Hi everyone! Good news. My friend in LA bought a brand new Nissens radiator but then got rid of his volvo before installing it (accident), he sent it to me for only the price of shipping! I gave him a tip, but all in all it only cost me $80.

Two questions.

1. I removed the fan shroud. Does the car need it or is it simply a safety feature?

2. I couldn't get one of the thermostat nuts off so I left the old thermostat in there. I really didn't want to round the nut, and with my small ratchet it looked possible, so I left it. Is a new thermostat absolutely necessary as well?

I think that's about it. I live in San Francisco, I just refilled it with hose water is that okay? I've done it before...

 

Oh ya... "runs good" !

 

the fan shroud makes the airflow more efficient, ensures ALL the air pulled by the fan comes through the radiator, and can't just swirl around hte fan tips.

hose water is ok for short term, but it will encourage internal corrosion in the engine. you really should use a 50-50 mix of coolant plus water, as the coolant is full of anticorrosion agents, and with all the steel, aluminum, and other metals in the coolant path, anti-corrosion agents are a Very Good Thing.

 

I think the idea was just to patch the rad temporarily, just long enough to run the engine to ascertain any real damage. If it seems OK, then yes, get a good replacement radiator.