Volvo d2-55 Coolant Drain plug

[asteven221]

Yesterday I decided to replace the coolant in the engine but it didn't quite go to plan!

On the SB side of the engine on the block I can see the drain plug which has a square head for a spanner. Unfortunately it won't budge.

As I don't want to get too heavy handed and over do the forcing, it would be appreciated if someone has done this before could point me in the right direction e.g. it's not by chance a reverse thread and I am tightening it, or do I need some special tool/technique to remove it. The manuals don't offer any information other than "remove the drain plug".

Any advice is much appreciate. Thanks.

 

[VicS]

Yesterday I decided to replace the coolant in the engine but it didn't quite go to plan!

On the SB side of the engine on the block I can see the drain plug which has a square head for a spanner. Unfortunately it won't budge.

As I don't want to get too heavy handed and over do the forcing, it would be appreciated if someone has done this before could point me in the right direction e.g. it's not by chance a reverse thread and I am tightening it, or do I need some special tool/technique to remove it. The manuals don't offer any information other than "remove the drain plug".

Any advice is much appreciate. Thanks.

Have you tried loosening it while the engine is hot. Very often that will help. Also spray on a good release oil, such as Plus Gas, while its still hot and allow it to soak in ( Ordinary WD 40 is not as good as a proper release oil)

It's not likely to be left handed but a little nip in the tightening direction can help to free things.

Things often undo surprisingly easily with a bit of extra leverage ... but don't over do it.

Be sure to use a wrench or socket that fits the square properly ... adjustable spanner very definitely a no- no, also the normal 12 pointed sockets.

A gentle whack with a reasonably heavy hammer ( what my Dad would have called a "proper" hammer) often helps but you don't want to crack the casting!

 

[emandvee44]

I have a D-2 55, 2002 vintage. This Spring I tried to remove the drain plug, but gave up as it was very tight.
I drained the coolant using the port side drain, with a hose connected to the spigot and then to a tray. I flushed the engine about 15 times, until I got clean water, then replaced the coolant. I appreciate that I may not have drained all the old coolant by not removing the starboard side block plug, but the coolant still looks good (green)

Cheers,

Michael.

 

[No Regrets]

My old TAMD40b's have a similar issue. I ran the engine, pumping (12v inline) out the old coolant and replaced with water by simultaneously flushing with a hosepipe.

After it was flushed totally clear, sucked out all I could with the 12v pump and added the correct amount of coolant, checking the specific gravity afterwards.

Very simple, and effective...

 

[RichardS]

Yesterday I decided to replace the coolant in the engine but it didn't quite go to plan!

On the SB side of the engine on the block I can see the drain plug which has a square head for a spanner. Unfortunately it won't budge.

Ideally, you need to find a square head that fits snugly over the drain plug as that gives the best grip. Sometimes these are 3/8 or 1/2 inch, or very close to it, and a socket set will do the trick. Check with a reversed socket and, if it fits, choose a socket whose business end fits snugly over the 3/8 or 1/2 drive end of an extension bar and drive that with your ratchet or breaker bar. The socket is much harder to damage than the plug.

Richard

 

[nickf]

Having the same engine of a similar vintage I appreciate the difficulty in undoing the drain nut. It is just a normal screw ( to undo turn anti clockwise. If you get the right spanner with a decent length for leverage it should move. Good luck. I had to buy a longer shafted spanner to undo it first time.

 

[Rafiki]

I have D2-40, I guess that drain plugs and coolant arrangement are the same as yours. You will be able to get a spanner to fit - at least I could.
Even using both the port and starboard side plugs there will still be a lot of coolant left in the system, you will also need to remove a hose going to/from the calorifier in order to drain a good deal more out. Even then I have not managed to get it all out ( based on volume the manual said it required) but reckoned that even by changing 75% of the coolant I must be doing a lot of good.
Interestingly on both times I have done it the engine temperature alarm went off after the engine had been on tickover for about 10 minutes. In each case I waited
until the coolant was cold and topped up - (possibly required circa 1 litre) after which no problems.

 

[asteven221]

Thank everyone for the advice. I am tempted to go the route of getting as much out as possible and topping up. Not ideal but at least the new stuff will be doing some good. The current AF looks very green and clean.

Cheers.

 

[RJJ]

Just adding to this thread having been through the same palaver. The square plug is a PITA if you have to drain the coolant, but it can be undone with the right size (square or octagonal) socket and an extension so you can reach around the oil filter and everything else that's in the way. Then add elbow grease and a few ounces of frustration. And expect to spill pretty much everything that comes out.

You can replace it with a much more convenient draining nipple with its own hose tail, parts 388541 (adaptor) and 3583822 (draining nipple). Those parts seem to have been fitted to later productions of the D2 range; they are "reassuringly expensive" for what you're looking at, especially as you might consider Volvo should have fitted them in the first place. But it's then easy to drain it with barely a drop spilt.

If you want to drain it fully you need to drain in three places - first, the starboard side drain (per this post, which gave me just over seven litres), the drain under the heat exchanger (just over a litre), and finally ideally the hot water hose to the calorifier.

My heat exchanger nipple was broken; it turns out it was only "sealed" by a build up of crap inside. Upon the acid flush and subsequent bicarb neutralisation (recommended by Volvo) it all suddenly dropped out. Annoying, but better to happen alongside and under observed conditions than during the 200 hours or so of motoring I did last year... so that needed replacing too.