best drop in radiator

OK, I've got a auto 96 4x4 4.0 with about 170K on it.

I changed to the cooling fluid about a year ago, changed all the hoses, t-stat (195 degree), belts, and cap. All top of the line stuff. It didnt help.

Changed to a HD fan clutch, helped a little but didnt help in standing traffic.

Changed to a triple fan setup with shrouds. This has been the most stable upgrade yet but in long bumper to bumper NYC traffic at 90 degrees the temp starts creeping up eventually.

The only things left to change are the water pump and radiator. The guy I bought it from said he put a new radiator in, I didnt ask when, it does not look stock because the bolts barely reach the radiator support.

What is a good drop in radiator that does not require fab with fit or trans cooler fitting? Im looking for a 100% drop in replacement. Im looking for something under $200.

Also will any non reman water pump work the same?

I'm happy with my CSF 3 row... from radiatorbarn, i think. Under 200 delivered. I put in a standard OEM-type replacement for my brothers XJ and it fit ok, but I think it was a little shorter. I couldn't get the upper bolts through the upper support (the ones in the rubber isolators) while my CSF fit perfectly. Only real issues on both was the transmission line male connector is a hair too thick, I had to sand it down a little to fit inside the OEM hose. That's a common issue, from what I've read.

I battled overheating issues myself for a while. Current setup is CSF 3 row, Flowkooler high flow pump. 180* t-stat, OEM mechanical fan with aftermarket stock-type clutch, and OEM electric fan. I had an aftermarket 10" fan in replacement of the electric fan and it didn't flow anywhere near enough air to keep it cool. Now, I'm under 200* at cruise, climbs up to around 210* sitting for a while with the A/C on. A/C adds 10-15* at idle, maybe 5* at cruise. I also have the Lebaron hood vents which I believe actually hurts cooling at highway speeds, but it still stays under 210*.

Thanks for the input. What exactly is involving in sanding down the male connector. Living in an apartment, most of my tools are in storage in another state.

Also is the csf 3 row thicker that the stock rad?

I have a CSF in my '92 for several years and it's been a good unit. I don't remember it being much thicker than the stock radiator when I installed it. No clearance issues to speak of.

i can't help with radiator info, but i will give a plug for the Hesco hi-flow pump/thermostat/housing i installed a few years ago in my 01. my usual operating temp prior to the install was 200-210. i did not have any overheating issues with the stock setup. however, i changed the pump out @ 100k (just as a preventive measure) and went with the Hesco setup. after the install my operating temp stays around 190. it will still hit 210 off-road and in traffic, but i take that as "normal" for the 4.0. everything else on the engine/cooling system is stock.

If your coolant looks good, sounds like the water pump i sthe likely culprit not the radiator. The XJ's cooling system is mnimal but works fine (- hard wheeling in low) if all components are functioning properly.

Before ya blow the cash on replacing a ,theoretically , almost new radiator for 100 plus, switch in a new 45 or 50 dollar water pump. That's what's moving the water through the system anyways. If it's not moving enough properly doesn't matter how many rows the rad has if it's not flowing.

On my 96 I swapped a ZJ's HD fanclutch (NAOA oart #272310), wired the electric fan to run manually and put in a new CSF radiator (radiatorbarn.com), cap, thermostat and housing; even new temp sensors and senders.
Flushed the whole system thoroughlly and the temps still crept up in traffic.
Dropped in a new pump and now everything's fine. No real changes till the pump went in. Just sayin'

I took a simple route also. I replaced my radiator with the H.D. option radiator from NAPA. Probably not the best quality piece, but it was a three core as opposed to the standard two core, and I havent had any problems since then. Its a little closer to the fan clutch assembly, but easy to install and was well under $200.

I just cut a strip of sandpaper and did it by hand. Took a few minutes, but it worked. Before going through all the work of replacing it, just try disconnecting the hoses and using a hose to force water through. See how good the flow through the radiator is. If it's slow, try doing a reverse flush, put the hose in the outlet of the radiator to force water backwards to clear a possible clog. The water pumps are known to die over time, the blades can disintegrate from cavitation.

I'm sure when the radiator was replaced But im sure it replaced with the cheapest thing they could find, the water pump is stock so I figure if I am going to drain the fluid to do the pump I'll do the rad while I'm at it.

I found the Advanced Auto Ready-Rad radiator to be easy to drop in. The only issue is the top studs. You have to cut them down to size. Literally 2 mins with a dremel. Or do what I did, squeeze it in altogether. Supported by stock temp stat, new hoses, new waterpump, and ZJ HD fan clutch, she never went over 212* even in bumper to bumper traffic on 90* days. Revving it up actually brought the temp below the half line.

Based solely on the price difference between the two, put a water pump in that rig!