New CSF radiator bad right out of the box?

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CJF

CJF

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Anyone else have insufficient cooling from a newly installed CSF?

Any onboard tests for clogs/blockages?

Fan clutch replaced with OEM just in case (no change), fluid level is good, belts are good, hoses aren't collapsing.

Basically everything was fine before replacing cracked original rad. (NO overheating/movement on gauge under ANY conditions), now gauge heads up past halfway on any long, slow speed incline.

****.

Curtis
 
91 Cruiser said:
any good alternatives for the 3fe?
Click to expand...

None that I know of. I would have gladly paid through the nose for OEM if it was still available. Koyo doesn't do 91-92. Pretty sure some folks here have customs, but I'd really rather not go that route.

I h*te CSF due to a prior bad experience (leaking like a sieve after three years). That said, it seems like they're about the only game in town anymore, and plenty of folks are running them these days without issues (except possibly longevity). Initial quality looked good, fitment was fine, but it just ain't cuttin' it. I can drive it around town, but I'm basically stuck here in the Rogue Valley.

Any diagnostic options other than pulling it?? And if I do, what then? Are there reliable flow-tests to look for blockages etc.?
 
Last edited:
I recently had to replace my radiator as well. I tried 3 different companies, finally had to order one from ebay. All aluminum, box said drag and drift. It came from Malaysia.
Direct replacement. 4 months now and no problems.

Did you check the obvious and replace the thermostat?
 
I put a CSF in my 97 about 4 months ago. No problems until the temps got above 80 here in CO. I have no problems around town or in traffic with the AC on full blast but if I'm climbing or pulling a load it builds heat fast. I replaced the Eaton fan clutch with a blue hub, it improved but still easily gets to 220 deg when I head to the hills. My next step is to replace the cap and t-stat with new OEM and make sure all the foam around the rad is still in place.
 
Joshwon2 said:
I recently had to replace my radiator as well. I tried 3 different companies, finally had to order one from ebay. All aluminum, box said drag and drift. It came from Malaysia.
Direct replacement. 4 months now and no problems.

Did you check the obvious and replace the thermostat?
Click to expand...

T-stat is a recently replaced OEM, but yes, testing/replacing is on my list of options. Rad cap is OEM as well.
 
Joshwon2 said:
I recently had to replace my radiator as well. I tried 3 different companies, finally had to order one from ebay. All aluminum, box said drag and drift. It came from Malaysia.
Direct replacement. 4 months now and no problems.

Did you check the obvious and replace the thermostat?
Click to expand...
do you have a link to that radiator? I cant find it on ebay.
 
Try burping the system ?
With my csf I run around 188 to 191 in the city and freeway, on hills up to 202 on hot days.
Also replaced my fan clutch with a blue hub unit which also helped.
 
Curtis,
Does the system pressurize correctly and bleed off into the overflow the way it's supposed to? The level in the overflow should rise and fall with coolant system pressure. What I'm getting at is possible improper radiator cap fitment on the non OEM radiator.
 
My CSF has been working perfectly. Battle tested in the Utah desert, full ac, and up inclines. My first radiator came badly damaged during shipping, does yours have any channels blocked or dented in? They hardly put any packing materials in these boxes when they ship them.
 
FranceJohnson said:
My CSF has been working perfectly. Battle tested in the Utah desert, full ac, and up inclines. My first radiator came badly damaged during shipping, does yours have any channels blocked or dented in? They hardly put any packing materials in these boxes when they ship them.
Click to expand...

Looked fine upon arrival.

I'm imagining all sorts of scenarios like maybe a piece of styrofoam lodged in one of the tanks that I didn't notice.
 
jonheld said:
Curtis,
Does the system pressurize correctly and bleed off into the overflow the way it's supposed to? The level in the overflow should rise and fall with coolant system pressure. What I'm getting at is possible improper radiator cap fitment on the non OEM radiator.
Click to expand...

I'll double check that.

I'd LOVE for it to be something that simple, and will definitely post back up if that's all it is.
 
System is pressurizing and bleeding to the overflow as it should.

If anything, it might be happening too quickly, so not a full 13lb of pressure in the system. Can that *cause* overheating, or does it just lower the boil-over protection point once severe overheating has occurred?
 
sounds like csf just has crappy quality control, so some people have a perfectly good one while others get a reject.

Any way to test that the radiator works before installing it? Could a shop pressure test it and "flow" test it before I install it?
 
91 Cruiser said:
sounds like csf just has crappy quality control, so some people have a perfectly good one while others get a reject.
Click to expand...

That really is my best guess at this point. I'll likely put in a new t-stat and then (when that doesn't help) just pull the rad. But then what??

Any way to test that the radiator works before installing it? Could a shop pressure test it and "flow" test it before I install it?
Click to expand...

x2. That and/or what are my chances for a warranty claim.
 
91 Cruiser said:
sounds like csf just has crappy quality control, so some people have a perfectly good one while others get a reject.
Click to expand...

That really is my best guess at this point. I'll likely put in a new t-stat and then (when that doesn't help) just pull the rad. But then what??

Any way to test that the radiator works before installing it? Could a shop pressure test it and "flow" test it before I install it?
Click to expand...

x2. That and/or what are my chances for a warranty claim.
 
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