3rd radiator at 240K

[erikv11]

... I've always used aftermarket (Chinese ) radiators on all my vehicles because the OEMs never last any longer, (sometimes less) and the cooling capacity is equivalent. ... they are all more or less different shades of garbage IMO.

IMO this post is completely ludicrous.

So here is something you've never tried your whole life, yet you insist it is lousy because ... um, why?

The great majority of devotees to the OEM (Valeo) replacement rad will insist it lasts a good long time and will have the numbers to back that up, and that it is not a piece of crap (e.g., fitment is perfect). I've heard a lot of arguments for aftermarket on the rad, some of them even reasonable, but never that the Valeo unit is a piece of crap. Where are you getting your information, if not from personal experience and not from the forums?

[songzunhuang]

I would check all your engine mounts. The top hose connecter breaks in my opinion as the engine move the most at the top and the top hose as it gets older becomes stiff and has no give which loads up that top connection more than the lower one.

Specifically check the condition of the mount under the crank pulley and the top torque mount.

Neil

Good idea on the motor mounts. I'll check that out. I know I've replaced a few of the mounts in it's history, but you never know if something else has failed.It's been a while.

[JDS60R]

While the car is running.
Please take a DC volt meter and put the ground test lead to the battery ground post and the positive test lead in the coolant .
Please let us know the DC volt reading. I am suspecting you have an issue as your corrosion is out of hand.

[mecheng]

... I've always used aftermarket (Chinese ) radiators on all my vehicles because the OEMs never last any longer, (sometimes less) and the cooling capacity is equivalent. ... they are all more or less different shades of garbage IMO.

IMO this post is completely ludicrous.

So here is something you've never tried your whole life, yet you insist it is lousy because ... um, why?

The great majority of devotees to the OEM (Valeo) replacement rad will insist it lasts a good long time and will have the numbers to back that up, and that it is not a piece of crap (e.g., fitment is perfect). I've heard a lot of arguments for aftermarket on the rad, some of them even reasonable, but never that the Valeo unit is a piece of crap. Where are you getting your information, if not from personal experience and not from the forums?

I'm not picking out Valeo perse, I just think plastic end caps are a bad design, they will all fail at the cap sooner rather than later. My Valeo lasted 200,000km, (124,000 miles) not bad nor stellar in my books. I've had Chinese rads last longer. All in all the Valeo is a good radiator, but not amazing.

[cn90]

Noone discusses Nissens?

I thought Nissens is an excellent choice?

[dosbricks]

Is Nissens still made in Denmark? If so, I wish I had shelled out the $$ for a couple of them.

[cn90]

My only experience with Nissens (Yes made in Denmark) is with my BMW and has been excellent.
Installed the Nissens radiator in my 1998 BMW 528i back in May 2006.
Ten (10) years later, absolutely fine, zero leaks.

Don't know about Volvo, but the Nissens made for BMW is good. Pricing is competitive, it is always cheaper than stock.

[rspi]

Wow - look at the corrosion on the metal part - What are you using for antifreeze??

If the corrosion got through , or on the backside of that metal ring it would fracture the plastic easily.

I too would like to know what coolant you are using in the car.

My car currently has 305,000. I have had it since 188,000. I think the rad is just starting to leak. I have a Nissens on hand, NIB, ready to install. I may do it tomorrow.

[songzunhuang]

My only experience with Nissens (Yes made in Denmark) is with my BMW and has been excellent.
Installed the Nissens radiator in my 1998 BMW 528i back in May 2006.
Ten (10) years later, absolutely fine, zero leaks.

Don't know about Volvo, but the Nissens made for BMW is good. Pricing is competitive, it is always cheaper than stock.

Hey I recently changed out the radiator in a BMW 633csi I was bringing back to life with a Nissens unit! I was impressed enough with the quality of it that I ordered Nissens for my Volvo. Unfortunately, it was one of the ones that didn't work because of the lack of fittings for both the oil and the transmission. The parts store got it wrong and I needed a radiator the same weekend. I could only find the Chinese one in short order. Still, it was only $32 cheaper than the Nissens. The APDI was $148, they wanted $180 for the Nissens.

I've seen a few all aluminum racing radiators, but they tend to be more than double the cost ($400-500). I can deal with a new radiator every 100K miles for the savings I guess...

[songzunhuang]

Wow - look at the corrosion on the metal part - What are you using for antifreeze??

If the corrosion got through , or on the backside of that metal ring it would fracture the plastic easily.

I was just using the regular green Peak antifreeze concentrate, diluted with distilled water. Not sure why it's so gunky. The coolant that I drained out of the car was clean enough. I didn't see any gunk in there.