Volvo T5 - best after market or performance radiators

[DSK]

My OEM radiator had started to show signs of leaking at the side (usual place) and the due to a supplier sending the wrong radiator (for a manual car and not automatic) we fitted a 2nd hand unit as a temporary measure.

This buys me time to look at good quality aftermarkert radiators and or a performance one, to be fitted soon after Christmas.

Can anyone recommend known good quality aftermarket radiators for our Volvo's either OEM spec or performance?

[Cookeh]

No real point, both OEM rad and intercooler are overspecced and run nowhere near their limits.

[DSK]

Any ideas of the OEM ones now are as good as they used to be as I have had some original parts over the years from volvo that are not as good as they were back in the in the day.

[byootox]

I Think makes of rads is an arguable debate between many in the trade but I've personally had lots of good results with Nissens stuff.
Unless you plan to up rate your power big time You'll find the standard rad copes just fine, don't think mine has ever put the fan up to high speed even in low 30 deg temps

[Spawned66]

Originally Posted by byootox

I Think makes of rads is an arguable debate between many in the trade but I've personally had lots of good results with Nissens stuff.
Unless you plan to up rate your power big time You'll find the standard rad copes just fine, don't think mine has ever put the fan up to high speed even in low 30 deg temps

I agree. I bought a Nissens for my C70, it actually looked better quality than the Valeo it replaced. Saying that, it was the original rad.
Just make sure you keep the old rad as you will reuse the clips.

[DSK]

I can't complain about the OEM Volvo item as its done a fab job, even if the car is sat on the M25 on a daily basis barely moving for hours on end.

The original radiator on my Silver C70 went at the same mileage (with the same motorway use) and its the side bit where the plastic attaches to the metal section which started to bow.. On the silver C70, an OEM Volvo item was fitted by MRG and its been sweet for the last 100,000 miles.

I'll discard the performance option as the car will only be remapped and the S70R has been flawless for for 7 years or so with its MTE stage 1 remap.

[Stu B]

Any recommendations for a ‘95 manual 850 T5 replacement radiator? I appear to have a tiny leak from the offside developing somewhere now the car is doing 25 miles a day commuting. I happened to be at the Volvo dealer this morn collecting a few bits, they said they could get me the genuine part from Sweden next week for £288 + vat which seems rather steep....

Parts for Volvo’s or eBay for Nissens part maybe? Anyone used either on my model?

[Shinsplintz 101]

Sub £300 plus the dreaded for a OEM radiator that you can expect to last for over 20years seems fairly reasonable to me I'd always go OEM for a car I was keeping and running as a daily.

I'm sure you'll source an aftermarket one cheaper, but likely the quality will be poorer - it's always a balance between outlays vs longevity when maintaining a old Volvo - none of us have infinite funds.

The choice as they say is yours....

[Stu B]

Originally Posted by Shinsplintz 101

Sub £300 plus the dreaded for a OEM radiator that you can expect to last for over 20years seems fairly reasonable to me I'd always go OEM for a car I was keeping and running as a daily.

I'm sure you'll source an aftermarket one cheaper, but likely the quality will be poorer - it's always a balance between outlays vs longevity when maintaining a old Volvo - none of us have infinite funds.

The choice as they say is yours....

Cheers, yes - I generally go for all genuine parts, certainly stuff that's hard to get to again in future and needs to last like clutches, PCV stuff etc. A radiator is somewhere between for me, but obviously I'd like the best quality I could get perhaps without spending quite that much as I'm not sure how long I'll be keeping the car now due a job change and using it for commuting daily now.

[DSK]

Stu B - If the original radiator is by Valeo, as suggested further above, that can be had for about £220 online which, should save you around £65.

The likes of Nissens, Denso are around £90-120.