Need a radiator, CSF?

I made the horrible decision to try out the Chinese junk all aluminum radiators and have been through 8 in 4 1/2 years!!! I had a 3 row CSF in my 97 before that and it lasted 7 years before it gave me trouble. I want to go back to the CSF but they don't list the 3 Row 2671 for 97 XJs, only 98-01. What is the difference in the 98-01 that would make the 2671 not fit in my 97?

In theory, nothing. Pending auto or manual. Specific fittings on the rad might be different, but that is something that can be adapted easy. I've heard about some 1" dual row rads that are supposed to be better than the 3 rows. YMMV. I just run a parts store replacement rad. Amazon has some OEM Mopar rads, although on the more spendy side.

I've had my CSF 3 row since 2008 and 60,000 miles and have no cooling problems in the AZ heat. I've thought about going with the 2 row next time just to see, makes sense having bigger passages that they may get clogged less.

Like I said I had a 3 row CSF before for 7 years in the Georgia summer heat and it did great! It usually hovered right under 210. The last year it started creeping up above 210 sitting still in the summer. Then when under it one time doing work I noticed where it appeared to be leaking slightly. These stupid aluminum radiators leak in less than 60 days and it's a serious leak! Ugh I am so sick of these things. And the fitment is poor too.

But my guess is maybe there is a difference in the fan clutch or the fan blades that the thicker 3 row core might contact the fan. Because other radiators cross 91-01 so the fittings have all got to be the same. That's my best guess. But I deleted my mechanical fan in favor of an electric fan so no problems there if that's the case.

I have an almost new CSF 3 row radiator id be willing to sell for cheap.

Man you are about 3 days too late! Purchased a 3 row on Friday, hoping it gets shipped out today! This aluminum radiator is starting to get even worse! It's leaking at both ends now.

Ah . No problem. Its doing a good job collecting dust in my garage

Take a look at different single row radiators sometime, I'm sure it differs from manufacturer to manufacturer. But I put in a single row radiator in my '95 XJ with 2.5L and is as thick (depth between front and rear surfaces) as a 3 row radiator core. The single row has elongated tubes that are 3 times the width/depth of the old ones. Yes, we can get into an extended academic debate of which is better, but depth of the core is much greater than your typical single row and it does offer more cooling capacity.

My CSF finally came in yesterday afternoon and I got it out in last night. It doesn't cool quite as cold as the Aluminum did when moving, the aluminum would drop down to 195 where the thermostat is set, but it won't heat up as high when idling or in stop and go traffic. All in all the temps are much more stable with the CSF. And can I say just how much better build quality and fitment this thing is! It really shows how bad the cheap Chinese junk aluminum radiators are! Comparing this CSF to my original I did notice them made a small upgrade and now include built in tabs for the condenser like the aluminum units where before you had to re-use the factory little L brackets that sandwich between the radiator and the upper radiator isolaters.

Also with this radiator I gained an aditional half inch of space between the radiator core and the mechanical fan pulley for my smaller Taurus fan that I mounted in the factory mechanical fan shroud. Before I had a 1/16" of space before the fan would contact either the nub that centers the pulley and the fav clutch if it was there and the radiator core itself. Now I have plenty of room and the fan doesn't even come close contacting either one!

I don't know why they don't list this radiator for 97-down because it fit perfectly in my 97. But two things about it that aren't the OEM setup anymore is I no longer use the built in trans cooler, opted for a B&M cooler, and I have a smaller Fors Taurus fan mounted in the mechanical fan shroud to ditch the mechanical fan. I'm thinking maybe there is a small difference in the fan clutch and maybe it extends out farther on older models. The reason I suspect that this might possibly be the reason is most other radiators list for 91-01 with a thinner core so the trans lines must be the same across the years. That's my guess at least.

230,000+ on my original radiator. She starts heating up when sitting in traffic on a hot day though. Based on the life I've gotten out of the current one, I'll most likely go OEM when I replace it in the spring.

If my Jeep was just a stock DD then I would probably just go with an OEM replacment but being lifted and under more strain than a stock Jeep, the CSF is the best for my application.

Ben824 said:

If my Jeep was just a stock DD then I would probably just go with an OEM replacment but being lifted and under more strain than a stock Jeep, the CSF is the best for my application.

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I have a near new 3-row CSF out in the shed that was replaced two years ago with a Mopar HD radiator and the difference cooling capacity was immediately noticeable.
The Mopar runs cooler in all situations.
I have since installed them in two other XJs, both with the same results.
The Mopar 52080104AC is 1-1/2" thick, with a dual core.

lazyxj said:

I have a near new 3-row CSF out in the shed that was replaced two years ago with a Mopar HD radiator and the difference cooling capacity was immediately noticeable.
The Mopar runs cooler in all situations.
I have since installed them in two other XJs, both with the same results.
The Mopar 52080104AC is 1-1/2" thick, with a dual core.

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Is the mopar hd all metal or pladtic tanks?

My factory 15 year old radiator died today. The plastic end tank on the passenger side split.

I went to napa and got the oem replacement they stock. Slight improvements over stock, but basically the same. Not bad for $92

iwannadie said:

Is the mopar hd all metal or pladtic tanks?

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Just about all Factory radiators have plastic tanks.

My 2001's XJ stock radiator lasted ten years before it plugged, it never did leak. My 2003 E450's radiator is stock, has plastic tanks, and is in great shape, still cooling like it was new.
I just sold our 2001 Acura CL, it too had the stock radiator, with plastic tanks.

Plastic tanks have a bad rap. Many of you are too young to remember how common radiator problems where 30 or 40 years ago (and long before that) when radiators were all metal.
The soldered tops blew our often. The only advantage was you could do some of your own repair work, with solder.
Of course, radiator shops were very common so getting them fixed was not a big problem. They went out often due to the poor coolants and all the mis-match dissimilar metals, leading to corrosion.
Glad the chemists and metallurgists figured things out in modern vehicles to reduce the corrosion problems.
The world has changed, again, and so have radiators.

Ok the radiator was a great fit and temps seemed to be good until last week and a half as the outdoor temps have come up leading into spring, the Jeeps temps have been creeping up, not as much around town but quite a bit on the highway which has me scratching my head as you would think temps would stay under control at those speeds with all that air coming across the radiator. The temps fluctuate too, it's not like it runs hot the entire time only when I push it a little harder to get up a hill or want it to go more 70-75 mph. I never had this issue with any of the aluminum radiators with this exact e-fan setup, in fact it was the exact opposite where it would run hot in stop and go traffic and cool down when crushing and having plenty of air across the radiator. I want to blame it on the fan since I'm not happy with this one anymore as it is the single speed motor smaller Ford Taurus fan and inline resistor for low speed function. They had two versions of the smaller fan, the one I have, and then one with same AC Delco two speed motor as the bigger more popular Ford Taurus fan. I got carried away with my triming of the outer ring of the fan blades to clear the heads of the bolts I used to mount it to the mechanical fan shroud so now the fan isn't balanced and you can feel vibrations throughout the Jeep when it kicks on.

Ben are you talking about the CSF radiator?

I have the exact problem you do. Runs hot on the highway, cools down at idle. I think the all metal radiators are just not a good idea. I'm going to change mine.

Yes I am talking about the CSF. I ran a CSF years ago in this exact Jeep and it did AMAZING!!! Ran a below 210 the entire time except the last year I noticed it running closer to 210 all the time and then summer came the temps would creep up at idle but not a lot just a tick past 210. The difference now for me compared to back then, back then I ran all factory fan setup, now I am running my own e-fan setup which I think is my culprit in that it is inadequate so I need to change it up a bit.

But still the running hotter on the highway still baffles me a little.

But to clarify, the CSF is a great radiator and I have complete confidence in it from my own previous personal experience with one.

Ben824 said:

Yes I am talking about the CSF. I ran a CSF years ago in this exact Jeep and it did AMAZING!!! But to clarify, the CSF is a great radiator and I have complete confidence in it from my own previous personal experience with one.

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Consider that today's CSF radiators may not be the same as the one you ran years ago, like so many other things today.
I have a nearly new 3-core CSF sitting in the shed. It was not adequate for a warm climate, the Mopar replacement runs much cooler. YMMV

One other thing to check is the A/C condenser. Often it gets so dirty and/or corroded that it can't flow enough air through to cool the radiator.
I bet many radiators are replaced when the condenser is at fault.