So here's the deal. Have a 350 crate motor in the ole XJ. Heats up and does not stay cool . Need help or ideas. It has a Griffin aluminum race radiator designed for short track race cars. Reason we put this one in, was due to space in the engine bay. It is a 2 core radiator , I think I might need more cores. No engine fan either. Just 2 electrical fans one on the radiator in front. Please help. By the way, there is only about 3 inches between the fan pulley and the radiator. So no room for the fan. Anybody have experience with this? No shroud present either. Not room for one.

I think a shroud and a 4 core radiator would help you out a lot! Having it crammed in that tight of space doesn't help either.....to much heat in too small of area! Not sure what would be best seeings how you don't have a much room to work with.

have you put on any hood vents?

From what I've read, the '85's have shorter engine bays than the 4.0l straight-six equipped XJ's. I've also read that the latter model sheet metal will adapt to the early model, giving you more room for larger rads & fans. I dropped a 350 into my '88 in place of the 4.0L six. As far as rad-to engine clearance, I had plenty. I'm running a stock chevy fan with 3/4 inch clearance between the fan and the radiator. However, I didn't think a radiator the size of the XJ's radiator would keep me cool, so I did other mods to allow a full size radiator to fit.

When it comes to a fan shroud, not sure about design considerations when "pusher fans" are being used. For a puller arrangement (stock configuration), a fan shroud is imperative to proper cooling.

I had a 302 in my old XJ, and ran a 2 core (1 1/4 cores) full size radiator. Never overheated, and I also had a mechanical fan. Your pusher fans are the biggest part of your problem they block more air than they can push. If you can, relocate the radiator, and use a mech. fan. This will help a bunch. By the way does it have AC?

I have an 85 cherokee with a 350 out of a 69 corvette. It has a four core radiator with a perma cool low profile electric fan. I had the clearance problem as well and this fan is way low profile and pulls a shit load of air through. Go to summit and type in perma cool. the fan has to be offset on the radiator to clear the pulley, but I have yet to have any cooling problems once I put the fan on it. Im buying a dual low profile fan set up though that comes with a low profile aluminum fan shroud so that will make it even better. I deffinitely would upgrade to a four core. If you want I can send you pictures

ANybody with pics of their radiators? I will be swapping a LS1 into my 95 XJ next winter and I am concerned about the radiator size. What is the radiator core measurements on your current setups?

I had an LT1 in my xj and had Be cool make me a radiator. with a single 13" spal fan it never went over 212* the hood vent's help quite a bit also.


Marc