Thermostat broke at clip while under load

[JCC1]

Hello. my wife was driving the 210k 1999 V70 XC last night when the car went into limp type mode while approaching a hill. She described steam and not smoke. She later noticed coolant loss at lower driver side hose from radiator.

Radiator was drained as well as oil from motor. Thermostat was replaced. It broke at the clip. T-stat was Volvo and 92 degree. Put in a Vernet and 87 degree. Gauge has always behaved by heating up and staying at middle point.

Went to purchase complete head gasket kit. And lower coolant hose. As the lower hose sprang a leak and coolant drained out.

Oil had faint coolant mixed in. Coolant does not have any oil. I replaced the radiator and top hoses and expansion tank and cap recently. I regret holding off on replacing the t-stat and bottom hose at the same time.

My question is, without a code reader can I be sure the gasket is toast? Engine turns over and starts. Coolant light on. I've had this car for 2 years and bought from 2nd owner for 1500 bucks. Not sure of the history other than doing brakes and replacing the throttle sensor with the xemodex unit myself. And now the radiator. Radiator cracked at top sleeve after replacing the tank and cap the week before. Not sure what to do at this point. Is the engine done? Is it worth attempting to fix? Should I try and if so how many specific tools will I need to keep timing and cams in place? One other thing, The timing kit has not been replaced in 100k.

I dont know if it's worth it and I have yet to find anything related to the V70 engine gasket diy or the thermostat breaking while driving. Thank you very much.
J

[JRL]

You're not making much sense here

[JCC1]

I replaced expansion tank due to leak where top hose enters tank. Had previously just made a hole and set tube into tank where plastic reciever sleeve had crumbled away. And replaced cap.

Then the rad cracked at top sleeve. I replaced radiator and top hose.

Radiator bottom hose sprung a leak when the t-stat broke yesterday.

Coolant was present in oil. Drained oil. Drained coolant. Replaced t-stat.

Not sure if its worth replacing the head gasket. I do not have the time, funds or general luxury to tear the motor apart. This is our only car and we share it. She for school by day and myself for the stagehand union night work I've been relagated to do since the lack of need for high-end private residence construction project managers in the lousy city of Los Angeles economy.

Girlfriend reported a loss of power with steam from under hood. She stopped car in traffic and pushed it out of rushhour traffic in the dark on a hill in 4 lanes of bad Los Angeles traffic. She reported the coolant leak at lower hose only after she attempted to add water. She also noted the coolant light on dash illuminated shortly before the t-stat broke. I towed car home last night. I dont know what to do from here. Perhaps its best to junk the car?

Intermittant flickering coolant idiot light for 1 hour prior to t-stat breaking. Could the coolant have drained from leak at bottom hose and that made the thermostat crack?

JRL, if you have any idea what to do please let me know. Thanks
J

[JRL]

You were already done when coolant was found in the oil, you had overheated for awhile
Your headgasket is blown
What you do now is up to you but at 210K it's probably not worth it to do anything
Sorry

[instarx]

Well your post made sense to me. Since you said you don't have the time to replace the head gasket yourself that pretty much decides the issue. Can you rent, borrow, carpool or buy a clunker while you do it? Head gaskets aren't that hard to do but they do take time, particularly with hand tools. To pay a garage to do it would cost you between $1,300 and $1,800, so its really only cost effective to do it yourself at that mileage.

If you run the engine with coolant in the oil you will destroy the bearings and that will be the end of the engine.

Sorry.

[JCC1]

Thanks. I was told by master mechanic to get car to california smog center and apply for retirement payment of vehicle. If we drive it in under its own power they pay 1 grand. Sounds good to me. Looking for another car. Cant afford rental at 25+ a day while we search for a replacement vehicle. Master tech mentioned the need for a 1 grand volvo specific tool thats required for rebuilding the motor. I did find a diy for an 850 headgasket replacement and really dont think we can attempt such a feat at the present. Thanks for the great responses.
J