Dear Scube Steve,

Hope you're well and that the New Year improves steadily.

Was the failed radiator a factory-original unit? If so, at 18 years of age, it was about eight years beyond its rated service life. The plastic-metal units have a working life of about ten years: more in areas with low ambient temperatures and less in areas with high ambient temperatures. Thus, even if the failed unit was the second - having been installed in 2001 - it was nearing the end of its service life.

The aftermarket plastic-metal units, if made by A/S Nissens (a Danish firm), will fit perfectly, as to shape and transmission fluid line connections. I believe Nissens made the factory-original radiators. Based on Brickboard posts over the past few years, I conclude that all-metal units can be hard to install.

If you'd not otherwise do so, replace the radiator hoses and - if you've not already done so - the heater hoses. I'd use Volvo Brand hoses, especially for the heater hoses, which are hard to access and so hard to inspect. Volvo Brand heater hoses will about 15 years.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook