Radiator replacement write-up, illustrated Topic is solved

[jreed]

The radiator on my '97 855 GLT developed a crack in the plastic endcap near the upper radiator inlet. I replaced the radiator with a new one from Volvo (OEM Volvo made by Valeo). Along the way I took photos and wrote the whole procedure up step-by-step. It was a big job and I took lots of photos so it was easier to put it into a PDF file (attached below) rather than try to upload the images one by one to the website.

PDF of the procedure I wrote up:

Volvo 855 Radiator Replacment.pdf

PDF containing a step-by-step write up for replacing the radiator in a '97 855 GLT Volvo.

(8.24 MiB) Downloaded 3644 times

New radiator/intercooler assembly in position for lifting back up into engine bay (just one of many photos of the procedure -- download the PDF file for additional photos and description):

New radiator and intercooler assembly going back in

IMG_8043.jpg (109.21 KiB) Viewed 7779 times

I disassembled the old radiator afterward (there are more pictures inside the PDF of this):

Image of inlet side endcap after removal from aluminum core, showing crack running around corner.

Radiator End cap crack outside.jpg (116.35 KiB) Viewed 7779 times

Take a look and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

[abscate]

Nice write up Jason, well done. Thanks for showing me up...



One thing I found was that the fan shroud screw heads were all stripped and I had to vicegrip them out. This was really difficult in that confined space. I found by dropping the condensor, inter cooler, and radiator down as a single unit I could get them out, then separate the units working under the car.
The car had to be on ramps do have space for this

[jreed]

Thanks. I'm glad to hear you got it out OK in the end. Were the rusted screws that gave you trouble the ones (two T25 screws and two bolts) at the top of the fan shroud?

[abscate]

I could be wrong recalling this but I thought I had 5 screws with the lower 2 being non captive.all the heads were galled up badly with rust. They were also a funny sort of large pitch metal screw designed to screw into plastic lugs on the radiator, I replaced with stainless steel machine screws of similar diameter and length.

The two radiator main mounting bolts both snapped like carrots on removal, so these were replaced with SS M6 bolts and locknuts

[vjaneczko]

Very nice write-up!

If I can make a recommendation; the two SEP bolts that hold the radiator to the frame can get rusted pretty good. Hit them with some PB Blaster the night before and as you start the tear-down. I didn't and I actually sheered-off one of the nuts that was welded onto the frame. It was a struggle to get to Home Depot for some jury-rigging and added two hours to the 'simple' task.

One other suggestion is to cut off one large side of the shipping container and use it between the engine and the fan, to make it easier to lift without getting caught on anything.

[abscate]

One thing a bit queer about those two bolts on my car. They were both threaded into th frame member, and also had nuts on he top, perhaps as a lock function. When they snapped, I just turned them out from the top using the frozen nuts to ratchet out the remaining bolt head.

I also used two washers, one M6 and one big flat washer, to pick up the mounting flange on the radiator from below with the new M6 SS bolt.

[matthew1]

The radiator on my '97 855 GLT developed a crack in the plastic endcap near the upper radiator inlet.

BIngo, same here. (Great writeup Mr. Reed.)

I replaced my 850's radiator yesterday. Overall, not hard at all. Just time consuming, and if you're missing key tools like I am , you'll spend time looking around the garage for stuff as much as you'll spend doing the fix.

One thing I found was that the fan shroud screw heads were all stripped and I had to vicegrip them out. This was really difficult in that confined space. I found by dropping the condensor, inter cooler, and radiator down as a single unit I could get them out, then separate the units working under the car.

I pulled the fan and shroud up and out. I did the first two of four T25 screws (topside, captive), and facing more of that, said "There's GOT to be a better way." I pulled up on the fan and boom it came off the shroud . The bottom two screws are slide-ins . Then the shroud came out easy.

Got the Nissen radiator from eEuro, fast on-time shipping (standard). Well boxed. No complaints. eEuro is a damn good operation.

The coolant is being really fussy (on/off/on coolant low dash light), but I think it's still settling after 30 miles of driving. I hope. I don't see it anywhere, anyway.

[manovlov]

Hy jreed,

I wanted to thank you for the tutorial. Good job well done !

Manov.

[3p141592654]

Very through and detailed write up. Some comments:

On the NA version the fan, shroud, and relays can be left in place. Just bungee cord them to the engine to keep them out of the way.

The STEM bolts have a separate nut on the top protruding part of the bolt through the welded frame nuts that is used to clamp the cowl stays to the car frame. Be sure to unscrew those top nuts before trying to remove the bolts from the underneath.

Use a transmission jack to lower and raise the radiator. It makes it much easier to guide the radiator past all the obstacles using the jack

I had some trouble getting the A/C condenser to align with the radiator. Turns out the condenser piping on the left side goes through a hole shared with other wiring and that means it cannot slide too far to the left. The radiator has a decent amount of left-right slop so just slide the radiator to the right until it aligns with the condenser bolt holes.

[abscate]

That user name always makes me smile and feel so….. transcendental….

I replaced the sandwich hardware with m6 stainless nuts and bolts. I drilled two one inch holes in the plastic member to get easy access to the hardware and plugged with one inch plastic caps

All the steel hardware around the warm radiator rust likes Hades in our climate. The heads get horribly corroded