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New Radiator

Straight forward swap. Anytime you do a radiator, you should very seriously consider installing a new water pump while you have the coolant drained and things torn apart. The cost of a NEW (not rebuilt) water pump is very inexpensive and if yours is old, you would be extremely well served to get it out of there. As well as installing a new MOPAR 195 degree thermostat, a new radiator cap, new fan clutch and any old hoses.

These things are often overlooked and when one cooling system component is failing, oftentimes others are not far behind.

Dollar for dollar, there is no better money spent than that spent on cooling system maintenance.

I think I am going to have that saying put on my grave!
 
werewoulf3 said:
yeah but all those parts can add up to alot
Click to expand...

Consider what an overheat will add up to. A blown head gasket or worse. And possibly a tow and all of the inconvenience that a breakdown incurs.

It's pay me now, or pay me later with cooling system maintenance.

Your choice.
 
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I would at least consider replacing the water pump since it is only a couple steps more..... Parts such as radiator hoses, the thermostat and radiator cap should also be considered.....
 
werewoulf3 said:
itll have to wait till i get paid next week, would it hurt to put the radiator in tomorrow and the rest of the stuff in next week?
Click to expand...
Why not just wait till next week and do it all at once? So your going to drain the coolant just to install your radiator for one week then drain it all over again to do the water pump and pipes etc.? I would just wait unless it's your DD and your radiator is toast!
 
Just seems like alot of extra work. Plus you would have to catch the coolant somehow? Not sure of your year, but the rubber bushings that the lower pins that locate the radiator are very difficult to find, sometimes even through a dealer. Hope yours arent thrashed like mine were. I ended up having to take an hour and a half drive to the nearest pick and pull to find a pair. Other than that, as others have said, replace as much now as possible.
I also replaced all of my hose clamps with high quality stainless ones I got at the nearby West Marine store. IMHO they are worth a couple of extra dollars.
Now would be a good time to flush your heater core too!!!
 
I never replace anything that is not already defective, that includes water pumps. One exception is hoses, like radiator hoses and the hose clamps when I replace a radiator.

Why are you replacing the radiator? Why did you replace the T-stat 2 months ago? What condition is the fan clutch in? What year is it??????


If you are going to replace the water pump and or fan clutch soon, it is far easier to do with the radiator removed!!!!
 
I'm with Ecomike on this. If the radiator is what needs replacing, replace that, and don't bother with anything that isn't bad. It's a very easy job, not like replacing an axle u-joint while you're doing the hubs or the ball joints, where the labor is such a factor it's worth doing early.

I would replace the hoses, and look very carefully especially at the lower radiator hose, which often chafes against the power steering lines.
 
pretty easy job to replace the radiator. problems i ran into doing mine were the quick disconnect fitting for the lower trans line and reattaching the condensor. i invested in the set of line disconnect tools for the QD fittings, but it was a struggle to get it apart and reassembled. probably easier to just forgoe the whole mess and cut it off, reattach with clamps. with the condenser i snapped off the nut studs on the top, used wireties to keep it in place but i know they make through clamps for this, might want to pick up some of these if you run AC.
 
FWIW,

I replace the rad hoses because it is hard to reseal the old clamped surface of the old hose long term.
 
QUABOAG said:
pretty easy job to replace the radiator. problems i ran into doing mine were the quick disconnect fitting for the lower trans line and reattaching the condensor. i invested in the set of line disconnect tools for the QD fittings, but it was a struggle to get it apart and reassembled. probably easier to just forgoe the whole mess and cut it off, reattach with clamps. with the condenser i snapped off the nut studs on the top, used wireties to keep it in place but i know they make through clamps for this, might want to pick up some of these if you run AC.
Click to expand...

Never had to mess mess with the condenser or its lines. What year is yours?

What year is the OPs?
 
on my 99, the condensor attached to brackets on the top of the radiator. cheap plastic old studs on the condensor stripped off...mostly my own fault. just something to watch out for/consider.
 
Sorry bout the absence.....mine is a 98 xj

the reason i replaced it is cause there was a leak on the lower passenger side, couldnt see where from while it was still in the jeep, but i put the new one in along with a water pump and so far no leaks or anything
 
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