Hi guys and gals,

I think my '91 745T might need it's rad replaced. Right now it's in winter storage. It's stored so that it's fairly well protected from the elements, but is affected by outside temperature change. During the winter it seemed that every time I checked on the car after extreem low temperatures (like below -18C) there would be a little coolant under the front of the car. It appears as though the rad is leaking as the coolant had dripped from that area. Between that and the fact that the rad is original I'm guessing that it must be due for replacement. So, I checked the 700/900 FAQ and read up on replacement rads and coolants. I'd like to buy a rad that is an improvement over the stock one to insure the longevity of my B230FT that was rebuilt about 27K km (~17K mi) ago. It looks like the 3 Row Heavy Duty Nissens rad like the one FCP Groton sells is a good value. I was just wondering what you guys think and if you think that rad would live a long life with just normal coolant in it (my Volvo mechanic uses Mopar brand) changed at regular intervals. Does what I'm thinking sound like a good idea? After the engine was rebuilt the cooling system was filled with Morpar "Dex-cool" coolant. A few months later coolant stains began to appear on the block starting at the head gasket. My mechanic and I reached the conclusion that the Dex-cool was eating the gasket. It wasn't bad and I didn't have to add coolant so we waited a few months before we took the time to replace the head gasket and change the coolant back to normal green coolant. I've run the engine a couple times this winter and haven't noticed any coolant leaks during those times, but the car was not driven of course. If I do replace the rad I plan to also replace the coolant hoses as they must too be near the end of their lives (I've replaced the heater valve). Anyway, I'd appreciate any input and thanks in advance for any I recieve!
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '91 745Ti, 287K km and '91 745 NA, 367K km.