Radiators

Pretty much as long as I've been around there has been a 'deal' with 1800radiators on a three core for 100 bucks. Do I just drop s name? Do I mention that it was set up by Dirk? i think, does this deal exist? And those that has these radiators, are they making a difference and holding up well?

mac 'wasn't sure whether to oem tech or mod tech this' gyvr

The deal has been on-going for quite some time. Although it was originally set up by Dirk, more recently I believe the names to drop are Damon and Yogi ... both of whom are (or were) with the radiator company. The price was $99 originally and the most recent post I remember said it was up to $106 IIRC.

It's a GDI 3-core. Although I bought mine locally before this deal was set up, I have had a GDI in the '88 for 3-1/2 years and it's still running cooler than the OEM radiator ever ran.

yogi adn naxja special on gdi 3 pass still 99.00 as per Yogi's email last week

Anyone know if they make one for my 86 V6 and will the thicker radiator still allow room for the A/C condensor? Mine has some age on it and if I end up replacing it I'd like to "upgrade" at that time.
Mike B.

CRAP.....I guess not thinking got me again. I just ordered a new GDI 3 row about a two months ago and didnt mention anything about or the guys names. Price on mine was $150. Hit my door the next morning after ordering it. Keep this in mind unless you dont mind paying 150 for one.

Brainlapsed Mike

Luck of the draw.....

Is another case "of you get what you pay for" with the GDI radiators too. The one i got for my '98 (paid $100), to upgrade from a single core OEM aluminum, did seem to cool better at speed. At low speed it did not though...this is something to keep in mind. It always seemed to seep coolant also. Trying to prepare my Jeep to be 'dependible' so i can head away to school i could not trust it with this problem. Spent the few bucks and got an OEM twin core aluminum. The quality is supurb. Fit was perfect. I also found it does cool better than that GDI at all speeds, esp slow where is way better, and i am sure this radiator will be totally dependible.

In other words, if you want a trouble free very good capacity rad, the UC radiator will do the trick- just another angle.

Re: Luck of the draw.....

Judd W. VA said:

Is another case "of you get what you pay for" with the GDI radiators too. The one i got for my '98 (paid $100), to upgrade from a single core OEM aluminum, did seem to cool better at speed. At low speed it did not though...this is something to keep in mind. It always seemed to seep coolant also. Trying to prepare my Jeep to be 'dependible' so i can head away to school i could not trust it with this problem. Spent the few bucks and got an OEM twin core aluminum. The quality is supurb. Fit was perfect. I also found it does cool better than that GDI at all speeds, esp slow where is way better, and i am sure this radiator will be totally dependible.

In other words, if you want a trouble free very good capacity rad, the UC radiator will do the trick- just another angle.

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Judd --

I'm glad your XJ is cooling okay and I don't like to pee in anyone's corn flakes, but there is no such thing as an "Up Country" radiator. The Up Country model gets the same radiator as any other XJ with a/c and/or tow package. It's an aluminum core with plastic tanks, and it does not cool any better than a GDI. If for some reason your GDI wasn't cooling at slower speeds, I would suspect either a fan clutch problem, or sludge clogging the tubes.

I'm glad your XJ is cooling okay and I don't like to pee in anyone's corn flakes, but there is no such thing as an "Up Country" radiator. The Up Country model gets the same radiator as any other XJ with a/c and/or tow package. It's an aluminum core with plastic tanks, and it does not cool any better than a GDI. If for some reason your GDI wasn't cooling at slower speeds, I would suspect either a fan clutch problem, or sludge clogging the tubes.

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Lets jsut hope your system is in perfect condition because eh alum and plastic rads are very prone to bloww of teh plastic end caps under high pressuer...mine blew apart when teh rad cap failed to open....the entire seam on the drivers side split open...teh coolant emptied in less than 30 seconds....I wil never use one again...give me the metal ones!...my local rad shop pressure tests everything @ 30 psi except for these because the plastic flexes enough to slip out of teh retaining crimps....not a pretty site

Eagle........

Eagle, oh Eagle..... Thought i'd hear from you on this!! There was not a thing clogging the core. The system is spick and span i assure you. Is once again the aluminum vs brass/copper/lead contruction as well as the denseness of the fin principles involved here. I noticed LESS low speed cooling from the three core GDI after installation than from the SINGLE CORE aluminum previous. I know this for a fact. I saw it with my automotive experienced eyes. Is a very common known delemma that happens when adding layer after layer of cores....you create more restriction to airflow. The fins and core design of this aluminum is more open to airflow than was that fairly nasty core of that cheapo GDI. Is a know fact that some rads cool better than others just due to fin design, and is the case this time in my view...as well as with the use of aluminum.

I also happen to LIKE plastic tank radiators. I do not see them going bad any more often than non. Is just a different kind of failure, and more sudden usually.

There IS a specific UC radiator. This radiator would NOT have come with a 'towing package' because mine is a 5-spd. There was no 'towing package' for use with this trans. This rad has no trans cooler so could only come on Up Country 5-spds, or maybe those with an 'A/C and extra cooling' package, if there was such a thing. In this case you were not really correct.... My '98 has factory A/C and a single core alum radiator.

The bottom line is that all around this OEM two core aluminum does a better job keeping my XJ cool here in mega hot Utah than my GDI would have. Not to hardly ever need the elec fan using A/C and in this stupid stop and go traffic here i think is amazing.

My '98 has factory A/C and a single core alum radiator.

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Im sorry to here that make sure your cooling system stays in perfect condition and reaplace your cap yearly.....if the system overheats and cant vent this plastic and alum rad of yours will burst before a hose does

Oh man, not ANOTHER bleeding heart Nauga lover, sheesh it's bad enough putting up with the bambi lovers. There is nothing I look forward to more than the fall nauga season, we tie it in with nite racoon hunting season. We also found that spotted owls make excellent nauga bait....

I am running the gdi, and compared to the factory 95 5spd radiator it made a world of difference. The first one I got was all beat to hell, probably ups. I called 1800radiator and they shipped another one to me next day. I like the gdi . as far as aluminum I would prefer it, but not with plastic.

Judd is correct that radiator design has to be considered. On a direct comparison of like quantities of metal (however they measure these things), copper is a better conductor of both heat and electricity than aluminum. Period. That having been said, there is no question that an aluminum radiator can be designed to cool as well as a copper one -- albeit with the necessity of larger radiating area (more and/or bigger fins, and more tube surface area).

I'm with XJnation on tanks -- don't like plastic tanks, don't trust plastic tanks, don't want 'em in my trucks.

Hey, i was not easy to convince of the viability of plastic tank radiators but have seen them last for so long and work so well that i am no longer scared of them. I have even been able to repair them successfully. I would never pressurize any radiator to 30 psi, i don't care how good that rad shop is. My Snap-On rad tester redlines at 20 psi. In all my years i have never seen a radiator honestly blow because of the rad cap sticking.....

As i remained convinced as before, is not the conductivity of copper/brass over aluminum but the construction of each. The lead in the copper/brass rad helps to reduce it's efficiency. Aluminum rads are composed of only aluminum.

I come to conclusions of most things in life from personal experiences, not from what other's may say. I have seen this OEM aluminum outperform the three core GDI in both cooling ability, fitability, and certanly durability, so that is where i am coming from on this.

In all my years i have never seen a radiator honestly blow because of the rad cap sticking.....

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Ive seen it three times in cherokees.....once to me in Seligman AZ two years ago in my 88 XJ, once on terminator last year a 94 I believe and teh other was to stop and help a guy from Calif on I40 about 1/2 mile from my house a month ago....I had several rads @ home so we put one in....a GDI by the way..and if I go to the salvage yard and look I bet 60% of teh composite adn alum rads are leaking @ the ends

I need a new rad. now and was wondering how the Modine 2 row cooled compared to the GDI. I like the idea of 2 larger rows than 3 small ones cause my '89 has lots of crap in the system. The new rad will benefit from a coolant filter, but I still wonder if the Modine is better? It's NOT an aluminum trail-stranding time bomb BTW, they're all metal.

I am too looking for a new radiator. Any one else not pleased with their GDI 3 core? I have never heard anything bad only good. Could it be there was some blockage from manufacturing?

Tim

I am too looking for a new radiator. Any one else not pleased with their GDI 3 core? I have never heard anything bad only good. Could it be there was some blockage from manufacturing?

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I have TWO GDI three core's setting in storage and ONE Modine two core cooling my 4.6L stroker.

IMHO GDI is crap. In three GDI's I have had shipped to me two were damaged PRIOR to boxing. One was severe enough to require replacement of which I ended up paying the shipping on .

GDI: 3x 0.25 cores (.75" total)
Modine: 2x 0.625" cores (1.25" total)

Go Modine or go home Mac

Bones :skull1:
#6

BTW: If you are still wanting to throw your money away I would be willing to part with a core checked (<5% blockage which is VERY good for a GDI) GDI 3-core rad for $75 + S&H. I also have one with a moderate half moon of bent fins from a motor mount incident that I would take $25 plus S&H on. It didn't leak when pulled and it cooled my stock 4.0 ok I just "upgraded" to a new one with the stroker (then replaced it with the Modine). The cheaper one also was the first of the factory damaged units I received and has some rad cap issues that require a good quality cap.
Both are AT versions for the open systems.

Bones said:

I have TWO GDI three core's setting in storage and ONE Modine two core cooling my 4.6L stroker.

IMHO GDI is crap. In three GDI's I have had shipped to me two were damaged PRIOR to boxing. One was severe enough to require replacement of which I ended up paying the shipping on .

GDI: 3x 0.25 cores (.75" total)
Modine: 2x 0.625" cores (1.25" total)

Go Modine or go home Mac

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I Agree, GDI is absalute crap! they are the worst mad radiators that i have seen in my entire life. first GDI 3 core i got had a bunch of gunk stuck in it that I couldnt flush out, returned and got another one, 2nd one had totally rusted all the studs for the brackets, all they did was just spray paint the threaded studs which didnt really help at all crap, i repeat crap.

BTW: after waisting 2 GDI radiators I decided to go with VALEO made radiators. their quaility in their radiators beat any made radiator ive seen so far, that includes BECOOL and OEM spec rads, hands down. VALEO gets my vote