How bad are the alum/plastic radiators?

My '88 had a water pump failure that blew up the cooling system. The stock radiator is copper something (green corrosion), and is leaking in more than one place and has some fins smashed up.

Long story short: I need a new radiator ASAP (today!).

The cheapy aluminum / plastic combos are about $105. The copper/brass 2-rows are about $210.

Can I get away with the cheaper one (not that I like them, but I'm into this '88 for like $3500 already).

Do the newer year XJ's come with the alum/plastic radiators? How do they hold up?

I have had 3 of the cheap $100 ones. One was replaced when my 87 starting running hot. Went to the 3 row brass CFS on it. I got about 3 years out of the cheap one, before I had problems, that may not have been the radiator after all, but the upgrade helped me deal with other overheating issues on it that crept up later.

89 Jeep is on its second cheap aluminum/plastic one. The first one got smashed by a drunk telephone pole (ask my daughter, LOL) after only 8 weeks, so it died before it got a real test. The second cheap one is 3 years old and holding up so far, once we got the air out of the top of the radiator. I think you are lucky to get 3-4 years out of the cheap ones, but they are cheap $$$. I went to the copper 3 row, as I knew a new aluminum plastic one was not going to solve my 87 problem. I later discovered it had exhaust blowing on the block, and the 3 row brass radiator kept if from boiling over with AC on in 105 F weather in stop and go freeway 5 pm traffic! So I felt it was worth it. I got mine for $165 on Ebay at IIRC, radiators.com, or radiatorbarn.com

We also have a supplier / sponsor that use to stock the CFS radiator, 3 row, brass. It is a tight fit (tight gap) to the fan clutch (especially the ZJ heavy duty clutch) , so make sure the tranny and engine mounts are good!!!!!!

Thanks buddy! I think I'll try out the cheaper style. How important is a trans cooler? Should I get a B and M cooler from advanced auto while I'm at it- and plumb it in before the radiator?

I don't tow and I'm back to stock tire size, stock gearing.
If it's not that important, I'd skip it. What do you think? Is it cheap insurance or a waste of time?

You only need an extra trans cooler for towing, or long steep hill climbing, if everything else is working right. For WI, no towing, no long mountain drives up steep grades I would pass.

Thanks, I will pass - I also discovered this thing has a trans cooler already. It is a single sideways u-shaped tube with fins; about 4" high x maybe 16" wide. Maybe it's a towing package or something.

I still need to know how to bleed this thing properly. I've tried the temp sender thing a couple times. It worked on the first go about 2 years ago. It may have worked this last time, but I had leaks that overheated me anyway.

How can I burp it? I don't mind altering the system a little if necessary- I already re-did all the hoses, replacing the funny pre-fabbed stock elbows with plumbing fittings.

How long did the original radiator last?? 23 years? A plastic/aluminum radiator will not last that long...aka...plastic is crap. Also a B&M cooler might be called for in a NEW vehicle, but you can get by with a generic cooler from AutoZone for $25.00. There's really no difference to a Hayden or B&M or generic except brand, fittings and well, that's it. If you don't need a cooler, just stay with the factory one.

I'm thinking that the whole assembly around your pressure bottle is F'd up. If you had hoses and fittings leaking and your p-bottle was swollen...that's an issue. Before you spend any more time trying to burp it, take a long look at that area. Low pressure = low boiling point. Find all the air/coolant LEAKS, buy an all metal CSF radiator from radiatorbarn.com (2 row, $140). Cheap does not = good. Plastic = poo!

Disclaimer: I do not work for CSF, radiatorbarn.com or have any interest in either (other than having their products in my Jeeps for the last few years)

GOT A CHEAP ONE OFF EBAY FOR LIKE 75 DOLLORS 2 ROW WITH FREE SHIPPING IT HAS WORKED GREAT SO FAR (4 MONTHS) IT WAS RADIATOR CLASSIC I THANK

wf_s10 said:

GOT A CHEAP ONE OFF EBAY FOR LIKE 75 DOLLORS 2 ROW WITH FREE SHIPPING IT HAS WORKED GREAT SO FAR (4 MONTHS) IT WAS RADIATOR CLASSIC I THANK

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I think that is the same outfit as radiatorbarn.com, I think I got one of mt cheap ones there. They are OK for the cheap plastic/aluminum ones too.

Paradise, I agree, for $140 to $160 the all brass is much better, better cooling, more forgiving, much longer lasting... etc, unless you are broke!!!!! I went 3 row for an extra $20, but I had to shop for a bloody week to find the real 3 row. Many advertise a 3 row, and stick you with 2 rows anyway!!!! BEWARE!!!!! Autozone, and Advanced advertise 3 row and deliver 2 row brass and ask about $210. O'reilys was even higher as was NAPA.

I got my first aluminum one just after buying my first used jeep, as I was not sure I was keeping it, as it had so many unknown issues. I later upgraded it once I knew what I had.

ParadiseXJ said:

How long did the original radiator last?? 23 years? A plastic/aluminum radiator will not last that long...aka...plastic is crap. Also a B&M cooler might be called for in a NEW vehicle, but you can get by with a generic cooler from AutoZone for $25.00. There's really no difference to a Hayden or B&M or generic except brand, fittings and well, that's it. If you don't need a cooler, just stay with the factory one.

I'm thinking that the whole assembly around your pressure bottle is F'd up. If you had hoses and fittings leaking and your p-bottle was swollen...that's an issue. Before you spend any more time trying to burp it, take a long look at that area. Low pressure = low boiling point. Find all the air/coolant LEAKS, buy an all metal CSF radiator from radiatorbarn.com (2 row, $140). Cheap does not = good. Plastic = poo!

Disclaimer: I do not work for CSF, radiatorbarn.com or have any interest in either (other than having their products in my Jeeps for the last few years)

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If the top half of the radiator is full of air, it wont matter how tight and new all the fittings and hoses are, it will PUKE in the heat:flame:!


I verified the trapped air problem in the Renix closed system using IR thermo gauges. The top half of my radiator was 120 F, while the rest was at 235 F (at the T-stat). When I added the inline filler neck, and got rid of all the radiator's trapped air, it dropped to a peak T-stat temp of 210 F, with the AC on max, idling in neutral at 105 F ambient for 30 minutes, and that was with an exhaust leak blowing on the block that I finally found and fixed a year later.

I do appreciate the input guys, but I went with the cheapy from o'reilleys. I'm out of time on this and money and they'll have it before 8 am tomorrow for under $110.

I will be inspecting the bottle area VERY well while it is running after I'm done with the rad. I remounted the water pump and thermo (including drilling 2 holes- 6 and 12 o'clock, 5/32"). I've read that should help get rid of air.

Where did you place the inline filler neck? In the upper radiator hose? Where did you find the part? Maybe in the 3/4" hose of the thermostat?

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=244464509&postcount=14

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1000460&highlight=inline+filler+neck&page=3

Jeggs has them, but they are not cheap. The Renix hose is 1'1/4", so you need to pick one that is 1-1/4". I could not find the right one on line tonight, but it is there somewhere. Here is a start.

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/53098/10002/-1?parentProductId=1206366

A few months ago when my CSF 3-row blew out I picked up the same cheap radiator from O'reilly. It was supposed to be a quick temporary fix but it actually cools my stroker better than the CSF ever did. The fit was poor, the trans cooler fittings intiallly had some leaks and I don't plan on it lasting forever.

i have a 3 row brass/copper one i got for free thanks to a UPS screw up. had to fix a bent filler neck with some plumber solder but it is lasting well. couple of guys i wheel with have the same one and they all seem to last pretty well. couple other guys have the cheap 2 row alum/plastic ones and they seem to be ok as well. the cheap rockauto ones don't seem any worse than any other one.

I just installed a new 2 row heat buster from Advanced Auto (ALL METAL). Direct drop in, no problems. The Jeep has thanked me for this! Good luck. I think its worth the extra $ to buy all metal as opposed to plastic. Kind of a no brain-er for me.