So, yesterday I picked up my 6th Volvo. 93’ 244 with only 133 K miles. Overall it drove nicely, the PO buys/fixes/sells cars as a hobby. He has had it about 6 months. I asked about the coolant which is light brownish in color, not the nice green Volvo coolant. Said he just put in Prestone or something like that.

My first order of business will be to drain that crap out & fill with Volvo green coolant. Question is, can I drive it the ~ 55 miles home tonight?? I literally rolled in bed last night thinking - what if it boils or who knows what?#&@...

Anyway - appreciate your inputs as always.

My daughter’s 89’ 240 is running well. I’m starting to look for an S40 T5 to replace my venture into Audiland.



Thanks

Mike

hi mike,
good to hear another person taking care of a 240, good find.

just an observation, the volvo coolant that i have on the shelf is bluish in color.

good luck with the car and have fun.

regards,
byron golden
86 245
92 245
94 940

Hi Byron,

It is blue or green - I'm used to calling it green since it appears more green when in the tank on the car.

Yeah this is my 3rd 240, also had a 95' 940T, and have had 2 98' GLTs an S70 and a V70.

Mike

Thanks all for the replies.

Car drove home fine - it was a busy week, should have replied earlier...

I will likely drain some of the coolant, top off with distilled water & warm it up then drain it all out and fill with the proper Volvo coolant & distilled water.

The other aspect I forgot in original post is that the PO also tried to bypass the temp compensator board on the instrument panel - so it currently reads above normal. I'm planning to get the IPD kit to bypass it properly.

My son will be the primary driver of this car. I'm looking forward to teach him how to maintain it. The 240 is such a welcome change from my daily driver - an 02' Audi A4 with the 1.8T. Fun to drive but much more to go wrong with an older car.

Thanks

Mike

And choose the year also from the menu ... had Art replied ... enforcing etiquette.

Antifreeze of choice is Zerex G05 ?, Pentafrost (I forget which). A three-metal (iron, copper - copper alloy, and the lest noble, aluminum) antifreeze. The radiator and more so, more so difficult to get at, is the heater core. I'm unsure whether the addition or absence of phosphorous and silicates in antifreeze helps or hinders them tin-lead solder welds in the heater core. The tin is what can corrode in the tin-lead solder welds. More an issue of maintain coolant flush as often as the antifreeze maker instructs.

Prestone green works fine.

Coolant is what is made up when mixing antifreeze and distilled water, usually 50/50 mix for your 1993 Volvo 240.


The Volvo 700-900 Series FAQ contains information on antifreeze. Links are:

https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/Cooling.htm

https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/Fuel_LubricantData.htm

Some suggest Dexcool. Am unsure if that is best.

Do you encounter any black or brown scum at coolant reservoir coating the inside of it? Petroleum products are usually lighter than engine coolant.

If the cooling system is in question, and you are draining the coolant, you can give yourself a break, with interior temp lever or dial turned to hot, by fully draining the coolant, capture for hazardous material recycle or discarding, and inspecting the cooling system components.

- The radiator clogs from the bottom up. Use a strong light source to inspect the bottom large hose port. Any corrosion clogging what you see of that end of the horizontal tubes?
- How to the radiator hoses appear. How do they feel with a squeeze when cold? Some hoses have a manufacture date stamped or marked on the hose.
- How old is the thermostat? The bi-metallic spring can fatigue in 7 to 10 years. Some may last 40 years if Amazon or 140/160 series I read. Many posts here on what brand is best. Coolant thermostats have a date stamped on them. Also, inspect the interior of the thermostat housing as that aluminum alloy is of a less noble quality than the cylinder head. Replace if more than mild corrosion, pitting, or cavitation appear.
- What radiator do you have? Plastic side tanks like a Blackstone that was is Volvo OEM for 240. Or a Nissens after market? ABS plastic embrittles from age, heat cycling, and the pressurized coolant system.
- Ensure a free breathing radiator as detritus can collect in the fins and in the space between the A/C condenser and in front of the coolant radiator.
- The heater control valve in 1992+ 240 (Volvo PN Part Number: 9131998, no NLA) is made of ABS plastic. Like the ABS plastic side tanks in radiators, these can fail in unexpected and unwanted ways. David Samuels at his Wagonmeister site sells direct replacements of quality here:

https://www.wagonmeister.com/240-replacement-heater-valve



iPd sells the Pro Parts Sweden / MTC cheapo version at 45$ or so.

https://www.ipdusa.com/products/4935/112976-heater-control-valve-latest-style


Also, in this new to you 1993 240 Sedan would need some further inspection, I'm uh suspectin'. You do know of the preheater flap valve in the air filter box? Gets stuck to all hot all the time. An issue in all Volvo with the air box preheater flappy valve through 1998 or so. I'm hands off when Ford bought Volvo. Less and less handsy now owned by China Geely Motors.

At least you have the round-tooth timing belt. Last for 100k miles and does the INA brand tensioner. ContiTech sells a kit of you do not have record of the timing belt change. Continental is OEM.

You have a brickboard account? Why not use your account when posting?

https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/user_data.htm?uid=22362

Questions? Hope that helps.

Walmart brand Earl Grey Tea Boyeeeeeee
--
Donate NOW! Give your brickboard.com a big DONATION!!! Find the on brickboard pages!

Old Green coolant in a engine with a cast iron block will be brown, due to the rust (corrosion) on the internal passages, particularly if the car sat for a while. If I was you I would pick up a jug of prestone just in case and drive it home. Then drain it and start over. It will probably still be brown for a while. I doubt it has dexcool in it. I would be more concerned about the condition of the hoses.

What are the odds the PO/hobbyist topped it up with a bit of Dexcool if that's all he had handy? Pretty good I'd say. After all, orange plus green (ethylene glycol) makes for brown. As long as it's not noticeably cloudy, oily or foamy then I'd sure be willing to chance a 60 mile drive.

Wow, a '93 240 with just 133K on it sounds like a pretty good score.
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now

Thanks Dave,

Your description makes sense. He probably didn't flush & fill, more likely just added some.

I read a few things that suggest mixing of coolants can create a thicker liquid with the possibility of blocking passages in the head etc. I'll likely drain some out, add distilled water & warm it a bit before draining it all out.

Thanks for your input

Mike

No one can predict if there'll be a problem in the next 60 miles.....

Drain as much of it out as you can -- and just keep flushing/refilling with distilled till you get clear out - be sure heater valve is open. Once it's clear - add some actual "flush" (Prestone or equivalent) and then flush/rinse/repeat. Then drain and top with anything but Dex....
--
82 242-6.2L; '17 Mazda3; '16 Crosstrek

you own 6 volvos and can not answer your own question?

This has got to be a spoof or whatever it's called.

55 miles??? the thing will barely be warmed-up.

Or that Volvo's coolant is dyed blue...