XR radiator replacement options

I've seen a few different options posted in what people have used in their XRs for radiators, and I'm curious to know what options have held up best. OEM from another vehicle? Aftermarket? Some unidentified thing you grabbed out of a pile and said good enough? The stock things seem expensive and hard to find, and the mk3 jetta radiator I replaced the stock thing with grew a leak somehow and needs replacement.

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Nicholas and his '86 XR4Ti

Merkur Depot

Well worth the $220.

Did you mount this using the stock mounting tabs, or bring the radiator up higher to make greater clearance below for skid plate mounting?

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Nicholas and his '86 XR4Ti

Hard to beat this:


all metal. Mod-able, repairable.
$209 at Mare-kooor Deplop.

Some guy (who is consistantly wrong on most things) on mare-kkooooore forum say "thesaabsite" has all metal 900 rads.. But checking they seem back ordered, but who knows..All this online shit is shit...
The advantage of the Saab rad USED TO BE the ability to find good ones for $35 and use stock hoses and came set up with a M22 bung...


How you doing otherwise, man?

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Or if you don't already have a 2wd intercooler....

http://www.merkur.50megs.com/photo2_1.html

All of them will mount to the stock location. All of them should fit the 2wd or 4wd intercooler with minimal effort. The intercooler requires a rotated intake (unless you want to go crazy with piping) but is a hard setup to beat. I have around 2.5-3" between my skid plate and the bottom of the radiator. Just enough room to get some air moving for a Chinese rx7 oil cooler. If you set up your skid plate sub-frame just right it will protect everything fairly well.

only thing that might beat the merkur rad is a summit aluminum one for 160usd or thereabouts. but the 50 bucks probably isn't worth the time required to make brackets to make it fit right.

and dammit, my keyboard has lost both the shift key and the caps lock. grrrr.

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Andrew Steere
Lyndeborough, NH
KB1PJY

Quote
MarkHille
Or if you don't already have a 2wd intercooler....

http://www.merkur.50megs.com/photo2_1.html

All of them will mount to the stock location. All of them should fit the 2wd or 4wd intercooler with minimal effort. The intercooler requires a rotated intake (unless you want to go crazy with piping) but is a hard setup to beat. I have around 2.5-3" between my skid plate and the bottom of the radiator. Just enough room to get some air moving for a Chinese rx7 oil cooler. If you set up your skid plate sub-frame just right it will protect everything fairly well.

Careful. 2 guys, both non numb-skulls have reported going to that unit and then chasing spooky "won't boost" problems..The one who was up in Manitoba, i spoke wif and asked 100 questions and said.."bypass and test and POOOOF! 18 Pee Ess Eyes. Hooked it up again and Duuuuuuuuh ..Other guy said the same.. single substitution test... I told the canajian guy '2wd Intercooler off Flea-Bay You Kay" and like Thomas Kimsey up in Nude Hamster (rex Xrattie been grass-o-crossing) he got one for cheap--presto spool city, loadsa Boosts!

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.