2001 v70xc radiator replacement

[Vova585]

Anyone did this job recently? It's been 10 years since I did it and dont remember all the steps. My Nissens radiator lasted around 10 years and decided to break at top radiator hose attachment. I managed last night to remove the old radiator and currently waiting for a high pitch horn(so easy to replace without radiator in place).
My question: car is in a normal residential garage. What is the easiest way to put back radiator? I understand that if I would have the lift the easiest way is to go from below. I am not sure if I would jack it up and put on ramps it will give me enough clearance to do it from below. If I remember correctly to put it from above is possible, but you are risking to damage fins since clearance is super tight. I was thinking to possibly remove the bumper and top radiator support , but it seems like too much of the steps and I am working on it usually 11p.m-1a.m(house, kids...) so would rather save myself some time. So above,below, or though the bumper removal way?
P.s. yes, i considered that failure of the radiator could be due to the failing expension tank cap and bought new oem.

[dikidera]

Depending on if turbo or not, the entire coolant radiator, AC radiator and intercooler are held by the same bolts. It's a pain in the ass to get them aligned. Trouble is(depending on the models I guess) the ac radiator has a metal pipe in a shape that is placed in such a way to prevent proper alignment, the other end of the AC radiator wants to fall down, so you need to prop them up somehow.

I also found it necessary to zip tie everything together where the bolt holes are, this helped me immensely and the bolt still goes through.

[jonesg]

I lifted the rad/intercooler sandwich into place with a trolley jack and a block of wood.

[ortho stice]

I just did this a month ago and also ziptied the whole cooling sandwich together to help with bolt alignment. Be mindful that the captive square nuts (iirc) don't fall out of the radiator.

The rad I replaced was also a Nissens that was leaking from the upper hose attachment point. It had ovalized. I put an OEM Volvo in that has the reinforced upper hose barb.

[Vova585]

I lifted the rad/intercooler sandwich into place with a trolley jack and a block of wood.

Were you using car lift, ramps? I am trying to save time and swear jar words before putting it back. I dont have lift, but sure can put it on the ramps if it will give me enough clearance to put radiator from below.

Ortho stice, thank you. You convinced me not to cheap out and possibly do this job twice. Bought oem radiator from fcp and will send back nissens.

[scot850]

Not on a P2, but on a P80 I lift the car on high axle stands under the front sub-frame and lift/support from below with a floor jack. I did remove the radiator from a junkyard car that was raised of the ground and dropped it out from below.

Neil.

[vtl]

I'm pretty sure I replied to this thread yesterday, where did my reply go?

Can do it from above. May sound like it is a lot more work, but you have open access to every tight spot.

[Vova585]

Thank you guys. I remember doing it from above and pretty sure I was swearing in 3-4 languages. Will try to put the car on ramps and check if there is enough clearance to install new one via using old radiator as "test" equipment. Fcp delivery changed to Saturday, so now I have excuse not to do anything for 2 days.

[volvolugnut]

I have replaced radiator on 2001 V70 T5 from the top. I removed the bumper and the front hood latch plate. It gets down to a question of do you like working standing up or lying on the ground. Others say from the bottom is faster, but you need tall ramps. I made posts on my job, but did not have photos.
volvolugnut

[volvolugnut]

Here is a post where I wrote about top radiator removal
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=86829&p=520278&hili ... or#p520278

volvolugnut