99 v70 radiator replacement.

[pfmet]

After finally finishing the headlight wiper motor repair and getting them reinstalled I set about to wrap up the radiator replacement project. Laid the new Mahle Behr and original side by side for “careful” comparison noting some minor differences but couldn’t really judge the merits or downsides of what changes I found. Installed the new mounting hardware and put it in the car. My wife helped me wiggle the fan shroud back in place and we set the bottom tabs into the radiator slots and pulled it forward into place against the condenser and immediately noticed it was not setting correctly against the radiator.

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what we saw in the car.

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the old radiator core sat flush to the back of the top and bottom frame pieces. The new radiator core is set in from those members there by pushing it away from the fan shroud and leaving those gaps all around.raba

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out of the car again you see the gap around the new Mahle Behr.

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the original set tight with no gap.

Volvo engineers designed as system for optimum air flow through the system and that gap is an unacceptable construction flaw in my opinion and this part will be returned. Not sure what to order now. How do those Nissens fit to the fan shroud? Anyone have one? Abscate? I’m seriously thinking of driving down to Milford tomorrow and getting a Genuine Volvo for $357. But that would probably be stupid, or not. I hate this…(rearrange the last four letters!) But it’s never easy, is it. Hope your projects are all going well. Best, Peter

[abscate]

Try pulling It up a bit from those bottom tabs and see if it goes flush, then. I vaguely remember this on the Nissans in 2018

[pfmet]

I’m afraid it’s siting where it needs to live. The top tabs on the radiator for the fan shroud bolts are tight to the fan shroud as well. It is what it is. Ineffectual junk I’d say. The pictures of the Nissens I’ve viewed, (carefully as I can in the ad postings) seem to show the finned core part of the radiator nearly flush to the plane of the bottom shroud tap slots and the top cross piece with the tabs for the u nuts

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These are shots of the Nissens. Perspectives are tough but they somehow seem more promising.

[scot850]

I had no issues with my last Nissens but that was 5 years ago.

Neil.

[chrafael]

I put a Nissens in a couple of months ago, it fits fine. For information go to Rock Auto and look at their info listings for radiators. They list the Nissens core as being 1 5/8", the others are listed as 1 1/4". I suspect this is a case of (not) getting what you pay for.

[abscate]

I’ve got a new in box nissens in storage if you want measurements

[misha]

Those aftermarket replacements are all the same.
I recently had ac evaporator job on my car and replacement evaporator(Nissens) was around 1cm smaller than original one,dryer(NRF) was shorter than original.

Evaporator pipes were a bit off and i needed to carefully bend them in order to connect them to the rest of ac system.

Heater core was a perfect match...good surprise.

[scot850]

I had a similar issue with an AC evaporator. Angles of pipes off, and the cones too large to allow the snap springs to be able to go over the cones to lock it in place. Had to file it down to make it work.

Neil.

[abscate]

You can bend the evap,pipes to line them up, and also loosen the hard lines to get everything together and locked

The drier is just a big empty cup with some silica gel inside. Size not too important

[pfmet]

Thanks for the response’s guys. Was glad to see Chrafael’s photo of a proper fit, I ordered a Nissens from FCP Monday and it due here today. Thanks for the offer for measurements
abscate but I cast my fate already.

I have a question regarding flushing. I should have done all this with the original rad still in place maybe, but I was intending to run water through the system a few times. Fill, run and drive a bit, drain, repeat, till the water runs reasonably clean. No cleaner necessarily. I know the guys on the Yanmar forums don’t like running chemical cleaners through our boat motors for assorted reasons, so I don’t. Any thoughts on a cleaner, liquid moly seems to pop up on the sites when you’re shopping a rad. My last flush and fill was done by my Indy 42k ago and I know not exactly what he did. I’d probably start with a straight water flush to see what I get.

Glad you were able to make those parts work for you misha. I’ve got an AC job to look forward to this winter I hope. Got a start by washing the condenser while the rad was out And always good to see you chime in Neil, whatever the topic.