wagoneers.com

New Radiator Installation Full-Size Jeep

contributed by FSJ list member Dan Black, Iowa, USA

These are pictures of a new radiator being installed in a Full-Size Jeep (an
'88 Grand Wagoneer).  The radiator is a 4-core that I got from
http://radiators.com/.	 

They have a 3-core that was $130 or $140 (IIRC) including shipping.	 

The 4-core I got was $200 ($190-something) including shipping.  
IMO, it's well worth the money.  The radiator itself went in smoothly, 
it works well, and it hasn't leaked a single drop.  

(I have been driving with it almost daily for about three weeks now.)

So I would definitely recommend them.

I installed the old radiator just a few years ago.  The original had a
pinhole leak between fins, so I wasn't able to get it completely plugged.  The
one I bought then was brand new, was from a local place (not
radiators.com), cost a bit over $300, was only 2- or 3-core, and must've been
soldered poorly around the top, because it began leaking most of the way around
the top seam probably within a week or two of installation.  A couple rounds of
JB Weld helped, but never stopped it entirely.	It never let the engine
overheat, but I really don't like leaks, especially when they start dropping a
cup or so of fluid at a time.

The removal of the old radiator was also messy and annoying and took about
four hours because none of the old attachments (drain plug or either of the
nozzles for the ATF hoses) would come out, and the drain plug tabs broke, so I
had to take off the lower radiator hose to drain it.  Even if you can get the
old ones out ok, as I had the time before, I'd recommend getting new ones
anyway.	 If it helps you avoid the hassle I went through, it's worth it.  No,
they are not included from radiators.com, nor from any other place I've seen.
Go ahead and buy new hoses, too; the rubber hoses should probably be replaced
every year or few anyway.

 
 new-attachments-detail.jpg	 
 
 new-bottom-view.jpg	 
 
 new-front-view-1.jpg   
 
 new-back-view.jpg		
 
 new-front-view-2.jpg   
 
 new-with-attachments.jpg   

 
 new-drain-plug-detail.jpg   
Note that of the two standard drain plug sizes (sitting there to show the
    difference), it's the larger one that you use.  Also note that the ATF
    nozzles are the same size as the smaller drain plug size.  Sorry I don't
    know the numbers.


 
 new-hoses.jpg  
These are from CarQuest, and you can see the numbers.  The top radiator
    hose (#20380) did NOT work!!	 It looks like it's an attempt at the
    correct hose, but it was just a little bit shorter between the bends than
    my old one, and it ended up resting across the two belts on my AC
    compressor.	 Needless to say, I didn't bother installing it.  My old one
    was still in good enough shape that I just used it.	 (I think those were
    replaced when I had the engine replaced earlier this year.)	 The lower hose
    also leaves a lot to be desired; it wanted to crimp itself (be sure to get
    the spring out of the old one, or buy a spring otherwise, to keep it from
    crimping!).	 So frankly, I'd recommend a non-CarQuest brand for these.  I
    also like to use all new hose clamps, but I even stripped a brand new one
    putting it on, and I had to cut it off with wire cutters.  In the end,
    nothing leaked even the first time I started the engine, so I did actually
    end up doing everything right.


 
 remove-old-2.jpg 
This is what it all looked like before I removed it.  (Notice the JBWeld
    around the top seam...)

The empty space after removing the fan shroud and the radiator.	 The fins
    you see aren't the main radiator; it's AC or something.  You can also see
    the differential vent hose (with the white plastic knob at the end) at the
    lower left.	 This should have a clip to bolt on with the radiator, just to
    keep it up out of the way.	It's also barely visible, still attached, in
    the previous picture.

 
 install-new-1.jpg   
New radiator bolted in, no hoses or fan shroud yet.  Ain't it purty?

 
 install-new-2.jpg   
With fan shroud.  Still no hoses.  If you make it this far, you'll probably
    figure out the hoses.