4 cyl radiator swap

I have done some searching trying to find a junkyard solution for my 68 cj5 4 cylinder and it seems like everything I read is geared towards the v6 engine. I bought the Jeep w/o a radiator so I really have nothing to go by but since this is a low buck build I would love to be able to use a junkyard swap so if anybody has any ideas I would love to hear them.

Thanks,
Jay

 

I would take some measurements and head to the pick-a-part with my tape and some notes. You should be able to use just about any radiator that works with an engine the same size as the F134 or larger. 134 ci is about 2.2L, and there are a lot of passenger car engines that have a larger displacement than that.

Another possibility is an aftermarket aluminum radiator. Again, the main issue will be the shape and location of the outlets.

 

That was the plan but was hoping for some real world feedback from some people who have done it. Only place I found a new one they wanted $540. That is more than double what I paid for the Jeep.

 

If you are not in love with the grille from the 68, you could swap in a grille from a 67 or prior and use the old style (narrower) radiator. In the long and probably short run that could be a lot cheaper and for sure a lot easier.

You could also install the older style rad in the 68 grille, but you'd have to do some fabricating and also move the radiator towards the fan a little.

I tried to find a rad like you are looking for and there are just none to be had. I had a junk rad re-cored but if I hadn't I would have gone the route of the older rad in the 69 grille. I happen to like the looks of the later model grille...

good luck

 

I'm going to try and get out to the junkyard this week if it ever stop raining and see what I can come up with. Problem is most yards deal in later model cars and trucks and I'm thinking that whatever I end up with is going to be 1980 or earlier. I also need to measure the radiator in my 79 Pinto 4 cyl. and see how close it is. I think I can still get them new for fairly cheap if it will work.

 

good luck in the scrap yard.

be sure to measure the O.D. of the inlet/outlet as well when looking for a "new" radiator

The other thing you might think about is that a 22 inch wide by 17 inch(??) deep core is pretty much the same shape on most any rad. So, if you find a nice lower tank for the 22 inch rad on one unit and a nice upper tank on another unit it might make the task easier.

That way you won't narrow your search to a center upper unit and left side lower unit. Then if you find a rad with either you are halfway there.

Just as an afterthought --- an old school radiator shop --- could they relocate the ports on the tanks? It is only a matter of cutting off the wrongly placed port and soldering a port where you want it. It would seem to me that if the tanks were good that a modification like that would be fairly straightforward.

Now this isn't something they'd do at Midas Muffler or the local "we don't fix, we just replace" shop, but an old smelly, dirty radiator shop that has been around for eons might think that would be fun and easy to do.

If that could be done, then a V6 radiator from those later years would be just the ticket. The V6 rads can be found all over the place

 

We've got an old rad. shop in town but if I can find a lower left I can work with any top configuration. At times I have had 1 1/2" exhaust bent for a hose with 2 short rubber sections to connect the ends. I was dumbfounded at the lack of availability of a 4 cyl. radiator other than the 1 for $500 plus and for that price I would of went aluminum semi custom.