In order to keep your Volvo engine running smoothly and efficiently, you need to pay attention to the vehicles cooling system and in particular, the thermostat. If the thermostat stops working it can cause your engine to overheat, which can generate a lot of other problems if not fixed immediately. Doing some routine maintenance and changing the thermostat on your Volvo is a very simple process that will not take long and will keep your engine running cool.
Remove the cap from the coolant reservoir of your Volvo located on the front passenger side of the engine and then remove the radiator cap from the top of the radiator. Place a drain pan under the radiator, below the drain valve which is located on the drivers side at the bottom of the radiator.
Locate the thermostat on the engine on the passenger side, below the silver fuel injector rail guard. It should be right next to the fill cap for the power steering pump. Once you have it located, turn the drain valve at the bottom of the radiator and drain out enough coolant so that the level is below the level of the hose leading to the thermostat.
Close the drain plug once the coolant has drained below the thermostat level. Remove the silver fuel injector rail guard with a socket wrench. Using a torx bit with a long handle, unscrew the bolts that hold the thermostat housing in place. If the screws are resistant, spray some WD-40 on them to loosen them up.
Remove the thermostat housing and then pull the thermostat out of the housing. Clean the face of the thermostat housing and the top of the engine where the thermostat is seated with a piece of emery cloth to remove any remaining gasket material or residue.
Place a bead of gasket seal around the face of the thermostat housing and place the thermostat on the housing with the spring facing out. The spring side goes into the engine block. Place thermostat and housing back on the engine block and secure with bolts and torx bit.
Secure the fuel injector rail guard with a socket wrench and then add coolant to the radiator, filling it back up to the proper level. Put the radiator cap back on the top of the radiator and place the coolant reservoir cap back on the reservoir.
Turn the Volvo engine on and allow it to warm up to test the new thermostat. Once you have tested it, turn off the engine. Dispose of the drained coolant by taking it to your local recycling center of automotive parts store.
