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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Northern CA
    Posts
    238

    Default Heater Core Clips

    Looking for pearls of wisdom on how to get the heater core clips back in.

    Replaced the radiator and the heater core on my '01 last weekend. Used Bear for both. Everything is in place except for the flipping clips that hold the pipes in the heater core. Need to know the tricks as after spending another hour cursing.... the best four letter word that I can think of is HELP!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Northshore - Great Lakes
    Posts
    813

    Default

    2001 V70XC +204k miles/ XeMODeX/ Pirelli 12/32"/ Duracell 48/ MOBIL-3309/ Pennzoil EURO 5W-40/ Great Lakes

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Posts
    165

    Default notes on heater core o-ring replacement

    Below are some notes I made when I replaced the heater core o-rings. My advice is to make sure heater pipes are fully seated, meaning the o-ring has compressed enough and the pipe is fully seated otherwise the clips won't press in. I recall the force needed to compress the o-rings was more than expected as well as the force needed to press the clips back in. I also attached a couple of pictures I found showing the fully seated heater pipes.

    here are my notes...

    Seating the new O-rings in the heater core required far more force than expected, the O-ring must compress between the pipe and the heater core hole and this does require a lot of force to make this happen. I did use genuine Volvo O-rings and lubed them with Sil-Glyde. Some suggest putting the O-rings in the heater core hole first and then insert the tubes but I didn’t like the edge of the tube contacting the O-rings and possibly cutting them so I put the O-rings on the tubes first. I used a wide blade slotted screw driver to firmly press on and around the lip of the pipe to compress the O-ring. When the O-ring finally does compress enough you can see the pipe slide in the rest of the way, which isn’t much movement but it is the important final movement that indicates the O-rings are fully seated in the core. The pipe does stay put once seated so I didn’t have to hold the pipe when installing the clips. If the O-ring did not compress and seat correctly the pipe wont’ be in all the way, which means don’t even bother with the press in clips, they won’t go in or go in on the wrong side of the pipe lip. After completing this job I found a 2001 V70XC heater core replacement thread and Xheart mentioned disconnecting the heater tubes from the routing guide above (high up under the dash) to help better align the tubes in the heater core. This would have likely reduced the force required to seat the O-rings. Not quite sure how these tubes are disconnected above though.
    Getting the upper tube retaining clip started in the heater core slots took me some time and then required more force than expected to seat completely. I used the flat part of a long ratchet handle to press the clip in. I did use new genuine Volvo clips and lubed them. The bottom clip I pressed in most of the way and then use pliers to gently and fully seat the clip. I put the bottom clip in from the other direction as there's more room this way. Once the tubes are in and clips seated the hard part is over.
    Space to work in under the dash is limited and lighting is difficult so this adds to the challenge of the job and I'm not a small person so it was hard for me to move around in the space available. Have tools placed where you can reach them helps save crawling in and out of the tight spot.
    This is not a fun repair but at least the parts are inexpensive for this fix, the labor part of it is real labor though.

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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Northern CA
    Posts
    238

    Default

    My attempts to date are with new Volvo O-rings but reusing the clips. I just made the trek to Niello Volvo and bought new clips. Maybe that combined with some lube on the new clips will help. Will try again tonight after kids swim meet.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Posts
    165

    Default

    Best of luck, not a pleasant job but if the pipes are fully seated you should be able to get the clips in. I should have also mentioned to be careful of the vent flap arms close by, I've read they're fragile.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
    1

    Default

    I recently did this job and I discovered a couple of this one might come In handy knowing before and during this job.
    First of all ....Get new clips If you even In the slightest way damaged the old one taking then out and also get GENUINE VOLVO O-rings...
    I had an after market heater core that was installing and the o-rings that came with this core (NISSENS) was significantly bigger in diameter than the genuine once,hence you will have problem there straight away re-installing the pipes and getting them seated because you will not be able to force down the amount of pressure to get thoose fat o-rins compressed.

    Also as mentioned the heater blender arms are fragile and I managed to break them In the process (Approx 40Bucks) so had to order new one and Install them.That was not a walk in the park either but much more doable the the heater core swap..

    Good luck to anybody doing this In the future and be patiente doing this job...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Posts
    1,196

    Default

    Lube O-rings w/ silicone grease and push the pipes as deep into the core as possible. Clips installation is not that difficult afterwards.
    2002 V70 (sold)
    2005 XC70 (Telos Road took it. Did a chassis swap)
    2016 XC60 (sold, P.O.S.)

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