Coolant

[frenchfries]

Hi all
Is there a specific coolant to be used? Whether yes or no could you tell me the caracteristics to look for? I would like to buy and replace at the week end.

Best

[Ade]

The original stuff was green in colour (or at least that was what was in my blue one when I bought it and that had benefitted from a full Volvo dealer service history) so I replaced it with green G48, which I ran for a few years in it without issue, although I subsequently found out that, chemically speaking, modern blue stuff is the closest equivalent to 'old green' so I've now got blue in it. Key thing is not to mix different coolants as they can form sludgy deposits and clog rads and heater matrixes. I'd go for blue and make sure it's well flushed out. Also, make sure you don't have any air locks, there's a little bleed screw on the heater outlet pipe on the head, use it! There's lots of info about different coolants available with a quick google search, as I said, from what I can gather, modern blue is the closest to what would have originally been in it, but other coolant won't hurt as long as it's not mixed although I did read something somewhere about not using these modern longlife ones, like the VAG G12 for instance, in older engines. Can't remember the reasoning but it seemed valid.

[jifflemon]

8 litres i believe is what's required (it's on my to-do list also!)

I went for this, but as Ade said, most stuff will do

[dcwalker]

Probably a bit late, but my answer to your question would be genuine Volvo, every time.

It's not expensive and you know it's right. It's all I ever use on any of my cars.

David

[frenchfries]

Thank you all.

Did the spark plugs last night and now I have lost the info Centre.......

[dcwalker]

I know it isn't in quite the same place as the spark plugs, but check that in working along the front of the engine you haven't dislodged the small wire that runs to the alternator bracket - info centre won't work without it connected and it's a thin wire (IIRC it's blue and runs in with another wire that's brown - can't check for sure right now) that breaks quite easily once it's old.

The joy of a 480 - there's always something!

David

[gebrad]

The Volvo coolant is not pricey so there's no reason for me to try a different brand.