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Upgraded radiator

asahagun

NAXJA Forum User
Looking to replace my stock radiator this December. Anyone have any experience with a good replacement rad that is near drop in? I have an automatic xj. Have hear so many mixed opinions in champion, cad, and even griffin. Looking for some guidance..

Just rad. Will do e fan swaps when I get the extra cash

Thanks

Adam
 
In a normal person budget, CSF 3 row.

If you want to spend a bunch more money, Griffon makes great radiators.
 
I bought a CSF and it came bent, so I sent it back and they sent me a second unit also bent. So I sent that one back too and went to Napa and bought an OEM replacement and it works awesome. Personally I would stick with OEM and spend the $ on the fans. I wired in a switch to kick on the aux fan if it starts running warm on the trail and just with that 2nd fan on it cools right down. If I had a better fan setup, it would cool it down even better. I have had the Napa radiator on there for 2 years.
 
I bought a CSF and it came bent, so I sent it back and they sent me a second unit also bent. So I sent that one back too and went to Napa and bought an OEM replacement and it works awesome. Personally I would stick with OEM and spend the $ on the fans. I wired in a switch to kick on the aux fan if it starts running warm on the trail and just with that 2nd fan on it cools right down. If I had a better fan setup, it would cool it down even better. I have had the Napa radiator on there for 2 years.

If you had a good radiator, your story would not include "when it starts running warm" caveats.

I wouldn't blame CSF for whatever vendor you had that was damaging radiators before shipping. ;)
 
I guess I don't have a good radiator then:doh:
 
I guess I don't have a good radiator then:doh:

Sorry, that is a huge peeve of mine that happens here a *LOT*.

"my radiator works great! it only overheats when i go uphill or drive on sand!"

A cooling system works great when you can run a 350+ horsepower stroker in 110* weather at 6,000 RPM's all day and never see 220*.

A cooling system that only warms up in certain scenarios or kicks secondary fans on is just barely getting by.
 
Your right, I thought I had bought it direct from CSF but I think it was radiator barn. If I send back a bent radiator and they send me a 2nd unit, you would think someone would inspect it to make sure it is not bent, lol.
 
Sorry, that is a huge peeve of mine that happens here a *LOT*.

"my radiator works great! it only overheats when i go uphill or drive on sand!"

A cooling system works great when you can run a 350+ horsepower stroker in 110* weather at 6,000 RPM's all day and never see 220*.

A cooling system that only warms up in certain scenarios or kicks secondary fans on is just barely getting by.

But I didn't say it overheats. It used to overheat on the freeway if the traffic slowed down. After I replaced the radiator, the first trip to Big Bear at the warmest part of the day, it started to get a little warm, meaning it got up to 210 and I kicked on the 2nd fan and it went right back down to 200 and stayed there so it is working better than it did.

I'm sure that the CSFs are fine if you get a non-bent one, lol. But I think if I was going to go with non-OEM I would go with a griffen. I am just saying that with a stock motor the OEM works pretty good.
 
I am just saying that with a stock motor the OEM works pretty good.


Well, I'd agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong.

As a whole, i think the XJ cooling system is well designed, but the OEM radiators are a bit insufficient. Put something with a little more volume, a little more surface area, and no plastic bowls in there - then magic starts to happen.
 
Well, I'd agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong.

ohsnap_2.jpg
 
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