Radiator questions

[Curious Hound]

Well, When I went out to the truck this morning, there was a green puddle underneath. It appears that the driver side crimp is no longer sealing the tank to the core on my radiator. Started the truck, let it idle a while and observed a rather fast steady drip from that side down onto the cross-member underneath and to the ground.

I have a couple questions as I consider a replacement.

Is it worth paying for an all aluminum radiator?

Is it worth upgrading to double row or something else more efficient? If so, what would you recommend?

When I see double row radiators, they appear to be for the automatic transmission trucks. Is the second row really for normal cooling, or is that really just a single row radiator with extra tubes for the transmission cooler?

Or should I just get another OEM style from Rock Auto and be happy with the money saved?

'93, 3.0L, manual trans., electric fan conversion

 

[AzLizard]

I just paid $110. +tax for a 2in for my explorer from performance radiator.

 

[4x4junkie]

Engine coolant flows through both cores (I have a 2-core Explorer rad in my BII with manual trans). You just leave the ports for the tranny cooler (a heat exchanger tube inside the end tank) capped off.

I've never had trouble with OEM (and OEM replacement) radiators leaking at the tank seals across a few trucks, however a friend did have his '93 start leaking much as how you describe yours. He went with a OEM style replacement, and it's been fine for maybe 7-8 years now.

What I have had happen was the upper hose fitting cracked at the base one time on my BII (a 2-core rad that was already in it when I got it). It was as if there was too much tension pulling on the hose, but there wasn't. Dunno how or why it cracked (this was also about 8 years ago)... Maybe a fluke? If something happens again I may consider biting the bullet on an all-aluminum one.

 

[Curious Hound]

Thank you gentlemen. I just ordered from Rock Auto.

I ordered a 2-row radiator, Aluminum core with plastic tanks. BUT, it's for a 1993 Explorer 4L with Auto Trans and Heavy Duty cooling. Radiator, new cap and lower hose (need the one for Auto Trans because the Rad outlet is angled different). All for a few cents under $110 total.

I'll let you know how the install goes. I figured that since the original radiator lasted 25 years, the crimped on tanks are probably ok. I did have the same leak occur on my 1988 F150 years ago. But that had over 200k miles on it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Thank you gentlemen. I just ordered from Rock Auto.

I ordered a 2-row radiator, Aluminum core with plastic tanks. BUT, it's for a 1993 Explorer 4L with Auto Trans and Heavy Duty cooling. Radiator, new cap and lower hose (need the one for Auto Trans because the Rad outlet is angled different). All for a few cents under $110 total.

I'll let you know how the install goes. I figured that since the original radiator lasted 25 years, the crimped on tanks are probably ok. I did have the same leak occur on my 1988 F150 years ago. But that had over 200k miles on it.

That radiator has been keeping my 5.0 cool for 6 years now.

I did have to get an Explorer shroud. I don't know if that is because the Explorer is that much newer than my truck or the Explorer radiator itself is different from a Ranger in that regard. The tabs that support the shroud on the bottom were spaced differently vs my 2.8 radiator/shroud.

Can't speak for the hose fitment (mine is obviously different) but otherwise it bolted into the truck without issue.

 

[adsm08]

From my observations the 2-row seems to be something that was specific to auto trans AND air conditioning.

I have three 4.0 single core radiators, one for a manual trans, two for autos, none came from vehicles with AC. At the junk yard once I saw a 4.0 stick with AC with a single core radiator. So just by my own first hand observation it seems that that was the only consistent way to get one.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I've had a handful of radiator failures over the years on vehicles I end up working on... one one of the plastic tanks warped away from the crimp somehow, a couple the plastic tank has broken in the center of the radiator right at the right angle for the crimp flange, I think that covers them, other than being plugged with gasket material or rust...

For the record, that's the same radiator that's in my turbo 2.3L Ranger, it keeps the engine cool for the most part, would help if the fan was sized appropriately to the shroud and if I had an intercooler... non intercooled turbo engines seem to heat the engines up when worked too hard for too long... my 2.3L and 7.3L both get warm after pulling a long hill towing or in the Ranger's case running hard in sand for a long time with aired down tires...