How much are radiators?

Hey Everyone.

The radiator in our 1993 960 seems to have sprung a small leak. Of course
this means a visit to the mechanics, hopefully Thursday (gotta call
tomorrow).

How much do you think this will run? with install.

 

Hi Rob,

Where are you located? You can check out Hamilton's Garage (they are a scrap yard with
600 Volvos). I bet you may find a decent used (and most likely tested) rad there, and I
believe they can install it for you. They are in Guelph, prices seem reasonable, but
installing it yourself isn't that hard. Where is it leaking? The tanks separated from
the core? I still can't believe I have the original rad in my '87 760 in Toronto!!! The
bottom drain holes show evidence that the most bottom row of fins have rotted, but the
rest of the fins are as solid as new, it will probably plug up solid before it leaks on
me! (knock on wood). It also has the original coolant and thermostat since 1987 (NOT the
best idea).

Hamilton's Corner Garage Ltd.,1354 Gordon St, Guelph ONT, N1H 6H9
(519)822.3297 , (519)822.3261 fax ; Jim-Service, Bill-Parts

(you are in Ontario right? they do ship if you need it, just a thought, buying a new OE
rad will be the most expensive route, Standard Auto Wreckers charges $50 for any rad (good
luck finding a 960, in the U-pull it yard), so I'd figure Hamilton's is $100 cuz they pull
it out for you.

If you're near Markham, Sam's Garage is the best place to go, Bullock and Laidlaw
905-294-8617 and talk to Louie, and there are a ton of other fine shops that won't rip you
off like some $tealers. I take my cars to Sam's for anything I can't really do myself
(but you'd find changing the rad isn't too difficult, if it's anything like a 760, it is
easy, you must have an electric fan?!?)

 

after ten years these plastic radiators will break at the neck of the top hose,
my 92 960 broke at exactly ten years, 200,000 miles, and my 88 240 did the same
thing about six months ago, a new radiator is under 200.00 for the 960, very
cheap compared to the price of a new engine for this car, luckily the 960
radiator broke as we were turning into the driveway so it didn't get hot, the
240 did get hot but not real hot,but its real forgiving so it was ok, as
thrifty as i am i wouldn't mess with a used radiator ,you would be buying the
same thing you have.
mark

 

Sometimes where you score with a used rad is the previous owner had the same trouble, and
replaced the rad with a new one!!! (but if the car in the yard is a front end
collision, ummmm, usually nixes that idea!)

I've gone to the wreckers and have found brand new parts installed (including rads, which
OE rads have a date code stamped up top). $200 USD = big money here, replacement rad for
my 760 is over $380 Cnd at Volvo. That $50 is in Cnd funds (used rads), so roughly $35-38
USD. (a friend needed a rad for his 740 Wagon, found one at Standard Auto Wreckers, $50
it appeared to be brand new, not a bad deal!, and luckily it is still holding coolant.

That is quite amazing your rad lasted 200,000 miles!! Wow! good quality stuff! I guess
my car barely seems broken in.

 

Rob;

If you're in Ontario, in or near Ottawa,
you might want to give Ontario Glass and
Radiator (OG&R) on Scott St a call.

I needed a rad for an older non-Volvo for
which the local wreckers didn't have
anything and OG&R offered a *new* rad with
a lifetime warranty for less than what the
re-corers (ie Gary's) were asking to
rebuild the old one.

While I was there, I asked for a price for
a rad for my 240. The figure of $140 comes
to mind for the rad itself and a little
over $200 installed.

Nice folks, clean shop, friendly (big)
dog.

Unfortunately, when it came time to
replace the rad in my Volvo, I took the
vehicle to a shop near my home instead of
to the shop 20kms away which I usually use
and they convinced me to avoid the less-
costly OG&R rad, saying that the OG&R rad
was likely a cheap Asian import that would
likely fail prematurely leaving me with a
blown engine. They brushed-off my reminder
about the lifetime warranty that OG&R
offered.

I say "unfortunate" because I recently
found my non OG&R rad was almost emptied
because a friction-fit nylon plug had
managed to blow (or fall?) out of the top
of the new rad. (I don't recall having
seen such a plug on any other rad before
in all my years of vehichle ownership.)

In replacing the plug, I noticed "Made in
Thailand" stamped on the rad.

have sprung a small leak. Of course

=== * ===
Emilio Teodoro Lopez-Garazgos
Dunrobin, Ontario,Canada
<>

(manually remove the spamguard DOG
from the domain name if you hit "reply"
to respond )

 

Thanks for the info... we decided to get brand new Volvo stuff, as we want
to keep this still young 11 year old car for a good few more years...
Decided to go all out on it, it's going to get all new brakes and suspension
soon too ... and I think I might take a stab at its barely functioning
radio one of these days.

Gotta get this baby using all new parts, so only on the outside it will be
an old car ;-). (and the engine of course)