On an earlier thread, it was said that some Brickboarders have replaced their OEM 240 radiator with a Nissens 3 Row Heavy Duty Radiator. I am wondering if such an upgrade would be worthwhile for my car.

Now that I'm not so much of an idiot (teenage) driver, I haven't had as many serious overheating problems. However, out of maybe the last ten times I've driven it (all trips included; I don't drive it a whole bunch at college), I've had two instances where overheating was a real possibility.

The first was on the interstate, while stopped for an accident. I had been cruising fine (temp mid-range) around 80mph or so when everyone came to a stop for a crashed truck. I immediately turned down the A/C, since that usually doesn't help to keep the engine bay cool, and sat there idling for a little while. After about ten or fifteen minutes, I noticed the temp gauge begin creeping up. I turned on the heater full blast, which relieved some of the heat. Once the gauge went down, I turned down the heater as we drove forward a little ways, but once I stopped the same thing happened. Eventually we were stopped for long enough for me to turn off the car and park, and once we got to driving again, everything was fine.

The second time was yesterday, while driving around in moderately summer weather (80-90 degrees F). I was in stoplight-and-go traffic, and at a couple of lights the temp began going up after being stopped for a minute and a half or so. Again, I cut on the heater, and everything did fine once I got moving, but I know that if I had left on the A/C and not done anything to avoid overheating in either of these instances, the car would have shut off in traffic. It has happened before, when I didn't know what to do in that situation.

So, am I a candidate for a Nissens radiator replacement? I've read in a few threads that people in desert weather have had no problems, even with the A/C on, after doing this "upgrade," so it sounds like a good idea to me.

What are the alternatives? I know that cleaning the radiator isn't a bad idea, so I've sprayed it out (from the front; done before yesterday, so it wasn't dirty or I didn't clean it well). I could get a pressure washer or a powerful hose and try to blast the radiator out from the back, but that seems like only a temporary fix. I'd like to do something that permanently keeps the car cool.

I'm also reasonably confident that the fans and other things are in good working order; I think I've tried to spin the fan (didn't move easily, so clutch is good) and the car is cooled fine under most situations. However, stopping in traffic is always agonizing to me--I automatically cut down the A/C and hold my breath while watching the temp gauge, just waiting for it to move. I'd like to make my city driving a little less stressful, and so putting in a Nissens radiator seems like a good idea.
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'89 244 GL--25/22 ipd sways, Volvo truck amber turn signal lenses

I think you would see a significant improvement by spraying water through the radiator from the backside (as previously mentioned), and flushing the cooling system with a good chemical cleaner to remove the phosphate deposits. Any time I take a radiator out of a vehicle, I use a dental pick (sharp tip removed) to extract any rocks & dirt from between the cooling fins, -and I straighten any of the bent ones. I also do this for the AC Evaporator (while it's still in the vehicle) that sits in front of the radiator since restrictions here will cause less airflow to reach the radiator. Also, replace your thermostat when you flush your coolant (as it ages, it may not be opening all the way).

For an idea of what I go through for a coolant change, read the following:
http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=744015

Lastly, avoid Wahler thermostats. I just saw one fail, and from the mechanics that I've talked to, this isn't an isolated incident. Unfortunately, Volvo is no longer supplying the OEM "Caloristat" thermostats at their dealerships (switched to Wahler). However, you can still buy Caloristat brand thermostats from FCP Groton for $10. I just recently replaced a Caloristat in a friend's '89 740 Turbo that still had the original one from the factory (good quality).

God bless,
Fitz Fitzgerald.
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'87 Blue 245, NA 239K

Try Hosing the radiator from the other direction. You will be surprised how much more crud comes out. You can try it with the fan in place but taking off 4 10mm nuts and getting it out of the way will help you really get in there.
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'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me

Besides the advice given, have you replaced the thermostat? I had a 240 which tended to run hotter in slow traffic. A new tremostat cured it.

I put a 3 row Nissens in our 91 745T. With about 35 or 40,000 miles on it the solder joints on the inner row of tubes started leaking. Couldn't get at the to repair the leaks. I would not purchase another one. I replaced with a two row CSF (Lifetime warranty) and it seems fine.

The best way to clean the cooling fins on a radiator is to remove it and force water from a garden hose from the back side of the radiator- forcing the debris out the direction it came in. Hold it up to the light before and after this treatment and you will be amazed at the difference. Also take the time to straighten any of the fins that are bent over restricting air flow.

Randy

Before my 245 got a 3-row radiator and the GM electric fan, mine's got on the hotter side with the AC on and in traffic.

I too did a spray wash from the front. Didn't seem too bad ...

Did it from the back ... YIKES! Just the amount of crap that can build up between the condensor and the radiator.

The electric fan helped considerable. Being in SoCal, it's wired to just stay on whenever the car is on. The 3-row helped out too, but not as great of an effect as the electric fan.

The CSF I have in there is an older design, and doesn't fit very well (I had to make spacers to fit the stock brackets). As I've heard, the newer ones don't have such issues.

I have a 3-row Nissens in my 745 - easy drop-in replacement. Such said, others have had weld failures on these radiators. However, being all-metal, they can be repaired. As it is, I've got another that I pulled for $12 that'll serve as standby duty in case anything happens.

-- Kane
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Blossom II - '91 745Ti/M46 ... Bubbles - '74 144GL/BW35 ... Buttercup - '86 245GL/AW70 ... The Wayback Machine - '64 P220/M40

My only beef with the 3-row rad is that it's heavy. Volvo sold a fair number of 240's including Turbos out here in the desert and they all had the OEM radiator... which must have worked fine. Hence I replaced mine last summer with an OEM type from Nissens when I experienced the same symptoms you did.