Rad replacement 1986 Volvo 340 1.4

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baron_matt
Posts: 85
Joined: 30 Oct 2012 01:53 pm

Rad replacement 1986 Volvo 340 1.4

Post by baron_matt » 20 Aug 2013 06:13 pm

Hi Guys

HELP HELP HELP!

I have a major issue with the rad replacement. The Rad I've got seems to be too thick for the original mountings, all the pipe outlets are correct and seem to fit, but the rubbers will not take the rad.

Could this rad be from another model and not a 1.4. 1.7 or 2.0 maybe.

Does anyone on here either have a good/new 1.4 rad suitable for my car or have a set of mountings for this larger radiator so that I can get my 340 back on the road?

Going to take measurements and post back on here later.

baron_matt
Posts: 85
Joined: 30 Oct 2012 01:53 pm

Re: Rad replacement 1986 Volvo 340 1.4

Post by baron_matt » 20 Aug 2013 07:05 pm

Hi me again

OK the original rad seems to be really thin 17mm thick and the replacement rad is 33mm thick

If anyone out there has a set of mounting brackets for the 33mm thick one please let me know, I'll engineer something to do the job in the meantime.

Cheers Chaps

Matt

volvomania
Posts: 641
Joined: 09 Aug 2005 02:24 pm
Location: Antwerp, Belgium

Re: Rad replacement 1986 Volvo 340 1.4

Post by volvomania » 21 Aug 2013 07:44 am

86 was the year that they changed the rads on the 340.
You'll have to have a look at your chassis number to see whether you need the small rad or the large one.
17 mm sounds a bit thin to me for an original rad.
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baron_matt
Posts: 85
Joined: 30 Oct 2012 01:53 pm

Re: Rad replacement 1986 Volvo 340 1.4

Post by baron_matt » 21 Aug 2013 10:42 am

Hi Volvo mania

Well the Volvo stamped rad in the car was 17mm thick and the replacement was 33mm. The 33mm thick rad was correct so I was told for the chassis number. SO I'm puzzled.

As it stands I need the car back in service so this new rad has to go in. Therefore I need to obtain the correct mounting rubbers for it. In the short term I'm going to use sections of old coolant hose to cushion the rad in the existing brackets.

The new water pump has gone on now, as has a new thermostat and the new "Born built" hoses. The old water pump was really clapped out as was the original radiator that was leaking at the core seams.

The car did seem to get up to temp quickly and it wasn't too long under normal driving for the fan to cut in so hopefully all these repairs will keep lulu cooler for longer.

Cheers

Matt

baron_matt
Posts: 85
Joined: 30 Oct 2012 01:53 pm

Re: Rad replacement 1986 Volvo 340 1.4

Post by baron_matt » 21 Aug 2013 12:43 pm

Well this is now getting farcical. With the new rad in, the spare wheel now will not fit under the bonnet!

What the hell?

It seems that the outlet pipe is now just a fraction higher up and this means that it fouls on the spare wheel.

I'm going to have to use this rad for now, but can anyone advise me where I can obtain a replacement that's not going to cost more than what the car is worth?

Sounds crazy but why is something this simple so hard to obtain. First it was the hoses which only one person in the UK stocks, now its the radiator, which seems to be nearly impossible to sort out.

Ride_on
Posts: 2262
Joined: 26 May 2009 05:34 pm
Location: Belfast, N. Ireland

Re: Rad replacement 1986 Volvo 340 1.4

Post by Ride_on » 21 Aug 2013 09:51 pm

These are exceptionally old cars, existing in ever decreasing numbers, many suppliers do not know the correct application or are providing something close in order to take your money. The answer is to double check everything, don't take a suppliers word, check part numbers, compare sizes and don't expect it to be right when you get it mail order. If one supplier doesn't have sufficient info, then move on or take the risk and expect that you might have to return it.

The cheapest thing to do with radiators is get them recored, £80 for a larger 360 rad the last time I did it. Shouldn't run into fit problem then.

Some parts like the pipes are made by enthusiasts on here, they can be trusted and know the cars nearly aswell as the manufacturer.
1980 345 DL_______1987 360 GLE (project car restored to GLT spec and B230FT'd)
1984 360 GLT______1987 360 GLT
1983 360 GLS______1989 360 GLE
1985 340 GL_______1986 340 1.4
1985 360 GLS______1995 940 SE 2.3 Turbo Estate (daily)
1987 340 GL 1.7

baron_matt
Posts: 85
Joined: 30 Oct 2012 01:53 pm

Re: Rad replacement 1986 Volvo 340 1.4

Post by baron_matt » 22 Aug 2013 01:05 pm

Ride_on wrote:These are exceptionally old cars, existing in ever decreasing numbers, many suppliers do not know the correct application or are providing something close in order to take your money. The answer is to double check everything, don't take a suppliers word, check part numbers, compare sizes and don't expect it to be right when you get it mail order. If one supplier doesn't have sufficient info, then move on or take the risk and expect that you might have to return it.

The cheapest thing to do with radiators is get them recored, £80 for a larger 360 rad the last time I did it. Shouldn't run into fit problem then.

Some parts like the pipes are made by enthusiasts on here, they can be trusted and know the cars nearly as well as the manufacturer.
Yes at least the car is mobile now and I can get the original re-cored at my leisure, but I really wasn't expecting something so mainstream to be so problematic. My old Wartburg was easier to get bits for than this 340 and you can count the number of them in the country on the fingers of a blind butcher's hand.

Ride_on
Posts: 2262
Joined: 26 May 2009 05:34 pm
Location: Belfast, N. Ireland

Re: Rad replacement 1986 Volvo 340 1.4

Post by Ride_on » 22 Aug 2013 11:38 pm

Yeah it maybe too middle aged! People are selling manifold nuts and bulbs on ebay for 340s, so they are still mainstream enought to be in big parts databases (with bad or unclear data). If would probably be alot easier if there were just a few specialists.

Some items are all over the place, and yet some items you cannot get atall.
1980 345 DL_______1987 360 GLE (project car restored to GLT spec and B230FT'd)
1984 360 GLT______1987 360 GLT
1983 360 GLS______1989 360 GLE
1985 340 GL_______1986 340 1.4
1985 360 GLS______1995 940 SE 2.3 Turbo Estate (daily)
1987 340 GL 1.7

baron_matt
Posts: 85
Joined: 30 Oct 2012 01:53 pm

Re: Rad replacement 1986 Volvo 340 1.4

Post by baron_matt » 23 Aug 2013 10:13 am

Well we've got the car back on the road now after a brief panic when the temp gauge swung over to red and gave multiple flashes of the warning bulb. Turns out the temp sender sensor was also incorrect (even though the correct one according to the parts books!), resolved this by fitting the old one back in.

Still its back on the road even if its got a huge rad suitable for a 360 GLT and that's the main thing.

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