Just like to let fellow Jag Lovers in on my experience so far with an inexpensive $300ish Chinese radiator purchased thru Ebay. They definitely are NOT direct replacement.
While it does have correct hose connections and does fit into the area vacated by the OE radiator. the following differences must be addressed,at least as far as a series 2 xj12 are concerned.
No brackets to hold up oil cooler or provisions for said brackets. Fabrication needed.
Transmission cooler lines are set at an angle and hoses will hit radiator support.
3 Radiator female threads for transmission line are a 3/8 jic. My hoses are 5/16. You would think a 3/8 jic male to 5/16 barb is available. No. But it doesn’t really matter because you need to turn 90 degrees to clear the radiator support. Factor in four not inexpensive fittings. Napa had them. Forget about any other big chain or local hardware. Cost $30-40
Absolutely no way to use stock fan cowl. Factor in two smaller or one large electric fan.$50-$200+.
Top bleed fittings are 10mmx1.25. Not what I was holding in my hand. Napa couldn’t even help me here. I found a metric male to 1/8npt female from an online hydraulic store. $20. I then found,after a whole lot of looking ,a 1/8npt.Moroso air bleeder. Cost $20
I am not sure how this will work. It should clear the hood as the new radiator is about an inch shorter. Pretty sure it will have to be on side opposite the expansion tank as the correct bleed hole in the top rail is not even close to radiator plug. This will still require moving headlamp fuse block and probable enlarging of hole to make it line up.
On the good side: it doesn’t leak, is real purty, and is making me contemplate looking at the more expensive American ones next time around. They just might fit better, then again maybe not. I’ll ask tho. I’ll have someone to ask. My ending cost will be a whole lot closer, probably half way at $500 to their starting point $700ish.
Thought you should know these facts going in to your decision.
1 Like
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
2
Wow, what a PITA. Coupla questions:
You mention brackets to hold up the oil cooler. I believe I recall hearing about those on the very early XJ-S, but they quickly went away from that scheme. So I’m guessing the Chinese based their design on the later models where the oil cooler was supported independently from the rad.
I guess I’m not surprised the thread sizes are all FUBAR. The original BSPP stuff is seriously odd, the Chinese probably couldn’t figure out what they were.
Whassup wit the fan cowl? On my '83 XJ-S the fan cowl was pretty much independent of the radiator, so it’s hard to imagine how a different rad would cause issues with it.
Sorry Mate!
I got mine on the east coast… Ummm… I’m thinking…
oh, right. becool radiators. made in the US.
Granted it was for an XJ-S everything fitted as advertised.
if they have to make one (which they did for the XJ-S) it took a while to get it.
Very happy with the end results - it’s a 4 core so no more overheating while sitting in traffic.
Cost was right around $450.00 reasonable; not cheap but reasonable.
I hot a new OEM one for our 1990 XJ-S convertible (5.3 L V12) a few years ago from the local Jaguar dealership and it fit right in. Easy peasy. No drama or modifications needed.
My post was meant to point out that ,at least for a pre HE xj12, you will spend 100-200 more than the $300+ cost of a Chinese Aluminum
Radiator.
If your local Jag dealer has an OEM pre He radiator for less than $1300
I’d be surprised.
For fit
Best:OEM
Good: American Aluminum (maybe)
Not as Good: Chinese Aluminum
I was thinking about the cowl after I posted. Seemed like a no go at the moment.
But I was also pretty bummed about the no start Opus at some point on that day. I’ll readdress the cowl issue and let everyone know my definitively amateurish opinion.
Cowl issue resolved.
The reason I could not just reattach it to car is due to the creation of the new Transmission cooler routing. The new fittings intrude into the side of the cowl frame. Could the cowl be cut up and made to fit? Possibly. Seems easier to me to attach electric fans.
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
9