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Volvo 940 radiator leaking - what are my options?

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Old Jul 1st, 2020, 18:57   #21
Laird Scooby
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Originally Posted by TonyS9 View Post
I don't see how waterless coolant could "cause" a leak its oily and thicker than waterbased. I do understand how it could cause overheating as it has a lower thermal conductivity than water. I have been there and bought the T-shirt with the 360 B230FT, using the 360 rad.
Initially with waterless coolant, 12psi boost, hot days on the track temperature would rise up to about 3/4 gauge, but not into the red. I plouged on and didn't back off, brakes were a bigger problem lol.
Changed back to water based, temperature in better control but the cap (360 spec lower release than 940) was leaking pressure and there was bubbling in the expansion tank after a session. The 32yo plastic tank was also very pressurised. Decide the 360 parts weren't rated for turbo heat waste.
Changed back to waterless,
After a few mods, removed the cowling, blocking bits on the rad and air directors at the side, track day drilled bumper. The temperature is now normal at full power/topspeed. Can rise up a little in traffic without the cowling though.

So it entirely depends on the cooling, and the 940 has good cooling even with the manual non-AC rad. Even if you run out of capacity an auto/air con rad is huge and an OE fit.

With waterless the lack of pressure is a big benefit and it can goto 180C before boiling. It never needs changed and doesn't corrode the block.

Additionally I use OATs in the 940 for 10yrs or more, without any issues so far, what should I expect and when?
Interesting stuff Tony! Thanks for pointing out exactly why the waterless coolant will cause leaks, the extra thickness is likely to breach a small leak that would contain a tinner liquid at the same pressure by putting strain on the periphery of that leak.
That's why i always advise a course of part-changes on ATF rather than the flushing method.

As for using OAT coolant, i daresay you've rebuilt the engine a few times with new gaskets? They are usually the first to suffer from OAT coolant as most gaskets won't resist the acid. Next, the acid will attack the cast iron block a lot more than ethylene glycol will attack the aluminium head.

Additionally, most people won't flush the system properly when changing coolant, even if they think they have. Refilling a previous ethylene glycol system with OAT will cause the formation of silicone plugs because the acid will cause the silicates present in EG to precipitate out of suspension and form a gel which then blocks various waterways inside the block, head and anywhere else.

Setting aside the fact OAT will attack the block and potentially the gaskets in a 940, the fact most people won't strip, clean and dry every cooling component in the system before changing to it or at the very least, flush it forwards, backwards and then flush it again to ensure all the EG is removed, it's safer to simply say don't use it. Factor in the damage the acid in OAT will cause to the cast iron block and it's a case of don't use it.
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Old Jul 3rd, 2020, 11:21   #22
TonyS9
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I changed the 940 HG maybe 15+yrs ago after I diluted out the coolant with water, due to a leaky rad, probably used oats then, it's all you can get in Halfords I think. Does leak a little around the rubber seal to the water pump. Might do a wee refresh on it check bearings mainly, now it's a bit rough and past 200k.

The 360 has lost some compression in 1 cyl but I think that was down to running too much boost on STD mgt. Currently stripping.
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Old Jul 4th, 2020, 13:29   #23
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I did a full cooling system overhaul on my 940 this January. Probably one of the easier jobs to do. I replaced all the rubber hoses in the engine bay with genuine Volvo ones, thermostat with 82' genuine volvo, water pump with SKF one off ebay, radiator with Nissens one. Seals and gaskets from Volvo and new stainless steel jubilee clips all round. New expansion tank and cap too from Volvo, genuine volvo coolant as well.

I flushed a good 10 loads through the system and back flushed through the heater core and block etc. A lot of grim gunk came out of that as I don't think it had been done in a long, long time! I had a pretty serious leak as well which I couldn't pinpoint, turned out to be the oil cooler hoses. They looked good outwardly but actually they were completely destroyed and split open once you applied pressure to them (think chinese finger trap), it explained why the system would leak enormously when filled up but then stop and never really go down beyond a certain level.

It does look like these parts are being run down stock wise though! My radiator was under £60 when I bought it and I see they are up to £100 now on ebay. Also all the rubber hoses were still in stock but were special order from the "Volvo Classic Parts" warehouse in Sweden so took a while to arrive. They were all top quality, genuine hoses made in Sweden or Poland and were Codan branded for the most part. I got all the genuine bits from FRF in Swansea and was under £200 delivered for everything!

It's still such a novelty to open the bonnet and see the lovely blue green coolant and that the level hasn't changed since I last looked!
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Old Jul 5th, 2020, 01:23   #24
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My Volvo 940 (Manual WITHOUT AC) has just sprung a leak on the side of the radiator plastic meets the metal. It's 25 years old, I guess that's probably the lifespan of these mixed material rads?

I wish I could solder it but you can't with these modern plastic things! So what are my options?

If I replace it with the same plastic and metal one, who makes a good one, are Nissen any good? I suppose I should see if Volvo themselves make them and if they're affordable?

Or should I upgrade it to the AC version which I believe is larger? If I do that, what else needs changing, I'm guessing top radiator hose but intercooler as well?

I see do88 make what looks like a nice all aluminium radiator, quite expensive but I do like the idea of getting rid of the plastic and having a larger radiator, it would future proof it as well when I get round to a larger turbo (although I'm sure the stock ones are fine).

What would you all suggest?
Twenty years is probably the lifetime for a Volvo radiator. I replaced the radiator in my 1998 V90 a couple of years ago on the basis that a faulty radiator can put engine coolant into the automatic gearbox which could well be terminal for the car. Once the radiator was out of the car, it was clear that, although it was not leaking, it was definitely corroded and looked very much due for replacement. I think my replacement for the V90 came from Skandix.

But it is possible to repair a 940 radiator. Years ago, I drove my 940 onto what appeared to be the grass verge by the side of a French country lane. In fact it was a ditch full of long grass and leading into a concrete culvert. So an aluminium wheel with a bent rim (corrected with some blows from a lump hammer), a bent track rod, and coolant leaking from the radiator, which had made contact with the concrete.

I removed the radiator and freed the plastic part at the side by opening the aluminium fingers that held it in place. After doing my best to straighten the aluminium, I got it all clean and dry and then coated the face liberally with silicone gasket sealant. Then I put the plastic part back in its place and bent the aluminium fingers back to hold it correctly.

A bit to my surprise, and my relief, there was no leakage of coolant. A couple of years later I bought a replacement radiator. Eventually, when I had the timing belt and water pump replaced by the local garage, I asked him to fit the new radiator at the same time.

The garage owner gave me the bill, which did not mention the replacement of the radiator. He said that they remove the radiator to replace the cam belt so the replacement of the old radiator by the new one was included in the price and involved no extra charge. That was in about 2009. The replacement radiator, which I think was Nissens, has given no problems.

Skandix list the radiator for manual transmission 940 at about 200€ but there are plenty of suppliers on Ebay offering 940 radiators for less than £100.

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Old Jul 5th, 2020, 12:43   #25
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Originally Posted by TonyS9 View Post
I changed the 940 HG maybe 15+yrs ago after I diluted out the coolant with water, due to a leaky rad, probably used oats then, it's all you can get in Halfords I think. Does leak a little around the rubber seal to the water pump. Might do a wee refresh on it check bearings mainly, now it's a bit rough and past 200k.

The 360 has lost some compression in 1 cyl but I think that was down to running too much boost on STD mgt. Currently stripping.
They do both in halfords, read the back of the bottle and it tells you what's what, I got ethylene glycol for my Fabia VRS from halfords before realising it was in stock at work!
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Old Jul 8th, 2020, 16:40   #26
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Always used glycol coolant, used to use genuine Volvo but recently changed to Triple QX for no other reason than it I have a lot of it lying around. The system has been flushed before and gets replaced every 2 years (sometimes less when I've ended up draining and losing the coolant!).

Sounds like I'll just go with a Nissens rad and be done with it, before I purchase, is this the correct one? Seems like it is but also seems worryingly cheap?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NISSENS-C...UAAOSw6TRatcW5

The hoses are still good for now but next time I put an order in from Volvo I may add them in.
I got mine from that seller - arrived quickly, genuine Nissens, great price, fitted perfectly although the little screw clips for the fan housing were enough of a pain that I resorted to heavy duty cable ties in the end. No complaints here.

For anyone looking for the right Nissens part this is a good place to start - very comprehensive catalogue with part numbers and Volvo equivalents

https://catalogue.nissens.com/Product
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