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Radiator for a DD

DerMeister

NAXJA Forum User
Location
MI
I've been searching the forums to decide one what radiator I should get. I'd really like the spend less than $200 on a 2 row replacement. I don't need anything better than stock for what I do. It seems like a lot of the replacements have people coming back to say that the radiator failed after just a few years.

My 14 year old stock radiator has been fine, but yesterday in 70 degree weather the temps came up enough for the E-fan to kick on while idling for a few minutes. I figure with the 0331 head this is a must fix. The rest of the cooling system is less than 3 years old.

So, should I just go to NAPA and get one or what?
 
I installed the "heatbuster" model from completeradiators.com several years ago and have been 100% satisfied with it. It's 2-row, all metal with much larger passages than then stock unit.

I have a 2000 XJ at work that I drive for site visits (it still has the stock radiator). There is a huge difference between my DD and that one in terms of idling temp and how often the aux fan comes on.

My only issue was that the drain petcock leaked a little at first (it is plastic), but a little teflon tape fixed that easily.
 
Either stock replacement from Napa/Carquest or find an aftermarket one with 1-inch cores.
 
For a daily driver, you can generally get by with an OEM style radiator. My original radiator on my 99 lasted 12 years/120k. I went with an OEM style from NAPA; was around $130.
 
Having spent hours researching the net, and this site as well as other Cherokee sites I have determined that buying a new replacement radiator for our XJ's is a crap-shoot, roll of the dice, or a flip of the coin, and therefore almost a waste of time. "Almost" I say, but still edumocational in the sense of reducing your failure statistic by not buying the worst.

I have concluded that plastic tank models are a crap-shoot, in that there have been members here who have been very ticked off, and one showing a fist sized blow-out!!. Our local NAPA can only order a plastic tank model, (Modine, I think), replacement from hundreds of miles away, (as the dice rolls). Modine used to have a great reputation, but not what I would feel confident now for the XJ type they offer.

Others stand by their Griffin radiators.., but one stood there looking at his lemon leak anti-freeze fluid big time. I would've gone for the top of the line varieties, but again.., just where is quality control these days? There are a couple of others in the top tier, but don't come to mind right now, one costing around 6 or 8 hundred, but I have even read about one failure. Go figure.

A two core Champion gets a 50/50 vote, but for the price on all aluminum, (CAD cut, good looking welds), it was a better option for me to gamble with. My OEM 215k radiator rotted out in the past fall, (caught the issue at idle, shut it down), and ordered a priced right Champ., (relative, lol), from radiatorexpress.com for around $180, plus shipping. It has been through some rough service sub-zero use, and so far ok. The summer season will put it through some different expansion/contraction runs.., so I am waiting for the coin's flip to reveal it's answer.

If you get aluminum be sure to NOT use the green stuff, but use the orange stuff instead. In order to check the over-flow tank, the green is much easier to see than the orange, however.

I usually do a quick check of my oil, anti-freeze levels dead cold daily before start-up in order to insure proper operation on the adventure ahead, (lol). I figure getting a NAPA unit as a spare to carry in the box, secured to the roof rack should I go on an extended road/trail trip, (along with spare starter, battery, fuel pump, water pump, tire, etc.). As old as my XJ is, perhaps I should just tow another XJ behind it for all it's spares. :repair:
 
I got one from AutoZone about 2-1/2 years ago when mine started leaking on one of the first cold days in the fall. The following spring my Jeep had the thermostat fail shut so things got hot. The radiator started weeping at the aluminum tube/end plate joint a year later. The AutoZone radiator has a lifetime warranty so they gave me another at no charge. I'm not sure if build quality or things getting hot caused the weeping. It's hard to beat the availability of the AZ radiator, many will have it in stock and its only about $110. YMMV.
 
I just installed a stock replacement from Oreilly when i changed engines. The stock cooling system is fine if all components are functioning properly. I have no over heating problems, after replacing everything new. This includes a new fan clutch, which made the biggest difference.
 
The original radiator in my '00 blew out at the tank a couple of years ago. I bought a CCF(I think) brass/copper 3 row radiator and put it in. I haven't had any trouble with it except that when it's 40 or below outside, my jeep never gets up to full operating temperature. Still has an OE style water pump and a 215F thermostat. The aux fan still kicks on when it's in the 90's or better, but not nearly as much as with the original radiator.
 
The original radiator in my '00 blew out at the tank a couple of years ago. I bought a CCF(I think) brass/copper 3 row radiator and put it in. I haven't had any trouble with it except that when it's 40 or below outside, my jeep never gets up to full operating temperature. Still has an OE style water pump and a 215F thermostat. The aux fan still kicks on when it's in the 90's or better, but not nearly as much as with the original radiator.

A 215 thermostat? No wonder it didn't come up to temp.
 
Just get a OEM and don't worry about it. I run them on my jeeps. I live in CA desert where our summers stay about 105 daily. I run my AC while cruising in canyons with no wind, i hit maybe 195. I run a 190 stat.

Nothing like a summer night run with temps in the High 90s and low 100's.:)
 
A 215 thermostat? No wonder it didn't come up to temp.
Wrong.

OEM is a 195 degree, the only thing a 215 degree would make it do is stay above temp, not not come up to it.
 
Ok, I may have it back wards, but a 215 doesn't open until it reaches 215, correct?
 
So in 40 below, like the OP said, the coolant in the block has to reach 215 before the thermostat will open, that why I said it wouldn't come up to operating temp. A 195 in that situation is barely better.

On a hot day, yeah, it will stay above operating temp.
 
So in 40 below, like the OP said, the coolant in the block has to reach 215 before the thermostat will open, that why I said it wouldn't come up to operating temp. A 195 in that situation is barely better.

On a hot day, yeah, it will stay above operating temp.
Your logic is completely backwards.

The thermostat's job is to keep heat in the engine. It stays closed until the temp it is rated for, then it opens until the temp drops below that level again.

So a 195 degree will keep the water in the engine until it reaches 195 degrees, then it will open and allow flow.

A 215 degree will keep it in there till it reaches 215.

The only variation in how cold the engine will be is how much air is moving over the radiator, what the ambient temp is, and how large the radiator is. There is a little constant circulation through the bleed holes in the thermostat and through the heater core circuit, if the cooling system is more efficient than the thermostat can manage effectively (as in a new england winter, for instance, I run around 190 all winter if I don't block part of the radiator with cardboard) the water coming into the engine will simply be too cool to keep it above the temp the thermostat is rated for.

A higher rated thermostat is not going to make the engine not come up to operating temperature. Unless you are using operating temp to mean thermostat operating temp, not engine operating temp, which is just wrong and backwards.
 
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