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Volvo: 1998 V70 TURBO, cylinder head bolts, head gasket


Question
QUESTION: I JUST HAD THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED. I ALSO HAD THE HEAD GROUND DOWN. HOWEVER, I AM GETTING (MOSTLY) OIL IN MY COOLANT RESERVOIR. THE PRESSURE BUILDS UP AND IT LEAKS OUT THE TOP OF THE RESERVOIR. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE MIGHT BE A TORQUE PROBLEM. COULD YOU TELL WHERE TO START WITHOUT PULLING THE ENGINE APART.

ANSWER: Terry,
If you are referring to the torque on the cylinder head bolts you really are to late. If pressure builds in the cooling system it possible it is compression. There is a test to see if it is compression. A special liquid is used to see if the pressure contains exhaust gases.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: what do you mean too late? Is the car still worth repairing? What is the remedy for the compression? would a new head solve my problem? Also thanks very much for the original answers.

Answer
Terry,
Once the gasket is installed and torqued you can not with any certainty go back and retorque it. If there is compression leaking into the cooling system you need to remove the head and have it tested to see if it is flat and if it can be straightened out. Now since the head has been ground down there might not be enough left to do that again. There is also the possibility there is a crack in the head. There is a test for finding cracks. It is worth the money to repair the engine, just too late to go back and retorque the head.