How can I tell if my 97 850 glt has a cheap aftermarket radiator instead of a good one?

 

Not sure if it matters. Most companies that make radiators are good at it. The Volvo radiators have a drain tube in the lower corner near the drivers side lower hose. You can open it with a 13mm socket. Some of the after market ones have a different kind of drain there that doesn't really work well (ran into that yesterday). These rads have 2 and 3 coolers built in. Engine coolant, trans cooler, and oil cooler (turbo models). A real bad one will mix the fluids and cause lots of damage real quick (mixing coolant with the tranny fluid). Those companies need to be sued immediately for the damage to the car.

 

I guess the big thing on after market radiators, other than mixing fluids, would be if the quick connects leak or hold the hoses well. I have heard of people having a hose come loose and they Loose oil or tranny fluid. Not sure if those were after market rads or not.

 

OR , , , if they bent the retaining clamps badly when they removed the hoses and instead of using new clamps reused the old ones.



Most people I know are running aftermarket radiators without problems.
What exactly is a "good one" and who is it made by ??