Has anyone heard of a 70 series 1998-2000 becoming inoperable due to a catastrophic core failure?

Or do they just leak water?

Not a core, but a hose failure. Cores don't "blow", they just seep faster and faster.
If an O ring or hose fails, it is usually because of a head gasket gone bad and the system being severly over pressured.

Did yours die?

Klaus
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The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)

My core sure blows, but not that much water yet, about a quart a week. This has been going on for years.

A new part is shipping, but a week out. If blowouts are common, I'd rather not risk it.

If this is the inside heater core, I would be worried that all that antifreeze has soaked the pad under the carpet. It is only a 2-3 hour DIY job to replace the core, why wait so long?

Klaus
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The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)

Money has been tight, I've had to focus on the angle gear, It sprayed oil out everywhere, and the rear brakes needed rebuilt with rotors. I've also been driving my Frankenvolvo 264 and I do really enjoy that car as well. However I am wating for a new oil trap and gasket for the Valve Cover.

Yes, the heater core can blow and dump all of your coolant onto the floorboard. Before last week I would have told you that while it is surely possible that I had never seen it happen yet. Last week I had one start leaking while I was on a test drive in it. The customer picked it up and before he could make the 5 mile trip to get home it went from steaming the windows a little bit to 2-3" of water/coolant standing in the footwell and you now cannot even keep water in the system because it runs out so fast. If you are really that tight on money I advise you to by-pass the core before you roast the motor and/or fill the carpets with coolant any more than you already have. Pull the heater hoses free from where they go into the block in the firewall and butt connect them together with a piece of hose and two hose clamps. When you go to make it right again just by an extra set of heater hose O rings and spacers, they come in a kit from Volvo for not too much money.

Mark

Right on Mark, I figured that that could happen, I like roasting ducks, not R motors.

Thank you for your advice, I'll take the bus instead of the "BUST"!