[DMCForum] Re: Continuing misadventures of a Volvo/B280F PRV (Potential Mechanic)

["content22207" <brobertson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Just north of Columbia SC (US 1 off I-20):
Norman Preser
754 Kirkland Circle
Elgin, SC 29045
(803) 438-6626

Has extensive experience with PRV's. He's German, so fasten your
seatbelt for the accent.

BTW: What octane fuel do you use with those cylinder pressures? I have
an 11:1 Ford 460 that is also 180-185 PSI. Finally got it to run on 93
without octane boost by burning the coolest plugs available and
retarding ignition by ear (I think the harmonic balancer timing scale
is off). 

BBTW: Since you live in the area, do you have any plans to visit us at
SEDOC in the fall (Lake Lanier)? Is like a small DCS.

Bill Robertson
#5939

>--- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "cartermartin" <cartermartin@xxxx>
wrote:
> Sorry in advance for the long post.
> 
> Ok so I think I have gotten to the bottom of my Volvo 760GLE/B280F-
> PRV problems or at least nearly to the bottom of it. 
> 
> I have essentially rebuilt my  cooling system. Along the way I did 
> every possible test I could think of for a blown head gasket or 
> cracked head. These include:
> 
> - Compression test. I got 180-185# on all 6 cyl. The numbers might be 
> suspect but felt the fact they are so close together was more 
> important.
> - Cooling system pressure test. After all the cooling system work was 
> done. I pressure tested it at 22# (factory spec for this model) for 
> 15-20 minutes. I had very little, if any, leakage.
> - Tested the cooling system pressure under normal running conditions. 
> Pressure was built gradually up to 15-20# or so.
> - A block leak test. The gizmo that detects exhaust gasses in the 
> coolant by drawing air thru the coolant.
> 
> Anyway after all of this I still have coolant loss and evidence of 
> high pressure in the system. In this case coolant blown out of the 
> expansion bottle.
> 
> The only other clue was the chocolate milkshake on the filler cap. 
> When I changed the oil I found no evidence of coolant.  And after 2 
> negative 'block leak' tests (i.e. no combustion gasses) I finally got 
> a positive after a highway run (where btw it urped out a pint or so 
> of antifreeze).
> 
> It appears that under light load, idling or driving around the 
> neighborhood, there is not a problem. This manifests itself at 
> freeway speed when I hear a buzzing sound from time to time that I 
> believe is either the pressure being vented past the radiator cap or 
> perhaps even gasses blowing past the head gasket. The latter may be a 
> long shot but the sound is coming from the opposite side of the 
> engine from the coolant bottle.
> 
> At this point my suspicion is either:
> 
> - small head gasket leak
> - Cracked head
> - or maybe a seal for the cylinder liner?
> 
> I'm still a neophyte on these engines and since it's an old Volvo 
> sedan (as opposed to something more exotic) I should probably walk 
> away. But I feel I want to get to the bottom of all of this. It is 
> also difficult because it's running SOOOOO good.
> 
> Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions would be appreciated? Any PRV 
> mechanics in the Atlanta area who can do a head/head gasket, please 
> step forward.
> 
> Oh and for what it's worth I did get the Y-Pipe o-rings sealed up. 
> 
> Carter

---

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