Recommend aluminum radiator

01saharatj

01saharatj

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I have an aluminum radiator leaking looking to replace can anyone recommend a good one that doesn’t break the bank?

2001 wrangler Sahara 4.0 automatic located in Las Vegas area (desert)
 
I've got a Champion Cooling Systems Model# 2101 but I'm only a couple months in. Went in fine, holes lined up, etc and seems well put together.

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Denso seems to be the runner up to Mopar... they're around $100 and well worth it.

Some discussion on these forums that the aluminum radiators can't withstand the flex going on up in the front of a TJ. And other arguments.

Lots of forum posts you can read!

-Mac
 
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macleanflood said:
Denso seems to be the runner up to Mopar... they're around $100 and well worth it.

Some discussion on these forums that the aluminum radiators can't withstand the flex going on up in the front of a TJ. And other arguments.

Lots of forum posts you can read!

-Mac
Click to expand...

SkylinesSuck said:
I know Blaine says that ain't it, but it's what I suspect.
Click to expand...

It recently occurred to me that the aluminum core of an OEM type radiator is electrically insulated from the chassis by the plastic tanks, thereby removing it from the galvanic circuit of which aluminum would be the sacrificial anode. If I'm onto something with this, rubber mounting an aluminum radiator may be beneficial, just not in the way most people think.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
It recently occurred to me that the aluminum core of an OEM type radiator is electrically insulated from the chassis by the plastic tanks, thereby removing it from the galvanic circuit of which aluminum would be the sacrificial anode. If I'm onto something with this, rubber mounting an aluminum radiator may be beneficial, just not in the way most people think.
Click to expand...

That's a good thought, I just have to wonder that the tanks are not what attaches the radiator to the grill shell though...
 
Artsifrtsi said:
That's a good thought, I just have to wonder that the tanks are not what attaches the radiator to the grill shell though...
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that's what took me so long to realize it.

I don't even remember why I was looking, but I noticed the brackets that come on the radiator (that are indeed steel) that mount to the grill shell, don't attach to the core. They attach to the tanks.

PXL_20240506_200933908.jpg


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PXL_20240506_201228953.jpg
 
freedom_in_4low said:
that's what took me so long to realize it.

I don't even remember why I was looking, but I noticed the brackets that come on the radiator (that are indeed steel) that mount to the grill shell, don't attach to the core. They attach to the tanks.
Click to expand...

So, that's a good catch. I did not notice that either... now that you point it out.

I'm not 100% sold on the electrolysis theory... alone. I know that it is not flex... radiator is attached to the grill shell, and not enough flex there to move the radiator. I wonder about a combination of electrolysis and vibration, one exacerbating the other rapidly speeding up the failure.

Using some iso pads to mount an aluminum radiator would eliminate/greatly diminish both of those issues, then the cause would be something else. Something like these is what you are thinking?
1715028530524.png
 
Artsifrtsi said:
So, that's a good catch. I did not notice that either... now that you point it out.

I'm not 100% sold on the electrolysis theory... alone. I know that it is not flex... radiator is attached to the grill shell, and not enough flex there to move the radiator. I wonder about a combination of electrolysis and vibration, one exacerbating the other rapidly speeding up the failure.

Using some iso pads to mount an aluminum radiator would eliminate/greatly diminish both of those issues, then the cause would be something else. Something like these is what you are thinking?
View attachment 524693
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how those go together but the key is to make sure there's no conductive path including through the bolt. I'm used to seeing something more like a grommet that would go into an enlarged hole in the radiator bracket so the bolt is insulated from the radiator. The grommet should also have a sleeve that bottoms out the bolt so it can be torqued adequately without squeezing all the rubber out.


something not unlike the unobtanium grommets used in the valve cover.
 
freedom_in_4low said:
I'm not sure how those go together but the key is to make sure there's no conductive path including through the bolt. I'm used to seeing something more like a grommet that would go into an enlarged hole in the radiator bracket so the bolt is insulated from the radiator. The grommet should also have a sleeve that bottoms out the bolt so it can be torqued adequately without squeezing all the rubber out.


something not unlike the unobtanium grommets used in the valve cover.
Click to expand...

Think of them as 2 bolts connected by rubber. They would be inserted into a hole, with a nut on each side… no conductive materials though.
 
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I have a CSF, about a year old. Big deal - ask me in 20. An aluminum radiator is like a mackerel in the moonlight. Its shiny, and it stinks.
 
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