New CSF radiator bad right out of the box? (1 Viewer)

[greentruck]

wasnt me earlier asked if the system had been burped, but you didn't confirm that.

Your symptoms sounds very much like that to me. Have you parked nose-up on an incline on a cool motor, popped the cap (that's why it needs to be cool), and let it run until warm?

Top off as needed, get everything full, then put the cap back on.

Assuming you've still got rear heat, lots of time air gets in those lines and it may take this to really clear things.

If the radiator itself was bad, you should be seeing leakage, etc. Any signs of that?

 

[Pitch]

My experiences have been similar to Ridgerunner78's. I have had a new CSF rad for the past 9mos (cold temps when it was installed.) I rarely run A/C, but with AC running, or pulling any sizable hill in the deserts, my coolant temps are coming up to 3/4 on the idiot (dash gauge), and coolant comes out of the overflow bottle. My current radiator replaced another CSF radiator from a PO that cracked and failed. Local temps rarely get above the mid 80's, but at higher temps and lower elevations I have issues. Issues are at high and low speeds.

The system has been flushed and burped, all coolant lines replaced, new OEM radiator cap. Thermostat, water pump, etc are all less than 15K old, and all are OEM. I have a new Aisin fan clutch on order.

It is really not much fun driving in 100+ degree temps with the heat on full blast, windows open, on the freeway, climbing up long grades at 45mph (traffic buzzing by at 70+), when you can't downshift to 2nd for fear of overheating… and your cooling system is all basically new.

 

[CJF]

wasnt me earlier asked if the system had been burped, but you didn't confirm that.

Attempted burping today. No air, no change in symptoms.

 

[Tools R Us]

Did you have the rig pointed towards Rising Sun?

 

[greentruck]

Attempted burping today. No air, no change in symptoms.

OK, well one less thing it could be. It's interesting that more than one person has reported problems, but others said it's good. Makes me wonder if they put out a bad batch? But really hard to do that with a radiator. Either it leaks or doesn't. I presume the appearance and size is similar to the factory's version, and not some smaller thing?

 

[CJF]

Makes me wonder if they put out a bad batch? But really hard to do that with a radiator. Either it leaks or doesn't. I presume the appearance and size is similar to the factory's version, and not some smaller thing?

Full size; fitment was surprisingly good. It doesn't leak, it seems more like blockage or poor flow. Is that highly unlikely? (Honestly asking.)

 

[greentruck]

I don't see how it could happen if it appears physically intact on the outside. Basically all it is is tubes and fins and solder. You'd have to have a LOT of solder totally in the wrong place to block the flow INSIDE the tubes.

You can have the system pressure tested with the radiator still on the truck. Basically a hand pump and gauge installed in places of radiator cap.

Flow testing is going to be tougher and more specialized. Never heard of it being offered but must be done by companies building radiators, at least.

BTW, I can't recall if it was asked earlier. You have a new T-stat now, but are you sure it's installed correctly? Backwards is possible on some vehicles and that will cause problems.

 

[CJF]

New t-stat on the way just in case. But, I've installed plenty of them and know how to do it, including the little o-ring that goes in on top of the 3FE t-stat.

Main thing that's killing me is everything was 100% fine before the radiator change. The old, original 24yo radiator was cooling perfectly but finally cracked, so had to come out. NO other maintenance was done, so it's pretty much impossible for me to believe that the fan clutch, t-stat, whatever just coincidentally went bad at the same time.

 

[jessejman]

I've been dealing with the same issue for over a year. I have a 'koyo' radiator from Fleabay. Every bit of the cooling system is new OEM except rad and my gauge will go just below red in the mountains and the a/c sucks at idle. I've been really pissed with the truck in this heat and working back through everything but there's just nothing there. Problems started with the radiator change.

Nothing new, I just understand the frustration and will be watching the thread.

 

[LFD2037]

Maybe Styrofoam was in the radiator, got pushed thru the system then stuck somewhere?
Maybe it needs to be burped again?
Just throwing ideas out there.

 

[Alleycats]

Ok so I have a new CSF rad. installed in my 3FE 80 also, lately I've seen coolant temps in the 198 F range cruising 75 MPH on the freeway at 100 F ambient (with A/C off). Now that sounds pretty good right but the fact is I've thrown everything at this cooling system that I've got literally, upgrade fan clutch 10,000 cst, replace water pump, 25% coolant 75% water 1 bottle water wetter, new CSF rad., new radiator cap, and frankly I thought all this would yield lower running temps, but alas no. When I replaced my rad. I wanted to get an aluminum rad. because I thought that it would cool better but there weren't any available. Also made sure Timing was at factory setting. Also installed 185 F T-stat.

I feel your pain but have no answers.

 

[landtoy80]

All my CSF rads (3) in my 80 have cooled very well but only get 100,000 +/- miles out of them before the tank leaks.

I shimmed out off the cross member this time. I didn't have the foam tape on hand to put between the rad and cross member. Noticed that the tank was rubbing on the cross member right where they leak. Not sure if its a consistent or if its the cause from so many miles of rubbing or pressure on the cross member.

 

[91 Cruiser]

this thread makes me sad, how can there not be any good radiators available for these early fj80s?

 

[jonheld]

IIRC, the OEM radiator has foam along the top where it seals it to the top bib cap and I added some HD adhesive foam stripping along the 2 verticals where it seals to the fan shroud. If there is an air gap at these locations the airflow across the coils will be diminished.

 

[greentruck]

LFD2037 has an idea there on the possibility that a piece of packing material (styrofoam or whatever) came loose and was ingested. Do you remember if all of that seemed intact when unpacking the radiator?

I would think a fresh OEM fan clutch would, with a good new radiator, at least get you in the ball park here. Alleycat mentioned filling his fan clutch with 10,000 CST fluid. I know from my own experience that a rehab of the clutch without getting sufficient fluid into the clutch will lead to disappointing results. I modded my fan clutch before doing the radiator, R&R the radiator with new Koyo (lucky us with younger trucks and more radiator choices), then found I would still get temp spikes when really hot. Turns out I was maybe 10 grams/cc short of a full fill on the clutch. Adding that much more fluid made all the difference.

I also used 20,000 CST fluid. Stiffer stuff than the 10k CST, which is actually not that much stiffer than the OEM fill (IIRC somewhere around 7,000 CST?)

So there's the possibility of an inadequate fan clutch fluid fill with OEM, either due to the inherent limitations of the stock fluid fill or because there's just not enough in to for some reason.

 

[CJF]

Maybe Styrofoam was in the radiator, got pushed thru the system then stuck somewhere?

I'm definitely worried about that.

 

[CJF]

I would think a fresh OEM fan clutch would, with a good new radiator, at least get you in the ball park here.

"Good" being the operative word...

 

[CJF]

this thread makes me sad, how can there not be any good radiators available for these early fj80s?

I'm afraid that really is where we're at.

 

[NCFJ]

I took a 92 radiator down to Griffin Radiator several months back.. They duplicated it in their style and have the drawings on file. I am sure that there are those that have had issue with a Griffin as well but they stand behind their product. I use Griffin radiators in my swaps and plan to continue too do so. They are certainly not cheap, but what product out there is. Just another option, not interested in debating about it.

 

[CJF]

How much for the Griffen?

Even a CSF is ~$300 if bought locally.