Hi.

-29 degrees celcius up hear just north of Montéal. (Farenheit, ??? but cooold) The brick started but the engin ran very rough for 5-10 minutes. So cold that antifreeze oozes past the frozen seal between block and pump. Right rear tire has a slow leak and was about a third deflated, I had to roll about 2-3 minutes for it to feel round... Yes it's that cold.

Question: When I plug the block heater, the breaker jumps after a few minutes. Could the extension cord be to small gauge?
The cord is stuck in about 10 inches of ice, no relation right?
Can I test the block heater itself and how? (i have meter)
Am I missing something?

Any help welcome. I really need this thing to work more than the seat heaters....

gotta chime in here. Freezin Me Balls specifically said he was leaking between the head and the pump. This is where the crappy little o-ring seals things. I can tell ya"ll from experience that this is not pump failure, it"s just the seal contracting when it's cold. I've had this problem for years with my 240. Recently changed the water pump, and the problem persists.

Hey 'Stuck" I have to agree with the other guys that you are probably well advised to replace that water pump. Mine leaked like that (just a little) for about 1500 miles...then it LET GO BIG TIME (bearling/inner seal failure). Your real quesiton is...just how far do you want to walk at minus 29 degrees...in the dark?

My advice:

Order a new water pump online (I LOVE Hepu, from Germany...much better built than others I've used).

Keep it in the trunk with you.

On the FIRST day that the temp rises above freezing...leave work sick...go home and replace it!

Apply vaseline liberally to the bypass pipe rubber gasket and the donut gasket.

Remember to push (or pry) the new pump up into the cylinder head before tightening so the donut gasket seats/seals properly before/while tightening.

Enjoy your peace of mind.

Bon Chance'

66 122
89 240
90 240

I understand you because I live in Laval...
Check to make sure you arent's putting the pwr cord connector in the snow, of course that would short out and cause your breaker to fall. If your cord is outdoor type and without breaks in it, having it in ice should not cause a short at all... Another thing you can try is to spray WD40 (water dispersant) on the cord connectors and even where the wire connectos to the block heater at the block. WD40 will push away any humidity which might be causing your short.

Also, try another outlet on a different breaker of your house. Maybe that line has a low current breaker and the high current drawn by your block heater just makes it fall.

If none of this work, you need a new block heater.

As for the oozing coolant, you have a leak that you need to fix ASAP. No joking around here, unless you want to overheat your block, which you don't.

Both my bricks start up awesome in theis cold (but I do actually have the 240 plugged in sometimes). They are made for this weather, just give them continuous TLC.

Let me know.

Greg
Laval, Qc.

240 DL sedan 1989
940 GLE 16V 1992

I live in Alaska, so I remember the -40 degree mornings. Get your water pump fixed soon. It will only continue to leak more. Possible to just tighten up the mounting bolts, but I'm guessing you need a new pump and seal. While your at it check the block heater operation with a new cord that is known to be good. Should be at least 14 gauge wire, perferably 12 gauge. The insulation and coating on these cords should be made for the freezing temps, if not get a cord that is. Otherwise every time the cord is flexed it will crack and lead to shorting out problems that lead to blown circuit breakers. At these colder temps you're going to see problems with parts that were marginaly operative at the warmer temps. Not a good time to take a chance, save that for the summer temps.

Thanks.

I'm trying another cord and everything seems fine. Probably just snow in the plug as you mentonned. From Laval, parles tu français?

As for the the coolant leak. It's the cold. When it's warmer it does'nt leak.

see ya!

Snow won't trip your breaker unless you've got it on a ground fault circuit interrupter. Extreme cold will make the heater's nichrome draw a lot more current to start, but that should settle down after a few minutes. Repeated near-limit strain on a breaker will weaken it to trip at less current than rated.

The donut seal gets stiff; it will sometimes weep a bit in the worst cold, but live fine the rest of the year. You could replace it, but unless you're losing ounces or more, it will probably make it until the weather is conducive to pull the pump at leisure.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

I don't get it??

You come here and ask a question.

Experienced Volvo owners reply with information.

Then you say - no thanks - I know better.

There are 2 situations where a water pump will leak.

1 - the inner seals are shot or going.

2 - either the pump is loose, or the gasket b/w the pump and block is damaged.

Neither is normal!!!

I have had Volvo's (and nothing but) for 15 years.

The water pump will trickle at the beginning - cold weather will sometimes be the catalyst.

This is a grace period. The next thing that happens (don't know when) is the seal FAILS and you lose all your coolant and overheat the block.

GO to and order a water pump and kit.

Install it or have it installed. Total price with laborwill be less than $150.


Much less than a engine costs.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't....


good luck

Well I don't agree with you there.

I had the same -25 deg C O-ring leak, which I fixed with a new pump a few weeks later.

Thing is with my car the previous owner actually took care and had things changes etc. Turned out (from the cast date of the pump - btw made in Japan so not OEM) the pump was from 1999 and must have been fitted month before I bought the car. I never talked to the owner so never got the history of the car.

The pump bearings were fine, fins real nice and clean etc, O-ring fine as well. It was just that the darn O-ring that was not pressed hard enough against the head! Pump must have had 35k miles on it. Kept if for em-spare.

So the pump could be fine, but poorly fitted! In normal temperature could work for many more years.

Refit will require a new gasget and O-ring etc. Personally I would change the pump anyhow while you're there. Is only a $60 item and gives you piece of mind for a few years.

Reg,

Jorn

92 240 B200F M47 165kmiles Oslo Norway