additives in antifreeze will nullify tendencies for "pure" water to enhance galvanic corrosion, and the distilled water has no dissolved solids to create scale. And I change it out every few years, since the anti-corrosion additives are what get depleted with time and use, not the freeze point protection.

My 1983 240 is still running on its original all-metal radiator and heater core.
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Bob: Son's XC70, my 83 244DL, 89 745 (V8), 98 S90, and XC60. Also '77 MGB and some old motorcycles

Hi there all!

Just thought I would throw in a note about cleaning the expansion tank and who knows what else for Sunday entertainment. At least mine anyways. (:-)

I use a small chunk of a rag or paper towel and enough liquid to make it slide around the bottom of the tank when I shake it. That way it slaps and scrubs the scum loose.

I have used household white vinegar that is only like 5% acidic in some used radiators I picked up. It's also recommended for coffe pots and steam irons.

I fill the radiator nearly full and cap them closed. I then let the radiator sit for weeks on end with an occasional shake.
I later exchange in with more fresh vinegar. I do this several times over several months. Time works in my favor here!
I went the slow route, so, not to harm the solder in metal radiators or the aluminum on plastic types.
That kept me away from "Lime-A-Way" type cleaners.

I guess if I knew where to get your type of "horticultural" vinegar it might speed up the process. I never heard of this named vinegar. What is the acidic strength? Is it powdered or a liquid?

Back in the day, I cleaned stacks of stainless steel heat exchangers plates, that recovered waste heat from wash and rinse water from commercial washers.
On those, I used a straight up full strength citric acid. Its stronger than fermented acids.


I really don't remember it's acidic concentration but we were cautious using it since we were removing alkaline deposits. Very similar, if not the same that you talked about that's in tap water. Not counting the iron or sulphur that's is some tap water.

We heated a large S.S. tank, with coils filled with heated water on the inside. We heated it to about 150-170 degrees.
It sped up the process tremendously! I tried cleaning my radiators through the summer months up in a loft of my shop as well!

I haven't studied antifreeze bottles lately, because I buy antifreeze and oil years out, but I have not seen them mention the use of distilled or deionized water.
On the pre-mixed stuff, that I will not buy as its a rip off, they do not tout what the heck they use in it!

I ask, why don't they? My habit is, to listen to what they don't say! I think they don't want to raise the issue!
Municipal water from their locality as it reduces shipping across the continent.

Not that telling us would justify the expense of using a pre-mix that helped them double the price of the straight stuff! Unless they buy their water from Coca Cola! I bet not, as it has minerals.


Interesting that Prestone used "silicates" and still does! That's really a name for the earths crust. Rocks!
A straight version of that was used to scrap engines during the "cash for clunkers" program. They put in the engines in place of oil and ran them to "freeze" them up! Ironically!
Glass coated the parts!

I used to use Prestone products, way back but I never will again. FOR TWO REASONS!
I used distilled water in my very first water cooled engine but noticed white gunk in the top of the radiator tubes from a cap view. Note: Back then there was only silicate antifreezes.

When Zerex (Valvoline) came out first with 5 year coolant, probably twenty years ago, I jumped all over it. No silicates listed. I think they were the first with Organic Acid (additive) Technology and its patents.
First with "compatible" synthetic brake fluid too! Jury may still be out on it though? I like it!

The second reason Prestone is out is because of their rebate policy of having to provide the foil seals from under the caps of their antifreeze.
I buy years out and wanted to keep them sealed.
I provided sales a receipt and proof of purchase bar code instead but no rebate! No rebuttals allowed!
Now, they are done forever! No matter what they sell!
I also try to avoid rebates altogether! My motto, "they should sell it priced right or don't bother me!"

By the way, their cooling system cleaner is the best thing since sliced bread for selling radiators! I was told this by several radiator shops.

That stuff loosens up flakes in places that are in non flow areas (corners and bottoms) of the engine block and it will move it into the radiator.
The flow rate through a radiator is slow already, due to so many passages, so there you are.

The mixture of solids and caustic solution is in there, despite rinsing without any neutralizer most likely not provided and it plugs it up worse! Later on you will get small leaks!

I say don't put ROCK in there to begin with! Distilled water and Zerex GO 5 is the cocktail in my cars!

Thank for reading, it's been fun!

Phil

Horticultural vinegar is 20% as opposed to regular vinegar being 5%. Back in the day, pickling vinegar was 10%, but now it's 5%, probably because it's safer for home use. Apparently you can get 20% vinegar supply places for killing weeds.

Personally, I've found regular vinegar not too effective for removing lime from coffee pots, glasses and humidifiers. I use diluted muriatic acid. A 1 gallon jug of concentrated muriatic acid is quite inexpensive from the hardware store.
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1992 745, >500k km

Try to get stainless steel hose clamps. And if possible with a metric screw head.
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1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb, M46 trans, 3:31 dif, in Brampton, Ont.

Trev29 wrote--"Try to get stainless steel hose clamps. And if possible with a metric screw head." I just wanted to point out---and oldyller mentioned in his post---the screw and housing have to be stainless as well as the band. Many brands of clamps on the parts racks claim to be "stainless" when it's only the band that is. Volvo originals are great--I keep a collection on hand. -- Dave

I don't know it to be a fact but it's my belief, that Mackay, was a original supplier to Volvo.
I have never seen Gates hoses hold a candle to Volvo hoses! Plus the other auto parts brands are at best equal or less than Gates

Goodyear hoses would be my first choice in industrial quality hoses.
Now I got to hide and watch Continental since they has bought out Goodyears hose and belt side of the business.

I loved the longevity and quietness of the automotive GatorBack V belt line! It will be going under Continental "Elite" brand line now!

The angled notched groove and the materials used in the belt were proprietary to GoodYear. I hope they bought it all but I know they did not buy the GatorBack name!
I surely do hope that the 500 people in the plant, there in Virginia, get to keep their jobs and homes in the USA.

MACKAY supplies many other European car manufactures with their OE hoses. If you go out to their web site they are listed. Maybe that's why FCP carries them.
I asked the part stores here locally and they act like they never heard of them. Glad to know who sells them, thanks!

This belief I have, is only for the two main radiator hoses. I have not researched molded heater or the lower coolant recovery hose.
One would think, Volvo, would get great deals going with Mackay for all!

As far as the clamps, You are up one on me with a brand preference.
The sizes are usually stamped on the clamp you replace. A number, with a two or three digit number, applies to a standard chart of size, in inch or can cross to millimeters equally.

I reuse clamps from the junkyards. I take the hoses, that say Volvo, with any new looking radiators. Good stuff, spurs on a moment of a crazy buying, for stock, since I have four cars!

The Heater hose clamps, in the cabin, should last forever.

I get those shiny babies when I'm under the dash....snagging!

Phil