suggestions for new radiator (upgrade?)

[Ecomike]

Is there something special about the "CFS" on Radiator Barn? I checked out their site and searched for my '98 XJ and it came up with 3 options, 2-Row, HD 3-Row, & an OEM Style.

OPTION 2: HEAVY DUTY THREE ROW - $167.77 Shipped

Is this the same one everyone is referring to?

Yes, the heavy duty 3 row, the CFS 3 row, is the only true 3 row (not simulated with 2 rows BS) out there, and it has brass side tanks, not plastic with a gasket BS. One of our site sponsors, DPG offroad has them also, about the same price.
http://www.dpgoff-road.com/site/radiators.htm

 

[fool4wheelin]

Alright, my stock radiator isn't leaking so I don't NEED to replace it yet, but while driving up Engineer's Pass in Ouray, CO last month, the Jeep was getting a little warm. Never got above 220, but the AUX fan was always running and I had it in 1-LO to keep the engine driven fan spinning fast. I finally removed the factory mud-flap underneath the engine bay, so that should improve my airflow, but I'm still eyeing up a new radiator.

This post has been pointing in all sorts of directions on which way to go.

- CFS 3-Row. So far the only place I've found this is from DPG off-road. From what I can tell, the 3-Row HD from Radiator Barn is not the CFS Brand. They both apprear to be copper/brass and not plastic end tanks.
- Custom Aluminum Radiators. This Aluminum Cored Rad has Plastic Tanks. So far people have had good reviews about it, minus the tanks. http://www.alumrad.com/dblpass.html
- Genisis All Aluminum - This was the cheapest All-Aluminum Unit I could find, but some people have posted shipping/fitment issues.
- Be Cool - These All-Aluminum Radiators look very nice, but they don't have the built-in Transmission Cooler.

Some people have said that the 3-row actually decreased cooling performance on the trail because of the increased restriction to airflow. I'm leaning towards the one from Custom Aluminum Radiators, seems to be the best combination of quality and performance at a reasonable cost.

 

[Ecomike]

Alright, my stock radiator isn't leaking so I don't NEED to replace it yet, but while driving up Engineer's Pass in Ouray, CO last month, the Jeep was getting a little warm. Never got above 220, but the AUX fan was always running and I had it in 1-LO to keep the engine driven fan spinning fast. I finally removed the factory mud-flap underneath the engine bay, so that should improve my airflow, but I'm still eyeing up a new radiator.

This post has been pointing in all sorts of directions on which way to go.

- CFS 3-Row. So far the only place I've found this is from DPG off-road. From what I can tell, the 3-Row HD from Radiator Barn is not the CFS Brand. They both apprear to be copper/brass and not plastic end tanks.
- Custom Aluminum Radiators. This Aluminum Cored Rad has Plastic Tanks. So far people have had good reviews about it, minus the tanks. http://www.alumrad.com/dblpass.html
- Genisis All Aluminum - This was the cheapest All-Aluminum Unit I could find, but some people have posted shipping/fitment issues.
- Be Cool - These All-Aluminum Radiators look very nice, but they don't have the built-in Transmission Cooler.

Some people have said that the 3-row actually decreased cooling performance on the trail because of the increased restriction to airflow. I'm leaning towards the one from Custom Aluminum Radiators, seems to be the best combination of quality and performance at a reasonable cost.

I bought mine from radiatorbarn.com 4 weeks ago, installed it last week. It definately is a CSF, 3 row. I do recall calling calling them first to verify that before ordering it. I didn't think DPG had any left at the time, as mine was a renix, and I think he was Out of stock then(?).

I replaced a 4 year old 2 row aluminum that was already running hot on mine. It worked fine the first 3 years. Aluminum does not hold up to corrosion like copper / brass. Anyone who has tried both will tell you to go with the CFS brass, 3 row (ask 5-90). Also the ZJ clutch (Hayden-Imperial brand at AA) is a real nice upgrade to add when doing the radiator swap. Far more air flow than the OEM clutch.


Removing that flap may actually hurt cooling. Be interested to hear your results on the no mud flap tests.

 

[fool4wheelin]

I replaced a 4 year old 2 row aluminum that was already running hot on mine.

Did this one have plastic end tanks? Which Brand?

Removing that flap may actually hurt cooling. Be interested to hear your results on the no mud flap tests.

Thats an interesting thought, why do you say that? I could be wrong, but IMHO that flap is a cheap version of a skid plate to keep mud, snow, grass, water, etc out of the engine compartment. My engine compartment is always very HOT since there is no-place for the air to go, so I figured removing it would give the warm air accross the radiator somewhere else to go. The engine compartment in my '86 XJ with the 2.5L always stayed reasonably cool, smaller engine and more room for airflow around it. It had the flap and insulation under the hood.

I won't be running in the altitude any time soon so I won't know for a while, getting ready for winter up here already.

 

[Ecomike]

Did this one have plastic end tanks? Which Brand?


Thats an interesting thought, why do you say that? I could be wrong, but IMHO that flap is a cheap version of a skid plate to keep mud, snow, grass, water, etc out of the engine compartment. My engine compartment is always very HOT since there is no-place for the air to go, so I figured removing it would give the warm air accross the radiator somewhere else to go. The engine compartment in my '86 XJ with the 2.5L always stayed reasonably cool, smaller engine and more room for airflow around it. It had the flap and insulation under the hood.

I won't be running in the altitude any time soon so I won't know for a while, getting ready for winter up here already.

It was plastic tanks. It was one of the major radiator.com sites.

Depends on where all that flap reaches. The idea is to keep the hot air that just went through the radiator from returning to the front and going through the radiator again. The bottom flap closes off the return path. It also closes off the short circuit path where air bypasses the condenser and then enters the radiator, thus raising the condenser pressure and temperature thus adding unneeded load on the engine via the compressor. Mine is gone on my 85,87, and 89. It also helps keep water off the fan blades, belt, alternator, etc, when driving through water.

 

[jeeperjohn]

Alright, my stock radiator isn't leaking so I don't NEED to replace it yet, but while driving up Engineer's Pass in Ouray, CO last month, the Jeep was getting a little warm. Never got above 220, but the AUX fan was always running and I had it in 1-LO to keep the engine driven fan spinning fast. I finally removed the factory mud-flap underneath the engine bay, so that should improve my airflow, but I'm still eyeing up a new radiator.

This post has been pointing in all sorts of directions on which way to go.

- CFS 3-Row. So far the only place I've found this is from DPG off-road. From what I can tell, the 3-Row HD from Radiator Barn is not the CFS Brand. They both apprear to be copper/brass and not plastic end tanks.
- Custom Aluminum Radiators. This Aluminum Cored Rad has Plastic Tanks. So far people have had good reviews about it, minus the tanks. http://www.alumrad.com/dblpass.html
- Genisis All Aluminum - This was the cheapest All-Aluminum Unit I could find, but some people have posted shipping/fitment issues.
- Be Cool - These All-Aluminum Radiators look very nice, but they don't have the built-in Transmission Cooler.

Some people have said that the 3-row actually decreased cooling performance on the trail because of the increased restriction to airflow. I'm leaning towards the one from Custom Aluminum Radiators, seems to be the best combination of quality and performance at a reasonable cost.

If you are looking at getting a new radiator I strongly suggest you check out www.ffdynamics.com . They offer a very high quality american made product at a price that smokes the other custom radiator guys and they have excellent customer service.

 

[fool4wheelin]

If you are looking at getting a new radiator I strongly suggest you check out www.ffdynamics.com . They offer a very high quality american made product at a price that smokes the other custom radiator guys and they have excellent customer service.

$450 and they are out of stock. Do they sell only the radiator or do you have to buy the whole triple fan kit?

 

[jeeperjohn]

$450 and they are out of stock. Do they sell only the radiator or do you have to buy the whole triple fan kit?

You can get just the radiator for somewhere in the $250 range. Compared to any other US made all aluminum radiator this is quite a bargain.

 

[Djmack]

i went ahead and bought the silla....

i suggest ordering it through the Customer service rep online chat... they can get you $10 off.

more to come when i get it and when i install it.

 

[SuzysJ]

I keep reading these threads the past dozen years, but so far haven't had to replace a radiator. I'll pass along what has worked for me:

For what it's worth, I always use de-ionized water (not distilled) or pre-mix, and add the proper amount of either:

RADIATOR MASTER RMI-25
http://www.rmidepot.com/

SCHAEFFERS #258 CLEAN & COOL
http://www.schaefferoil.com/specialty/258_coolant_additive.html

It's an auto service statistic that the cooling system is the most neglected system on a car. I had to learn the hard way NOT to replace components, but do everything right one time. I start by removing the block plugs to get the crud out at the bottom of the jackets. Replace everything else.

The radiator is icing on the cake.

Latest Jeep is 9.5 years/130,000 miles. 9-mos A/C use annually. ROBERTSHAW HD "Balanced Sleeve" thermostat.

Thanks for the latest batch of info, above. I sure admire those all aluminum radiators.

 

[flazz85]

CSF radiators I am not too sure on. I have read these posts here time and again about how good these radiators are. I have had mine for about a year and now the things pukes out radiator fluid like its job. That's the reason I am looking through all these threads on radiators again, prolly going aluminum this time. From what it looks like the CSF radiators are hit or miss possibly, worked well for nine months and started dripping a little bit to full blown catastrophe. on this thread itself I counted about 4 other people who were not happy with CSF rads compared to mostly good reviews. Idk. Lame is all I can say about them from my experience.

 

[Ecomike]

CSF radiators I am not too sure on. I have read these posts here time and again about how good these radiators are. I have had mine for about a year and now the things pukes out radiator fluid like its job. That's the reason I am looking through all these threads on radiators again, prolly going aluminum this time. From what it looks like the CSF radiators are hit or miss possibly, worked well for nine months and started dripping a little bit to full blown catastrophe. on this thread itself I counted about 4 other people who were not happy with CSF rads compared to mostly good reviews. Idk. Lame is all I can say about them from my experience.

If a true, 3 row CFS all copper/ brass can not solve your problem, then your problem is not the radiator, and is likely to be MORE than one of the usual suspects combined!

 

[dan89XJ]

CSF radiators I am not too sure on. I have read these posts here time and again about how good these radiators are. I have had mine for about a year and now the things pukes out radiator fluid like its job. That's the reason I am looking through all these threads on radiators again, prolly going aluminum this time. From what it looks like the CSF radiators are hit or miss possibly, worked well for nine months and started dripping a little bit to full blown catastrophe. on this thread itself I counted about 4 other people who were not happy with CSF rads compared to mostly good reviews. Idk. Lame is all I can say about them from my experience.

Puke.. drip ? What do you mean ? Did it leak, like a core broke or failed weld ? If you mean it purged out of the rad cap neck.. then its not the rad's fault

 

[kastein]

CSF radiators I am not too sure on. I have read these posts here time and again about how good these radiators are. I have had mine for about a year and now the things pukes out radiator fluid like its job. That's the reason I am looking through all these threads on radiators again, prolly going aluminum this time. From what it looks like the CSF radiators are hit or miss possibly, worked well for nine months and started dripping a little bit to full blown catastrophe. on this thread itself I counted about 4 other people who were not happy with CSF rads compared to mostly good reviews. Idk. Lame is all I can say about them from my experience.

If you do any offroading I strongly suggest a copper or brass radiator... not for cooling reasons (though it does help) but you can solder holes shut on one if you run into something and puncture it, or blow up your motor mounts and feed the radiator to your cooling fan. 20 bucks worth of tools/materials added to the trail kit plus a copper/brass radiator could mean the difference between riding home on a flatbed and driving home.

Puke.. drip ? What do you mean ? Did it leak, like a core broke or failed weld ? If you mean it purged out of the rad cap neck.. then its not the rad's fault

X2 on all this.