What are you doing to your rig - the continuing saga

[ThatGrimmJeeper]

Is there any reason to go with one of the expensive aftermarket full aluminum radiators over the Mopar HD radiator from RockAuto? I know the Mopar unit will probably be a plastic/aluminum piece. And the full aluminum ones have no plastic. On the other hand, they're something like 3x the price. Is it worth it to avoid plastic?

 

[Kittrell]

Is there any reason to go with one of the expensive aftermarket full aluminum radiators over the Mopar HD radiator from RockAuto? I know the Mopar unit will probably be a plastic/aluminum piece. And the full aluminum ones have no plastic. On the other hand, they're something like 3x the price. Is it worth it to avoid plastic?

I had something like this on my '99 and never had an issue with it. As far as I know it is still living in the rig. No need for a Novak or Ron Davis.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/60mm-Alumin...ck-99-00-01-/272211870447?fits=Model:Cherokee

 

[DutchVDub]

I use the $100 Checker Auto Special that has a lifetime warranty. Sure, it might fail on me a cost me some time/coolant. But its free for life. Of course I've sold every vehicle I've put one in and only had one long enough to cash in the free replacement. But that's my method, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[freerider15]

I'll be needing to put a different radiator in Nikki's '96.

It was getting too hot when we went to COFest driving the hills.

It will sit at the mark above 210, and creep slightly.

I went through the ENTIRE cooling system prior to leaving:
- New (not-reman) NAPA waterpump and heater core tube
- New T-Stat and Housing
- New Hoses
- FULL flush, several times over
- Newer looking Crown? radiator from a parts Jeep

So, this cooling system should be far from getting hot. The Jeep is only running 225/75R16's, even mine when it was on 35's never had an overheating problem.

I've been eyeing some sort of aftermarket replacement for it eventually.

 

[ROKRWLR]

Is there any reason to go with one of the expensive aftermarket full aluminum radiators over the Mopar HD radiator from RockAuto? I know the Mopar unit will probably be a plastic/aluminum piece. And the full aluminum ones have no plastic. On the other hand, they're something like 3x the price. Is it worth it to avoid plastic?

I have a 1 yr old parts store radiator that I pulled out of mine. If you are in this area, and haven't bought a new one yet, I'll give it to you dirt cheap.


As far as parts store radiators, this is my 2nd. I accidentally put a drill bit through my other 9 yr old parts store radiator which is why I bought this one. They work fine if you don't have other issues (and can keep sharp objects away :twak.

 

[ThatGrimmJeeper]

I have a 1 yr old parts store radiator that I pulled out of mine. If you are in this area, and haven't bought a new one yet, I'll give it to you dirt cheap.


As far as parts store radiators, this is my 2nd. I accidentally put a drill bit through my other 9 yr old parts store radiator which is why I bought this one. They work fine if you don't have other issues (and can keep sharp objects away :twak.

I'll be up at the Westminster Elks Club Thursday evening.

I could easily drop by.

 

[ROKRWLR]

Sounds good. I'll be around. I'll PM you the address.

 

[Fred]

I've had an aluminum/plastic radiator from Performance Radiator for the last 9 years. No problems. With the silly expensive water pump from Hesco, it barely gets warm in a new engine, and I don't think running rich can explain it. Water pumps with good impellers do make a difference.

 

[ROKRWLR]

I think the hole in the hood looks pretty good. Nice progress on the LS swap

Thanks man!

I think I'm going to scrounge up a Vortec engine cover to clean up the look of the engine itself.

I have found a new respect for all of the guys who have tried (and succeeded) to cram this thing under the hood. I'm not even trying to get it all under, and running out of space for everything. The engine itself is smaller, but once you get that big air tube and the radiator / fan in, space runs out quickly. Hell, I don't even have batteries or inner fenders to get in my way and I'm running out of real-estate.

I'm trying to solve the jigsaw puzzle of parts now under the hood. I need to find room for:

• Radiator overflow
• Hydro steering cooler
• Oil cooler w/ fans (probably next to radiator)
• 3qt Oil accumulator (Big 'ole thing)
• Tranny cooler w/ fans (probably going to the back of the Jeep)
• ECU and Jeep PDC

 

[DaJudge]

Is there any reason to go with one of the expensive aftermarket full aluminum radiators over the Mopar HD radiator from RockAuto? I know the Mopar unit will probably be a plastic/aluminum piece. And the full aluminum ones have no plastic. On the other hand, they're something like 3x the price. Is it worth it to avoid plastic?

I am running the Mopar HD and it has been great! It was nice to just drop it in and not have to modify anything. Not to mention the money difference. I have never had a problem with the plastic tanks so I wasn't concerned.

 

[hjeepxj]

Got my "multi function switch" replaced this week...Jeepz doing Jeep things. Wasn't sexy but it needed to work properly.

 

[Kittrell]

Got my "multi function switch" replaced this week...Jeepz doing Jeep things. Wasn't sexy but it needed to work properly.

Pictures or it didn't happen.

 

[hjeepxj]

Pictures or it didn't happen.

:laugh::eyes:

 

[1-tonxj]

Thanks man!

I think I'm going to scrounge up a Vortec engine cover to clean up the look of the engine itself.

I have found a new respect for all of the guys who have tried (and succeeded) to cram this thing under the hood. I'm not even trying to get it all under, and running out of space for everything. The engine itself is smaller, but once you get that big air tube and the radiator / fan in, space runs out quickly. Hell, I don't even have batteries or inner fenders to get in my way and I'm running out of real-estate.

I'm trying to solve the jigsaw puzzle of parts now under the hood. I need to find room for:

• Radiator overflow
• Hydro steering cooler
• Oil cooler w/ fans (probably next to radiator)
• 3qt Oil accumulator (Big 'ole thing)
• Tranny cooler w/ fans (probably going to the back of the Jeep)
• ECU and Jeep PDC

When my 4.0 gets pulled the radiator will no longer live in the grill it fits far more easily in the back and cooling options are cheaper this also leaves more room in the engine bay...not sure why folks with 10% jeep left worry about keeping this item in stock location .

 

[planefixer]

I've got a crack in my lower tack bar bracket (D30). Who makes a decent raised bracket, or should I just fab one up? I'm kind of liking the Artec bracket so far. I'm not planning to do a truss - looking at brackets only.

 

[1-tonxj]

I've got a crack in my lower tack bar bracket (D30). Who makes a decent raised bracket, or should I just fab one up? I'm kind of liking the Artec bracket so far. I'm not planning to do a truss - looking at brackets only.

Well since you're asking....I thinl you should swap in a d60/14 combo and fab up sone 1/4 brackets...or you could just weld up the crack in current stock mount.

 

[Kittrell]

I've got a crack in my lower tack bar bracket (D30). Who makes a decent raised bracket, or should I just fab one up? I'm kind of liking the Artec bracket so far. I'm not planning to do a truss - looking at brackets only.

For the money, I like the Artec. That is a better option than the JKS OAB IMO. Ballistic Fab is an option as well but for $10 more I would rather have the quality of Artec.

 

[freerider15]

Jeff, I had the JKS OAB, it got ripped off in a death wobble fit coming back from Moab one year. It got braced like a mofo after, never had any issues after that.

I'd go with the Artec as well. Not that expensive and saves a bit of time.

With either, I would look at adding any bracing where you can, to be safe.

When I do the WJ swap on the built axle going under the coming DD XJ, I'll be building my own...but I'm a little OCD when it comes to that stuff :laugh:

 

[Fred]

Put in another set of 18#, fits every jeep, injectors from e-bay(yellow body, maybe bosch, the 4 holes do have a bigger spread than the previous version) :dunno:, to replace the 22# same lineage injectors. POS runs like a raped ape. Lessons for anybody that happens to build an engine for a Renix jeep: 1. If the MPS isn't new, make it so; 2. Make sure the TPS is adjusted with the T-body throttle plate is just barely cracked like stock; 3. Make sure the distributor is indexed so that the rotor is just past the #1 distributor contact at TDS. With the Hesco cam, bored T-body, HO massaged head, the POS pulls from 800 rpm, and from 3500 gets really excited as it approaches 5k rpm. I'm fairly certain it would pull to close to 6k rpm, but I don't have that much faith in the mostly stock valve train. The Renix computer is pretty funny, it still searches for set points after start up, revving over idle to 1200 rpm twice after start-up, hot or cold, had to adjust the throttle stop back quite a bit from the point needed for the 22# injectors which I haven't quite wrapped my brain around.

Anyway, it runs, and hopefully the mpg will go back to it's usual 12 mpg, instead of the 7 mpg it's been lately.

 

[Fred]

Took it to Bud's Muffler. Installed a Magnaflow muffler and fixed all the shit I had done to the exhaust. It sounds really good hitting 4k a block away. And it doesn't pee oil everywhere. It's getting there, but it still has a way to go.