I need a radiator.....

[TObject]

Originally posted by Rick Bernotas


Diamond is even better than silver...

Yep! And graphite beats the diamond if you can force the heat transfer in the direction parallel to the crystal layers.

Nothing beats in thermal conductivity superfluid form of liquid helium II, which only exists at temperatures below 2.17 K, make a radiator out of that, and put it in your jeep

[JLemieux]

Originally posted by Robert J. Yates
Was this a TJ John?

Robert,
It was a 97 TJ

[Phil Howell]

What's a radiator?

[Allen]

Originally posted by Phil Howell
What's a radiator?

Allen

[Ace!]

You must drive an auto????

The manual trans is a different part number, and almost $100 less. The part numbers are very close between the two. I don't know the actual difference between the two...anyone else know?



One good thing to know though, if you have an auto and your dealer is charging $305, you're not being charged a matrix/markup. You should be able to buy other products through the dealer without the matrix/markup that some other dealers charge (over listed retail). Not necessarily helpful in this particular situation, but in some situations you might find it helpful to know that (i.e., disc brake conversion using Jeep parts).

[TJRON]

Originally posted by Ace!
You must drive an auto????

The manual trans is a different part number, and almost $100 less. The part numbers are very close between the two. I don't know the actual difference between the two...anyone else know?

The autos use part of the radiator to cool the transmission. Of course we don't know of any autos with cooling problems, do we?
I never overheated with my stock radiator and I never overheat with the three core radiator I have in there now. BTW the three core in there now is for an auto so I'm not getting it's full use.

[TJRON]

Originally posted by Phil Howell
What's a radiator?

It's that big ugly black thing you've been busting your knuckles on so you can sell your Jeep?

[Phil Howell]

No, in mine, it was the big ugly black and SILVER thing . . .



I'm sorry. I couldn't resist.

[Jerry Bransford]

Did everyone miss the question on 3-row vs 2-row radiators and what's better or more efficient, cooling wise? Why would I use a 2-row or a 3-row? I'm too old not to know about 2 and 3-row radiators.

[Tim]

in addition to jerrys question..

are the overheaters with the aftermarket radiators autos or 5 speeds?

jerry, above in this thread you will find my reason and the only other reason id run a 2 over a 3 is to make more room for an electric fan.

[Allen]

Originally posted by T.Dome
in addition to jerrys question..

are the overheaters with the aftermarket radiators autos or 5 speeds?

jerry, above in this thread you will find my reason and the only other reason id run a 2 over a 3 is to make more room for an electric fan.

So basically you're saying you'd go with a 2 core because of mud and to possibly fit an electric fan.....

I went with the 2 core.....I hope I don't regret it.....

But seeing as how a stocker is a single core.....and the fact that this TJ runs exactly as my last.....210* no matter what, no matter where.....I think I'll be OK.

Allen

[Phil Howell]

I'm not sure there are any OEM's using more than two-core radiators any more. Tube sizing on the one- and two-core radiators are usually between 1" and 1.5" diameter. These are much larger than the tubes used in the 3-, 4- and 5-core radiators of yore.

An issue that needs to be dealt with is air pressure drop through the radiator. I once installed a 5-core racing radiator with very small fins (more fins=more heat exchange ability) in a V8 Jeep. My temperatures shot up! I changed back to a 3-core "regular" radiator with larger fins and coolant temps went down and held at thermostat temperatures. I found that there was too much pressure drop, or in other words, not enough air getting through the supposedly more efficient radiator.

New aluminum core radiators with plastic tanks are very efficient. The large tubes allow better cooling and less air pressure drop through the radiator. Do the plastic tanks sometimes leak where they're attached to the core? Yes, sometimes they do (but not ALL do, even in the same application). The tank-core issue is an easy fix for any radiator shop, too. I'd still rather use one of the new, high-tech radiators than the old style any day, in any environment.

I'm having an aluminum 2-row Griffin built right now for my next Jeep.

[ChrisK]

Originally posted by Phil Howell
I'm having an aluminum 2-row Griffin built right now for my next Jeep.

So, can I ask how much a custom like that costs?
I'm to the point that I have decided that my 3 row all brass radiator is not optimal for Arizona. I've had 2 leaky factory radiators in there before the newer one and I don't want another leak prone factory one. I want to go all aluminum but nobody makes one you can buy off the shelf. You'd think with all the heat problems and leaky radiators that people have reported that someone would step up to the plate and make one but, no. Hello, Currie?

Chris

[Phil Howell]

Griffin Radiators for my application run between 250.00-450.00. There are other all-aluminum radiators online that are cheaper (under 199.00). Some are at a racing supply place I can't remember the name of. I wish I could remember and, if I do, I'll post the name here. The problem with all of these is they require some attention to the mounting. Novak has some really nice aluminum radiator mounts for Jeeps. They also sell Griffin. You might check with them.

Chris, Ron Davis Radiators is located somewhere in your area. They make top-notch aluminum radiators, ranging from reasonable pricing to ridiculous. You might check with them, too.

[StealthTJ]

Chris,
Rod Davis Radiators is in Glendale:

http://www.rondavisradiators.com/





Fred

[Robert J. Yates]

My "auto" Jeep has never overheated. It runs on the low side of the 210 notch on the trail no matter what, and it runs on the high side of the notch at 65 on the freeway when its 90+ degrees out.

The computer wants the Jeep (all TJ's) to run at 210 so the idea is to build enough reserve into the system to ensure that it stays at 210 even under the most adverse of conditions.

The stock radiator was one which was a constant source of problems for me as the tanks leaked all the time. Yes, any radiator shop can replace the gasket and re-crimp them but after 2 episodes of this, I said forget it. The radiator guy confirmed this for me whne he said that they will never get them re-crimped to the same spec as they came from the factory. I then bought and installed a 3 core all metal radiator and a new fan clutch and my problems went away until as previously mentioned, I added some more grill blockage in the form a power steering cooler.

Frankly, I have seen a 5 speed TJ do the same thing just this part Memorial Weekend on my way up to the Sierras so I don't think its simply a matter of an auto vs manual thing. Even if it was, I wouldn't trade my auto as it is the best tranny for what I want to wheel in. That being said, so what if the auto guys are adding coolers all over the place? To me, adding coolers is part of building in durability. Eventually, I will have an oil cooler in mine which will bring my aftermarket cooler total to 3.

[Stu Olson]

The first morning of 2AJUMR, my OEM radiator was leaking quite a bit (steam and all). I had started the TJ (pretty cool morning), ran into town and parked it at City Market. A friend mentioned the puddle of coolant that was forming under the vehicle. I kept an eye on it and later in the morning, all was good (stopped leaking). Prior to that day, I had never seen nor smelled a drop of coolant.

The following morning (still quite cool out), I started the TJ and let it idel for about 10~15 minutes at the cabin, prior to taking it into town. There was the slightest hint of coolant around the upper seal that day. IMO, the radiator was becoming marignal prior to Moab, and with the much cooler temps, the metal and plastic simply expanded at two different rates....and so it leaked. The 2nd morning, when I let it warm up to temp while idling, I believe the plastic and metal had a much better time of expanding together and thus, minimal leaking.

That all being said, I now have one of those off-shore two core replacement rads that come from such places as radiators.com and the like. I think it was a CSF if memory serves me correctly. For the most part, I am happy with it. I push a needle's width or two over 210 when it is 110+ outside and I am driving 65 MPH on the freeway with the A/C on. Within 5 minutes of leaving the freeway and hitting the surface streets, the temp gets back to 210. If I had to put a cooler in front of radiator, I feel fairly confident I would have an over heating issue to deal with.

I too believe that many of 3 core models being sold here in AZ just don't allow enough air flow and as such, contribute to the vehicle running hot. I know of a couple of Jeepers who switched from a 3 core metal to a 2 core metal and their temp climbing probelms went away (same brand of radiator, just different model).

[Allen]

Originally posted by Stu Olson
That all being said, I now have one of those off-shore two core replacement rads that come from such places as radiators.com and the like. I think it was a CSF if memory serves me correctly. For the most part, I am happy with it. I push a needle's width or two over 210 when it is 110+ outside and I am driving 65 MPH on the freeway with the A/C on. Within 5 minutes of leaving the freeway and hitting the surface streets, the temp gets back to 210. If I had to put a cooler in front of radiator, I feel fairly confident I would have an over heating issue to deal with.

That's the exact one I ordered yesterday.....

Allen

[TObject]

Originally posted by Allen
That's the exact one I ordered yesterday.....

With your luck, you are gonna get it in pieces.

[Allen]

Originally posted by TObject
With your luck, you are gonna get it in pieces.

Allen

[TObject]

It's ok Allen, go here: http://www.superchicken.org/ relax...

[Jerry Bransford]

That was really good information from several of you on the 2 and 3 row radiator question, thanks much to you all! I now know just enough about them to be dangerous.

[Stu Olson]

Welcome to the club!

[mrblaine]

I'm convinced that cooling systems, radiators and batteries are part of a deep dark black cult of automotive witchcraft voodoo.

We mess with radiators in an attempt to improve cooling efficiency and have no ideas on how many gpm's need to flow, how long the coolant needs to stay in the radiators at what speed to extract the maximum amount of btu's for the optimum thermal efficiency. Toss in different coolants, balanced flow thermostats, copper vs. brass vs. aluminum and balance thermal conductivity with wall strength of tubes vs. the number of fins per inch vs. the width and number of tubes and then decide if you want a vertical fluid path or a double horizontal fluid path and it's a wonder we can even get them started without them boiling over in the driveway.

It's all voodoo.

[ChrisK]

Originally posted by mrblaine
It's all voodoo.

Agreed 110%!

Chris

[ChrisK]

Originally posted by StealthTJ
Chris,
Rod Davis Radiators is in Glendale:

http://www.rondavisradiators.com/

Thanks Fred! I'll be checking them out soon.

Chris

[Darrell C]

Originally posted by mrblaine
I'm convinced that cooling systems, radiators and batteries are part of a deep dark black cult of automotive witchcraft voodoo.