CSF 3 Row Radiator the best way to go?

B

BlueCuda

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Tulsa OK
I had a tank develop a crack on my stock XJ radiator this weekend, its got 230K miles on it so its probably time anyways lol.

I have zero cooling problems as is even with the leak. But I figured its as good a time as any to go ahead and upgraded since I will have it apart. Hell its about the only thing I haven't upgraded in the last 8 years of owning this thing. I want a bolt in setup that has the proper hookups for the auto trans cooler. I found DPG offroad has the CSF 3 rows for $209 is that the best thing out there right now? Local parts store listed a 2 core no name brand for the same cost.

ANy idea on what would cause the stock rad to get "soft". I noticed the nipple for the overflow tank had broken off a few weeks ago. Bieng a cheapass I opted to repair it, when I went to dig the broken piece out of the hose it just fell apart. I bet I could scratch a hole in this radiator with my fingernail. I have never seen that before?

Thanks for any info!

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get a 2-row, the 3-row's have really narrow tubes that like to clog up if you have any junk in your coolant. i would go with a known brand name, theres a ton of cheap bullshit aluminum radiators out there that show up by the pallet from china.
 
I have had the CSF for 6 years now. I had overheating issues before the swap (had the stock junk radiator with plastic tanks) but since the new radiator it ran about 200-205 in the winter and right at 210 during the summer even in south GA heat where we see 100 easy on most days. Only recently did I discover it running up to 220-225 so I am going to do a coolant change and thermostat replacement and hopefully that will get it back down to 210. The CSF is a great unit but if you go with a 2-row OEM replacement just make sure it is all metal and doesn't have plastic tanks on the side they tend to crack.
 
Hey thanks for the link, that does look like a better setup. I don't know why they don't list the radiator as working for a 97, champions website shows its the same part number for 91-01. Thanks again
 
No problem! And yea, I wondered about the application guide too but I triple checked the dimensions and fittings and it looks like it will definitely work. Plus, it will handle the cooling needs of my 650hp 4.0! :roflmao:

One more thing, I'm ordering mine very soon. They've been "out of stock" for a loooong time and just very recently started making them again so I'm paranoid about their availability.
 
i got my radiator from radiatorbarn.com. it was at a great price and fast shipping.

right now they are showing $198 and free shipping for a CSF 3 core all metal radiator
 
I have about 2 years on my CSF 3 Row from DPG. It now has a good size leak leaving a puddle everywhere I go. Even though it lasted 2 years before having problems it's one of the better radiators I’ve used. I'm still trying to decide if I want to repair it or upgrade. I keep getting tempted by the Griffin 5-591LB-FXX but there are other things I need to spend money on.
 
I bought the CSF 2 row brass radiator 4 months ago. Now I kick myself every day for not replacing my stock radiator for a stock replacement from Chrysler. It regularly runs up to 225-230*. The stock one lasted 135,000 miles with plastic tanks, I think that's a better bet than overheating. In my experience, don't screw with the stock system, it was designed to keep these things around 210*. My stock aluminum 1 row kept mine @ 210-215 consistantly in the 115-120* phoenix heat, now I have to go visit the stealership to avoid overheating this summer. Brass sucks at dissapating heat, and aluminum works better than copper. Don't make the same mistake I did BlueCuda, keep it STOCK!!!
 
Nothing else is stock though? :D

I think you might have other issues if thats how hot its getting. My stroker stays plenty cool in the trails when its 100* outside with the AC on. I will leave it at a fast idle(ext idle switch) when my wife sits in the jeep reading her book while I help spot someone or get them unstuck. Hell it was 88* sunday and I drove it around with the AC on while it was barfing coolant and it didn't get over 210.

Stock might be the way I go I just wanted some other options. The Champion one on the ebay link Milford posted looks like a great deal. I will probably go that route if they get them back in stock anytime soon. Its not a DD anymore so I can be a LITTLE bit patient waiting on a good replacement to come along. I do try and drive it whenever I can on the weekends though.

Thanks for the replies!
 
I would not recommend the CSF 3-row #2761 or even the 2-row (2760) as I have one of them too -another story. I did not have overheating issues at all, just needed to replace a stock cracked unit. I never went over 210 in the heat of the summer - crawling in the deserts of Moab or on the highway. After replacing it I now, on a cool day of 65 degrees, it's going over 210 on the highway with the AC off. So I did a little comparison of the two. Clearly the CSF unit is inferior. It's constuction is nice but fins are at least half as dense as the stock unit. This means less surface area to transfer the heat even though it's a little thicker than the stock unit. I compared this construction to other cars and my GMC diesel and no radiator I saw had such spread out fins. It's clearly is a cost savings measure and I'm sure CSF did not do any testing to see how many BTUs this radiator could effectively dissipate. I do not have any air pockets in the system or any other issues. They also painted this unit, who does that? Paint will act as an insulator and inhibit the transfer of heat. I have to get rid of this one now and I'm really considering going to Chrysler and buying a stock HD unit and know I'm getting what I had - a radiator that worked!
 
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gpn, also check your thermostat. I thought mine was gettign an air pocket or something because it would run hot but turning on the heat still helped - it would seem I had coolant flow. I kept putting off working on it for almost a year because it was manageable in the summer and not a problem in the winter. I also knew my aux fan was shot. The sensor went out so I wired in a switch, then that went bad and I had no aux fan all throughout winter. Finally wired it back in, and still warm. Put in a new thermostat and it's running right where it should.
 
The champions are freaking hard to get a hold of!

I snagged a brand new one off ebay for $200 shipped. I was excited cause I knew that they tend to sell out then go for several weeks if not months before coming back in stock, only to get an email from paypal the next morning saying that my payment had been refunded followed by a message from the seller apologizing and explaining that he had sold out just before I placed my order, damn!

That was a week ago and now I found some from a different seller and bought it as fast as I could. It's been a few days and no refund or issues with the order. But I won't breathe a sigh of relief till I'm actually holding the thing, lol.

I've found that the best way to find these things is to search "jeep cherokee all aluminum 3 row radiator" in ebay. The part number is CC1193.

According to ebay, there's still 5 left from the seller I'm buying from if anyone's interested. $209 shipped.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290566801042&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT
 
My Champion aluminum 3 core came in yesterday. It looks great and I hope it fits as well as it looks lol. Build quality looks pretty good.

0656cbcc.jpg
 
Almost as purdy as your gold studs. I looked around yesterday and only saw the champions for the <91. I couldn't find a good 2-core all aluminum.
 
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