M4RK

Ive been reading that a 3 row is pretty hardcore and if Im not going out for serious offroading that I wont need a 3 row. I also want as much rom as possible for a dual electric fan setup. A 3 row is going to be much thicker right? On the other hand my 98 XJ seems to run a LOT hotter than the average temps people say theirs runs at around here. I live on the east coast of Virginia, right now its about 50 degrees outside, 60 tops at mid day and it runs at 210 all day long. If Im idling at a stop for more than 10 minutes it slowly starts to creep higher and higher. Even when its cold enough outside to see my breath. Makes no sense at all.

So with all of that in mind, will a 2 row aluminum radiator do a significantly better job cooling my engine than the stock rad while giving me more room for dual electric fans than a 3 core radiator? Thanks in advance.

macgyver35

If your temps are creeping up at an idle, it sounds to me like you have a water flow problem at lower RPMs. That could be caused by a sticking thermostat, a partially plugged radiator, or a water pump impeller that has seen better days.

I live in Texas, with a stock water pump and single row radiator, and even in 100 degree heat with the AC on, mine sits right around 210.

Your thermostat doesn't even allow flow until 195 degrees, so 210 is pretty normal.

First thing I'd do is put in a new theromostat. It and a gasket will set you back all of about $15, can be changed in about 20 minutes with just two bolts, and that includes cleaning the old gasket off with a wire wheel in a drill.

If that doesn't help, you need to start looking at higher dollar problems. I'll say this, were it me, if you're going to go through all the trouble to put a new radiator in, go ahead and do the water pump too, and vice verse. A water pump is less than $30. As far a dual row or three row... Either one should be fine. Again, with a properly functioning thermostat, adequate coolant flow, and proper fan operation your engine should run at normal temps with either one (and once again, mine runs at normal temps with a single row). If you do a lot of wheeling at slow speeds in high temps, or if you do a lot of towing, you may consider the three row. They sell the CSF three-row an Amazon for $216. However, ther ehas been some speculation that a three row can flow TOO well. I haven't quite decided if I agree with this, but the rational is that with a three row, the water doesn't stay in the radiator long enough to cool off properly. Seems to me that would be more a function of possible coolant flow rate as determined by the water pump and the main bottle-neck area of the thermostat, but there may be something to it.

M4RK

Right on. The water pump that's in it is less than 4 years old and it had these problems before I put it in so I don't think its the main cause of the problem. I can't remember if I installed a thermostat since I've owned this truck so yours absolutely right I should just put in another one in since they're so cheap.

So just to clarify, the stock XJ radiator is a single row? Would a 2 core be twice as deep and a 3 core be 3 times as deep?
Cause Ive been wanting to ditch my clutch fan and run twin electric fans for a while but Im concerned I won't have the clearance with a 3 core. Plus the 2 core CSF rad is only $150 on amazon and if it flows and cools significantly better than the stock single core rad then I see no reason to spend the extra money on a 3 core if its just gonna be overkill.

Lastly going back to the thermostat, I'm not sure on which one to get. I'm in Williamsburg Virginia. Its only cold enough here to snow less than a week combined in a two year span, and the heat has broken 100 degrees Fahrenheit less than a dozen times I'd say in the past 25 years. I don't want my XJ having problems warming up because it still gets damn cold here but I'd like something cooler than stock. What's the stock heat threshold? 195? Thanks for your help.

SteveMongr

Heating up at idle is a symptom of a bad fan clutch. It is not moving enough air.

3 row radiators clog up easier due to their much smaller passages. The smaller passages also mean less airflow over the tubes that carry coolant.

Twin electric fans can be problematic due to the reduced airflow compared with the mechanical fan.

Thermostat should be 195 F.

M4RK

Its not the fan clutch. That's almost brand new. Its got less than 8000 miles on it. I'm not getting hung up on a 3 row here. What I'm asking is can I get away with running a 2 row and is it substantial enough of an upgrade over the stock rad or will I only see a nig enough difference if I get a 3 row? Also again, I thought that the stock thermostat was set at 195 and would like to know what an ideal thermo would be over stock?

SteveMongr

2 row will be an improvement.
Could be that your existing radiator has silt build up and is restricting flow.
Also the fins on rad and condenser can be clogged with debris, restricting airflow.
A cooler thermostat will not help the issue.
The ideal stat is 195 for proper operating temperature and fuel efficiency

k4ylr

The ideal thermostat is 195°. Motors are not like electronics where cooler is better. The system needs to run at an optimal temperature to be most efficient. Buy a Stant 195° thermostat and you're good to go.

A 2-row radiator is just fine. I cracked my OEM plastic tank on my radiator and bought one in a pinch from Oreillys for 120$. It survived the rest of winter and Oklahoma's summer.

The biggest issue is keeping everything running and as clean as you care to.

M4RK

Y'all are kinda making it seem like a 2 row is a little better, but still not that great. Is it not worth it do you think? I'm looking for something that will do more than just barely perform better than stock. At the same time I'd really like to have enough space there to run twin electric fans if I decide to go that route later down the road. On a side note there I know some of y'all keep saying how electric fans are a waste of money and they don't work but I think the people saying that just didn't do their homework. Race cars and trucks use electric fans...and they work fine. You just need to get something with a higher CFM rating over the stock fans. Plus I'm tired of my clutch fan robbing power from my engine and I know for a fact that it does. I've run my XJ with no clutch fan for a few days and not only did it sound much healthier but it got 2 mpg better fuel efficiency and a noticeable power gain.

So back to the radiator; is the difference in thickness between a 2 and 3 core substantial enough that I'll notice and would have enough clearance for electric fans with a 2 core but not a 3 core? Does anyone here own the 2 core version that can tell me how much cooler their XJ runs now? Thanks in advance. I know I'm beating a dead horse at this point but I want to be certain.

SteveMongr

2 row from NAPA has worked great for me driving in sand. And I can let it idle over 10 minutes with the AC on in the summer and maintain the steady operating temp of 210 F.
You are correct about the electric fans. But to get one that matches the CFM of the mechanical fan is pricey. I forget what CFM the mech fan pulls.
This was just posted and relates. https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/ask...4/#post2965626

macgyver35

One thing to keep in mind one 1-2-3 row rads...
You do not always get an even increase in thickness when you go up in row count. That is dependent on individual row size. I don't profess to know that math, but I know there are calculations done to give a certain amount of surface area (which is where your cooling effect comes from) to a certain amount of water volume and flow rate in the tubes. If you pull up the specs of various radiators, you'll get different thickness even when they have the same number of rows.

So, in your concerns about your fan clearance, your best bet is to get the thickness of the stock unit, and the amount of space between the inside of it's row and your pulleys, and then try to compare that to whatever aftermarket unit you are eyeballing. I do know that the CSF three-row is designed to work properly with the stock fans, so if your aftermarket fans are the same or less thickness, they should work with it as well.

At the end of the day, plenty of us have proper cooling with stock rads. So long as your entire system is up to spec and flowing well, you should be fine. That being said, a dual row would also work, so long as your fans still fit.