Top 5 Best Jeep Cherokee Radiator Upgrade
If you are an owner of a Jeep Cherokee, you may be familiar with the occasion of the engine running hot during a hill climb or extended driving. Such an instance occurs because your stock radiator does not provide effective cooling while running on high horsepower. So, you just need a radiator upgrade to solve it!
We constructed this article just for you to know about the benefits of an upgraded radiator, learn how to install it, and select the best Jeep Cherokee radiator upgrade by yourself. So, continue reading this short article and find out what’s the best radiator for your Jeep Cherokee.
Click here to skip to our recommended pick!
- Fitment: 1989-2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ
- Core Type: 2-Row
- Material: All Aluminum
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Purchase link: Buy your Mishimoto Performance Aluminum Radiator MMRAD-XJ-89 For Jeep Grand Cherokee XJ 1989-2001 at Amazon!
- Fitment: 1984-2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ
- Core Type: 3-Row
- Material: Aluminum
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Purchase link: Buy your OzCoolingParts Aluminum Radiator with Fan Shroud For 1984-2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ at Amazon!
- Fitment: 1991-2001 Jeep Cherokee
- Core Type: 3-Row
- Material: Aluminum
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Purchase link: Buy your DNA Motoring 3-Row Aluminum Radiator at Amazon!
- Fitment: 1991-2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ
- Material: Aluminum
- Manufacturer: CoolingSky
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Purchase link: Buy your CoolingSky Engine Radiator with Fan Shroud and Thermostat Relay Kit For Jeep Cherokee XJ 1991-2001 at Amazon!
- Fitment: 1991-2001 Jeep Cherokee
- Core Type: 3-Row
- Manufacturer: CSF
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Purchase link: Buy your CSF Radiator Aluminum Radiator for 91-01 Jeep Cherokee at Amazon!
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
Mishimoto Performance Aluminum Radiator MMRAD-XJ-89 For Jeep Grand Cherokee XJ 1989-2001
Key Features:
- 90% more cooling capacity than stock
- Better heat dissipation from the engine
- Perfect fit for Jeep Cherokee 1989-2001 models
If you want the best of the best radiator upgrade for your Jeep Cherokee then this is the most suitable product for you! Mishimoto performance radiator is famous for its superior cooling efficiency increase and is an ideal upgrade for your vehicle.
This radiator is specially made for 1989-2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ models and you will get a 90% increase in cooling capacity for the engine. More cooling capacity means more cooling fluid can be used. Thus, increasing the cooling efficiency.
The all-aluminum design is extremely durable and long-lasting. No cheap plastic is used in constructing the radiator. The inlet and outlet pipes are also joined by high-quality tig welding.
If your Cherokee engine overheats during hauling, high acceleration, and hill-climbing then by using this radiator you can prevent your engine from overheating. The extra heat will dissipate easily by the high-quality radiator fins.
Overall, this is the best radiator for Jeep Xj you can find based on our research. We will always recommend you to select this product over any other radiator.
Why you need a new radiator
A Jeep Cherokee owner should consider getting a new radiator when the old one starts to leak or is no longer working. This happens because the radiator’s job is to keep your engine cool, and if it has any issues with leaking then this will cause problems for you down the road. Luckily, even owners of older Jeeps can find an aftermarket replacement that fits well in their XJ model vehicle. If you are considering replacing your Jeep Cherokee Radiator Upgrade Guide, only replace it with another OEM brand so that everything works as good as possible together without needing adjustments later on down the line.
Benefits of upgrading your Jeep Cherokee XJ Cooling system
The main reason for upgrading your radiator for a Jeep XJ is to simply keep it working. Oversized, aftermarket radiators are designed with more cooling capacity and even have the ability to maintain optimal fluid levels without having you constantly check them.
In addition, there’s also an upgrade in style with many flat black finishes on certain models. This makes your engine bay look cleaner and gives that custom touch desired by most drivers nowadays.
If you do any amount of off-roading like I do or just enjoy doing some light trail runs from time to time then this will be perfect for you as well since these tanks can handle extreme temperatures better than their OEM counterparts which mean less chance of overheating while driving through difficult terrain where temp stays high.
Aluminum VS Copper Radiator – Which one is better for Jeep XJ?
Copper radiators are often the first choice for Jeep XJ owners because they’re lighter weight and allow more heat to be dissipated. However, aluminum is a great material when it comes down to cost savings since it doesn’t rust like copper does (especially in saltwater environments) so you won’t have to worry about maintaining your radiator as much over time. Plus, these tanks come with an OEM warranty that has customer service just one phone call away if you need help!
Aluminum Radiator Pros
Aluminum radiators are cool looking with their black finishes and will last longer than brass or copper thanks to its corrosion protection against salty water environments/conditions such as those found near coasts of.
Aluminum radiator Cons
Aluminum radiators are lot more expensive than copper so you’ll be paying big bucks for a new one when and if your old one goes bad.
Copper Radiator Pros
Cheaper to purchase then aluminum, but more prone to corrosion and rusting issues over time (especially in saltwater environments). Copper is also less durable because it’s softer and easier to dent/damage according to many Jeep XJ owners who have swapped out their original units with either an aluminum or brass unit as soon as the warranty expired on their factory installed OEM version.
Copper radiator cons
Not very effective at dissipating heat compared the other two metals mentioned above, meaning that cooling will suffer due to higher engine
Best Jeep Cherokee XJ Radiator Upgrade
The top best product [hide]
Mishimoto Performance Aluminum Radiator MMRAD-XJ-89 For Jeep Grand Cherokee XJ 1989-2001
The radiator is also smartly designed to induce more air into the radiator and cool off the coolant more easily. The easy heat transfer from the coolant to the radiator is much better than the stock one.
It can be used as a replacement radiator for every 1989-2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ models. So, this product can be tagged as a 1990 jeep Cherokee radiator, 1999 jeep Cherokee radiator, 2000 jeep Cherokee radiator, even 92 jeep Cherokee radiator.
OzCoolingParts Aluminum Radiator with Fan Shroud For 1984-2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ
Your typical radiator suck in more air when the vehicle is cruising through the road. But for this OzCoolingParts radiator, the fan shroud leads much air even if your vehicle is idle. The mechanism works on forced convection which is said to be more effective than a normal radiator.
It is also a direct fit for every second-generation Jeep Cherokee models. That means if you want a jeep Xj cooling upgrade then this is the product you are looking for! It will also serve as a 1999 jeep Cherokee radiator and 2000 jeep Cherokee radiator.
DNA Motoring 3-Row Aluminum Radiator
This lightweight radiator can be easily installed on your Cherokee. After installing you will see a notable change in the cooling performance. It will suck in more air and bring down the engine temperature to a cooler lever.
You will also get better protection and an increased coolant capacity for your engine. The slim design avoids other engine parts and cools all the components equally. Though transmission cooling fittings are not included, this is a great choice under budget.
CoolingSky Engine Radiator with Fan Shroud and Thermostat Relay Kit For Jeep Cherokee XJ 1991-2001
This radiator will increase the cooling efficiency to more than 30% of the stock. It is also tested to have a 20°F reduction in outlet cooling fluid temperature. The pin mount can be easily fitted and installed in your jeep Cherokee without any effort.
As you will get better cooling you will also see an improvement in engine performance and longevity. The main disadvantage is that with the included fan shroud and thermostat relay kit the product does not come in cheap.
CSF Radiator Aluminum Radiator for 91-01 Jeep Cherokee
Some users say this is the best radiator for jeep Xj. As the radiator fins are aluminum but the tanks are made out of stronger and more durable copper, there is no damage to it due to driving in bad road conditions.
As the frame is made out of copper it has a greater weight and sometimes less cooling effectiveness than a full aluminum radiator. But you will always get an improvement from your stock radiator by using this product.
How to Install Aluminum Radiator for Jeep Cherokee XJ – Step By Step Guide with Photos
Step 1: Alright, so looking under the hood, the first thing we need to do is remove our fans. Now we got the fans running for a mechanical fan right here along with the factory electric fan. Along with that there’s going to be electrical connection down here. So to remove this we got four eight millimeter bolts to for this fan and two for this fan cannot do the electrical connection.
Step 2: Alright, so now the next thing we’re going to do is we’re going to remove this black piece of metal up here that’s holding down the radiator. And to do that there’s going to be a bunch of 10 millimeter bolts, there’s going to be some going down here and then a couple going towards the front that are in the corners here and here.
They got these two nuts up here. This is what bolts the radiator to the top mount. And those are also going to be 10 millimeter.
Step 3: Now you can go ahead and remove these torques, there’s going to be about five bolts along here and the size is going to be a t 30.
Step 4: Next thing we’re going to do is remove some 10 millimeter nuts that go directly into the header panel, there’s going to be four of them that’s kind of long, this little lip underneath. And basically it bolts on to this angle rnps which bolt on to the black crossmember right here. It’s not necessarily bolted anymore since we took out the torques but it’s gonna keep it held down so we’re just gonna take it out.
Step 5: Alright, so now it’s time to start disconnecting hoses that go to the radiator. So we got two coolant lines, one that goes to the top down here and then there’s going to be a bottom radiator hose down here. Along with that we got our two transmission lines and they’re going to be in the driver side over here. We got a quick disconnect that’s going to be in the bottom and then we got just a threaded one that’s going to be on the top up here. So the first hose I’m going to disconnect is going to be a lower radiator hose. That way we can get all the coolant out of the radiator. So to remove the lower radiator hose to drain all the coolant in the system. I simply have a hose clamp down here so you can take a flathead and loosen it up.
Step 6: So now we can remove the upper radiator hose. So for the upper transmission line, it’s going to be a three quarter we just take your wrench on here and break free.
Step 7: Alright, so some parts that we need to transfer to the new radiator would be this isolator right here on top and to take that off we got two eight millimeter bolts on either side. Along with that since the AC condenser is bolted to the radiator as one unit, you have these l brackets or go on top here and they’re going to be bolted in on these two studs and then one on the AC condenser so you have to remove that.
Step 8: So now we should be able to remove the radiator.
Step 9: Alright, so before we put the new radiator the Jeep, now’s a good time to install our new fittings. So we got two fittings here for the transmission lines. This one goes on top and the shorter threads threatens the radiator. Down here we have this one, which is a quick disconnect, and that’s simply going to throw it into the bottom hole. But before we screw that in, you want to make sure you take some Teflon tape and see all the threads. Though right here. If you have an older Jeep, it’s actually going to be a temperature sensor that’s going to threaten but if you have a neuron like mine is simply just going to tighten up this plug in, you won’t have to worry about it.
And don’t forget to tighten up the drain plug that’s on the opposite side. You want to make sure that’s nice and tight. There’s going to be an O ring that goes around here.
So before we go and drop in our new radiator, we want to make sure when we put it in that we lined it up correctly. On the bottom of the radiator, there’s going to be two pins and we want to make sure that those two pins line up with these two holes on opposite sides. We want to also make sure that the AC condenser is lined up with the holes too.
Alright, so now we can start connecting lines. Alright, now we can attach the mounting brackets to the top of the radiator. So if you have an OEM style radiator, they’re basically going to come with these l brackets. And what’s that going to do is it’s gonna bolts it’s half the radiator, answer the AC condenser over here. But with this aluminum radiator, it actually already has tabs welded on and so that lines up right there so all I need to do is put on a nut. Then you can take your isolators and then you can fit them where the studs are.
Then you can take your eight millimeter nut and throw them on.
Step 12: Alright, now we can tighten down our 10 millimeter bolts contain up to two dots that are on the radiator.
So with this radiator cap, it actually sits a little bit closer to the front of the Jeep. And when you try to twist off the radiator cap, these ears on this actually contact this plate. So a way to fix that is actually notch this out about a quarter of an inch kind of like a semi circle. And then I just touched up with paint to prevent it from rusting. And now it seems like it clears it fine.
So now we can take our angle bracket and fit it back into place. So then we got these nuts and they go right into the header panel.
Now we got the T 40 screws that go straight down All right, no grandchild’s back in. Alright, now we’re gonna hook up your electrical connections. Alright now all we have to do is fill the radio up with coolant. And then you want to make sure that the mixture is going to be 50/50 so 50% full strength anti freeze and then 50% distilled water
and don’t forget to add some transmission fluid because you probably lost some when you’re swapping in the new radiator.
