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XJ radiators, a review.

I ordered the Mishimoto after some more research. Fins per inch and tube size and better heat transfer through the contact points, should be much more effective than the smaller brass with lead solder on the fins.

I am still very happy with the Mishimoto I am running. It has been over a year and zero issues. Cools great!
 
I have a AL radiator from performance radiator (came with the Jeep), that has decided to spring a very small leak somewhere.

While it was nice having that radiator in, a Spectra will be taking it's place.

For $60, I'll give the Spectra a try.

Ordered compatible AN fitting to be able to hopefully mount my existing hoses to it.

Not quite willing to spend $400 on a Mishimoto, or a little less for Mopar.

I've generally had good luck with parts store radiators.
 
I have a AL radiator from performance radiator (came with the Jeep), that has decided to spring a very small leak somewhere.

While it was nice having that radiator in, a Spectra will be taking it's place.

For $60, I'll give the Spectra a try.

Ordered compatible AN fitting to be able to hopefully mount my existing hoses to it.

Not quite willing to spend $400 on a Mishimoto, or a little less for Mopar.

I've generally had good luck with parts store radiators.

My Napa radiator is just a rebranded Spectra. Been in my '00 XJ for about 6 years now. Maybe 7. I can't complain. Also I want to say I have a lifetime warranty on it. I could be wrong about that though.
 
I ordered the Mishimoto after some more research. Fins per inch and tube size and better heat transfer through the contact points, should be much more effective than the smaller brass with lead solder on the fins.
Dropped right in, no mods needed although I did trim down the studs on top for clearance

Is there an o-ring / gasket around the Renix fan switch plug? It was dripping a little until I cranked it down, now the black material in the threads is deformed.
 
Now that the weather is warming up, it will be interesting to see how these various radiators respond to summer heat and driving conditions.
Cooler season reviews don't mean much, almost any radiator will do the job when it's not hot out.
 
Looks like Spectra may have changed things up a little.

Fittings are not removable.

Some 5/8-18 IF x 6AN dropped right in, and are working leak free.

Overall, impressed so far with the quality for what it is.

I will note as others have however, that the inlet/outlet are blocked a bit.

But so far, holding temp just fine.

1052sgp.jpg
 
I ordered the Mishimoto after some more research. Fins per inch and tube size and better heat transfer through the contact points, should be much more effective than the smaller brass with lead solder on the fins.

Mid-90s yesterday and I took a small road trip (3 hours each way) for some light off-roading in the foothills of northwestern MD. That and the month or so of driving on it around town, I can say the mishimoto is significantly better at shedding heat than the Mopar HD. Previously it would creep into the red and I would have to pull over if it was 90 degrees or 70 mph on the highway. Yesterday with both it got 225ish on the gauge a couple of times but never overheated. Need to do my timing chain I think, but as far as heat-shedding the Mishimoto is very good
 
My Summit HD Radiator seems to be doing fine with cooling. It's been in the low 90's and while stop/go driving around town in traffic w/the AC blowing... and also driving up and down the highway @ 75 mph it's kept the temps at ~ 200-205 F all day long. Never seen it go up too the mid mark (215) on my dash gauge and my OBD diagnostic tool is reading 205. I'm happy w/that and hopefully it'll last for years to come. Temps used to fluctuate a lot more w/the old All Aluminum rad this one replaced.

Not nearly as pretty as my old All Aluminum Rad I replaced but so long as it keeps my XJ cool I'm good w/that.
 
Mid-90s yesterday and I took a small road trip (3 hours each way) for some light off-roading in the foothills of northwestern MD. That and the month or so of driving on it around town, I can say the mishimoto is significantly better at shedding heat than the Mopar HD. Previously it would creep into the red and I would have to pull over if it was 90 degrees or 70 mph on the highway. Yesterday with both it got 225ish on the gauge a couple of times but never overheated. Need to do my timing chain I think, but as far as heat-shedding the Mishimoto is very good

You have a built engine I guess. Do you also have an AW4? Based on what you wrote, your XJ have always been running high temperature. I wonder why?

Well, you have been running in the hills unlike my XJ which spends most,... most of its time in Florida and now in central Texas. I did a few trips in the summers past to the North East, to Iowa, Ohio and other mid US states and never saw the temperature above 115. This past weekend I made a trip form Austin to Dallas close to 100 degrees ambient temperature, 70mph all the way, AC on and a 7PSI cap on the radiator because it leaks. Like you, I believe the timing chain is stretched(303,000+ miles). Summit copper/brass radiator, dual electric fans,... everything else is OEM including the thermostat.

I do not know for sure but it seem like something need a once over in the cooling system.
 
Awesome thread - great info.

I recently replaced the radiator on my 99 XJ. Money was tight so against my better judgement I went with a specta radiator from rockauto and I installed a ZJ fan clutch from napa while I was at it. The specra has two thin metal strips running from the top to the bottom on the engine side, and I wound up having to cut one of them off off to make clearance for the ZJ fan clutch since it rubbed under acceleration.

I've been doing a lot of driving in 100 degree socal weather lately with the a/c blasting and the temp is staying right around 195-200, even after idling for awhile in traffic. So far I'm very pleased with the spectra.
 
Awesome thread - great info.

I recently replaced the radiator on my 99 XJ. Money was tight so against my better judgement I went with a specta radiator from rockauto and I installed a ZJ fan clutch from napa while I was at it. The specra has two thin metal strips running from the top to the bottom on the engine side, and I wound up having to cut one of them off off to make clearance for the ZJ fan clutch since it rubbed under acceleration.

I've been doing a lot of driving in 100 degree socal weather lately with the a/c blasting and the temp is staying right around 195-200, even after idling for awhile in traffic. So far I'm very pleased with the spectra.

I had similar results with my jeep, I was running a big expensive aluminum rad and it would overheat on the highway. I tossed in a $40 specta rad from amazon and it's as cool as a cucumber again.
 
Cooling is a complicated issue and many things effect it.
Last summer on our annual Eastern Sierra trip, the new 4.6 stroker ran cool with the Mopar HD radiator. This summer, it got hot going up Sherwood grade, north of Bishop.
Pulling over to let it cool at an high idle, it dawned on me that I didn't hear the mechanical fan roaring.
I ordered a new fan clutch at Napa, in Mammoth, and after installing it, the engine is now running in its normal temperature range. That was three weeks ago and we are now up in British Columbia and it's still running fine.
Clutch fans do not seem to have a long life in XJ, a new one was used when the stroker was installed less than two years ago.
In the past I tried running a ZJ fan clutch . It worked great, actually too well in the winter, at keeping the temps down but the constant noise and drop in mileage convinced me to remove it.
A stock fan clutch works OK if still in good condition.
Having a two piece fan shroud simplifies changing the clutch, turning it into a 20 minute job, done at our campsite.
I'm a happy camper.
 
Tell me about this two piece fan shroud.

I wish all fan shrouds were made that way.
 
Lord yes let's hear this 2 piece shroud secret. That's the only reason I haven't replaced my fan clutch yet... Well that and it's not completely gone yet. We'll skip over the lazy part.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
Helped out my XJ a bit by installing an entire roll of this:

https://www.amazon.com/Car-Insulati...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Ended up with 2 layers over the passenger floorboard and side of the tunnel, as well as 2 layers under the pedals on the driver's side, and 1 layer everywhere else. Sitting in 95-110* heat in AZ, was able to drive around with the AC on 1-2 most of the time (rear windows are also tinted) except when first started after being parked in the sun. Passenger side carpet went from uncomfortable in flip-flops to whatever the interior temp was, and AC was still blowing low 50s/upper 40s.

Since the AC did not have to run full tilt, the condensor put less heat into the radiator. Coolant temps on the trail were a hair above the 210* mark for the most part (95* was at ~5200' elevation, so still not a walk in the park), with it climbing to the second mark above 210* once when I pushed 2H too long (need to get a selectable front locker ASAP). When in 4LO, it was always somewhere barely above or below the 210* mark.
 
Yep. Didn't insulate under the rear seats. Gets hot under there, but not much makes it through the seat.

I am guessing that you did not do the cargo area?
I ask cause I am going to do something similar, have taken some measurements, but am curious as to how much square feet this will take for 1 layer over the entire floor.
 
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