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96 xj sport 5.3 swap

5-Speed XJ said:
Is there a reason you didn't just go with a aluminum Cherokee specific radiator? The one you have is using the real estate where my winch is mounted under the radiator where the front crossmember is.
Click to expand...

Cherokee specific radiators don't cool enough unless you get the one from Novak and its over $600. The one he has and the Griffin I bought are well under $300.
 
5-Speed XJ said:
Nice good to know I have a champion 3 row aluminum radiator that I've had good luck with. I've been toying with the idea of an LS swap but I can't justify it yet.
Click to expand...

FrankZ and JohnD both tried multiple Cherokee radiators and both had overheating problems even with lots of fan on them. The only way to cool an LS in one of these is the big Novak rad or an aftermarket unit from Griffin or the like.
 
what he said,

my rad was only 172, it was well worth the semi minimal fad work that went into fitting the 19x22 rad to not use the pricey novak rad.
 
made a baffle for the rad so air is forced thru the cooler/rad, mounted the e-fan, ordered 2 90 degree 1.5" silicone radiator hose elbows and a 1 3/4" x 10" flex rad hose.

ill take some more in depth pics of the rad install once i finish it all completely. still need to paint it all, make another baffle, drill some holes for trans cooler lines, make an L bracket for the bottom of the e-fan, and tweak the explorer cooler a bit(and maybe ad a second pin for the bottom to keep it from twisting around)
 
finally getting somewhere with this swap, its cooled down a bit so hopefully ill be getting in more hours on it.

any who, bent up some baffles out of 16g plate to force air thru the rad and trans cooler




over head shot to the rad mount, its 16g 1.5" square stock with 16g plate wings welded to the body, im using old heater hose as a rubber isolator top and bottom



pins to hold the trans cooler in place, just a couple random bolts from my stores welded to the body.

volvo fan mounted up, i redrilled the core support to relocate the factory fan thread thingamagigs



the front end is pretty close to going back together, still need to run trans lines to the cooler, and fab a lower fan mount/baffle
 
Looks good dude :) Those Volvo fans move a lot of air.
 
every time I see this thread, I regret not doing either a 5.3 or an ls motor....I really like this build, it's coming along nicely.

Maybe a zz6 is in my future :)
 
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i was origionaly going to do a 4.7 stroker, but in stock form the 5.3 beats out the stroker in power and can be nodded to pump out 400+ hp/tq wi a cam/heads and tune

i never really considered a 350 tho,
 
so i have a question, what do yall think about drilling an tapping the radiator for the steam line?

i have a heater hose adaprter for it but im not sure thats the best way, and in not a fan of drilling and tapping the water pump?

any thoughts?
 
cleenrob said:
so i have a question, what do yall think about drilling an tapping the radiator for the steam line?

i have a heater hose adaprter for it but im not sure thats the best way, and in not a fan of drilling and tapping the water pump?

any thoughts?
Click to expand...

I assume you are talking into one of the tanks somewhere. I don't think that is going to be overly thick material, maybe .125 at the very most. You won't get enough threads in it to be very strong. They usually weld on a washer around the ports for the trans cooler lines for more thread.
 
racer32 said:
I assume you are talking into one of the tanks somewhere. I don't think that is going to be overly thick material, maybe .125 at the very most. You won't get enough threads in it to be very strong. They usually weld on a washer around the ports for the trans cooler lines for more thread.
Click to expand...

yea, maybe i will just go with the adapter i already have


in other news i got the core support,rad, trans cooler, e-fan all (hopfully) installed permanantly i still need bigger holes for the trans cooler lines in the other baffle
 
Nice man. Chipping away at it :)
 
racer32 said:
FrankZ and JohnD both tried multiple Cherokee radiators and both had overheating problems even with lots of fan on them. The only way to cool an LS in one of these is the big Novak rad or an aftermarket unit from Griffin or the like.
Click to expand...
The Novak radiator barely keeps up with two Spal fans $$$$. Its fine around town but hard wheeling with a/c (gotta have a/c that's why we drive XJ's) and towing over grades the V8 gets a bit toasty. If I did it again I would go with a large custom setup that is taller like what you two are doing.


cleenrob said:
so i have a question, what do yall think about drilling an tapping the radiator for the steam line?

i have a heater hose adaprter for it but im not sure thats the best way, and in not a fan of drilling and tapping the water pump?

any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Ran mine into he rad, it was problem when wheeling up really steep hills, it would trap air in the front and get HOT.

I would run the steam vent off the TB to the expansion tank if your running one, or at least to the highest point in the cooling system. The radiator wouldn't be a good spot speaking from experience as the line would run down. Not a big issue for a DD street vehicle but if you plan to climb steep hills (it is a Jeep so I assume you are) then don't go to the rad.
 
maybe im an idiot but wouldnt that just continuasly pump the coolant into the expansion tank untill it over fills? or will the rad suck the extrafluid into th enigine as its pumped out?
 
cleenrob said:
maybe im an idiot but wouldnt that just continuasly pump the coolant into the expansion tank untill it over fills? or will the rad suck the extrafluid into th enigine as its pumped out?
Click to expand...
If you run it into an overfill bottle, you are correct, that wouldn't work. I am running an expansion tank setup like the stock renix Jeep XJ (the bottle is part of the pressurized cooling system). I am running an aluminum tank so it is more reliable than the plastic stock setup. If you aren't running a similar setup I would go for the highest point. Mine was constantly giving me problems under load when it went into the radiator.
 
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