Initially I thought it wouldn't be a big deal, if the used one leaks it's just a radiator but you're right, definitely don't want to go through that again if you can help it. You're right again on where I was getting stuck, I was definitely trying to leave the condenser in place because I didn't wan...

I was in the middle of changing the radiator in my 02 XC and got stuck, couldn't get it out of the top OR bottom. I have a donor car that I was going to use the radiator from so I tried to get it out of that one and got stuck at the same place, on the drivers side, either the hitting the condensor l...

Seafoam is also another way I've heard of, that Project Farm guy on youtube has a good series, but like everything else, too much of a non-compressable substance in your combustion chamber may void your warranty.

I recall spraying water into carbs on big outboards while we revved the snot out of them ( 6 cyl/6carbs). The exhaust water turned grey, that was the carbon washing out. Steam cleaning works, you know the sign of a blown gasket ?, perfetly clean and shiny piston. I just don't know how you'd introdu...

I've been down that both sides of that path before, amazing how loud a wallet can speak. I've regrettably used some of rockauto's 'Better' parts myself for my xc70's, and when I worked as a mechanic at an independent shop I remember showing a customer an upper balljoint about to pop out on some expl...

A couple minutes with a torch may have saved them all from breaking. I'm sure but I don't tend to carry one in my toolbag, had it been at home it would've been a different story. On the plus side Ace hardware carries craftsman and swapped the bar right out for me, will have to find a Matco truck ne...

As far as the plastic goes, paint is the only was to go. Clean with any degreaser (simple green, etc), tape with newspaper to protect your paint and be prepared for a new-looking car, no joke. Any spray paint at home depot/lowes/ace that works with wood/metal/plastic and has a matte finish.

A few days ago I received a notification email from my local u-pull-it that they got an '01 xc70 in stock... Great, I needed a drivers side headlight for my son's car, so when I grabbed the headlight assy I noticed it had recently replaced front struts, needed those also. So with a different set of ...

Check these posts= https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=86829&p=520278&hilit=remove+radiator#p520278 You can also remove from the top. volvolugnut Thank you for that. My wife had a slight altercation with the side of the garage outside wall and tweaked the bumper cover, it m...

I realize this is an old thread but for such a seemingly mundane job like changing a radiator in my 01 xc70, it's really kicking my a$$, and I used to be a professional mechanic. :) All bolts are loose and hoses disconnected but that drivers side A/C line on the bottom is really in the way of lettin...