alum. radiator 2.9

[fastford04]

Well my stock radiator quit on me the other day I found a crack in it by the nipple on the top left corner I was pullin it out to see if I culd jb weld it an when I took the hose off it completely broke off.
A brand new one at orilley an autozone is $120 with a life time warranty. So I was lookin on ebay and found an all aluminum one with lifetime warranty for $137 free ship.
So my question being is an all alum rad for $17 more a good step up from a plastic tanks?
Pros an Cons
Thanks!

 

[Big Jim M]

The autozone ones should be all copper... I'd go with one of those with the lifetime warranty. As long as the radiator cools the coolant it should be Ok to use whichever you want. But for me I always go with the copper ones.... And you can't beat a lifetime warranty. Not to mention the vendor is just down the street from your house, and not across the country.
Big JIm

 

[IMenriched]

agreed copper will stand more than alum...if you plan on keeping this, then get a good one with a good warranty

 

[AllanD]

Uhhhh... No.

Nobody has made copper radiators since before WW2.

The OLD radiators are BRASS.

You do not want a brass radiator.
Brass radiators have their own "weak link" they have Solder joints.

Also brass radiators don't "play nice" with engines that have aluminum
components in contact with the circulating coolant.

The radiator you DO want is one listed for a '91-94 EXPLORER 4.0 With Auto Trans

This is atleast twice as much radiator as you have now, but you will need
a new lower hose (The 4.0 hose hooks right up to the 2.9 engine)
and artistically pre-tension the upper hose to install it.

The Non-A/T 2.9 radiator is a single 5/8" wide core.
The A/T 2.9 radiator is a single 1-1/8" core
the 4.0 A/T radiator is TWO 1-1/8" cores.

No it won't make your engine run "cold" that is regulated by your thermostat.
But it will put an extra two quarts of coolant in circulation and make it nearly
impossible to overheat a 2.9 even in the worst possible conditions.

As for there being an ALL ALUMINUM (including side tanks) for a Ranger?
I want a link to see this for myself....

AD

 

[Chris88GT]

Is it an auto Explorer radiator regardless of what the vehicle it is going into? (auto vs man.) What about A/C? Does this matter or depend on the vehicle the radiator is going into? And this will fit without any mods under the hood?

Sorry for so many questions but I am in the market for a new radiator. Mine is cracking where the OP's broke off. I would love to replace the single core with a two core unit.

Thanks

 

[AllanD]

Is it an auto Explorer radiator regardless of what the vehicle it is going into? (auto vs man.) What about A/C? Does this matter or depend on the vehicle the radiator is going into? And this will fit without any mods under the hood?

Sorry for so many questions but I am in the market for a new radiator. Mine is cracking where the OP's broke off. I would love to replace the single core with a two core unit.

Thanks

The manual trans Explorers got the single 1-1/8" core radiator, so yes regardless of what you are putting it on you want the 4.0 A/T radiator.

A/C makes no difference, but if someone asks you say "Yes".

Other than needing a different lower hose ('89-up A/T 2.9's will already have the the correct hose but putting in a NEW radiator and using the exsisting hoses... well,I got nothing kind to say about doing that...

You will probably need a different fan shroud, but there is no other underhood work needed.

AD

 

[IMenriched]

Uhhhh... No.

Nobody has made copper radiators since before WW2.

The OLD radiators are BRASS.

You do not want a brass radiator.
Brass radiators have their own "weak link" they have Solder joints.

Also brass radiators don't "play nice" with engines that have aluminum
components in contact with the circulating coolant.

The radiator you DO want is one listed for a '91-94 EXPLORER 4.0 With Auto Trans

This is atleast twice as much radiator as you have now, but you will need
a new lower hose (The 4.0 hose hooks right up to the 2.9 engine)
and artistically pre-tension the upper hose to install it.

The Non-A/T 2.9 radiator is a single 5/8" wide core.
The A/T 2.9 radiator is a single 1-1/8" core
the 4.0 A/T radiator is TWO 1-1/8" cores.

No it won't make your engine run "cold" that is regulated by your thermostat.
But it will put an extra two quarts of coolant in circulation and make it nearly
impossible to overheat a 2.9 even in the worst possible conditions.

As for there being an ALL ALUMINUM (including side tanks) for a Ranger?
I want a link to see this for myself....

AD

Well, My most humble apologies, I stand corrected ... Allan is correct Appreciate him jumping to straighten me out and get you better info.

I guess i was thinking along the lines of durability....some of the old brass soldered radiators were pretty tough & they took abuse that a alum radiator wouldn't even begin to handle ....& yes the modern engine with alum components do not play well with that. for this application, alum radiators will do just fine as long as it is good quality stuff....there can be a lot of cheep El-crapo alum out there as well.

 

[ichthus329]

This is where I got my all-aluminum radiator that came with a lifetime warranty:

http://www.shepherdautoparts.com/autoparts/w5HDlsORw5PDlMK7w5HDk8OUw5XCosKi.htm

 

[bimmer325es]

i just finished my 2.9l to 4.0l rad conversion i went to a you pull paid 40 bucks for the rad and shroud it came with. took 2 minutes to pull it out the only thing i had to buy cause i have a early model ranger was the late model lower hose. while i was there i also picked up an electric fan and used them plastic zip ties made for radiators to mount it had a electroic thermostat device to control the fan on and off at right temperature but a toggle switch works just as well. doing this allows you to remove them junk engine driven fans.