How long does the factory radiator last? With normal maintenance? I ask because I've got a brand new CSF radiator still in the box, and I'm debating on whether to keep it to install sometime in the future, or just go ahead and sell it. So far so good with the stock rad...

mine lasted 3 yrs.. after a couple of mud runs it was wasted. dont bother replacing w/oem either.. ge to www.radiator.com (i think thats what it is) and get yourself a 3 row radiator.. you wont be disappointed. factory is CRAPOLLA!

I've had mine churning away for 6 years in the AZ heat, but the copper is starting to look a little funny on the inside. I think I may replace it, but its not leaking yet, and still cools fine.

i had a factory radiator for 32000, then it blew up. My jeeps a 2000, the plastic cracked on it in 2003.

My 99' finally gave out in 03'. Started leaking around the plastic end caps. Replaced it with an all metal 3 core.

I don't recall how long mine lasted, but when it did crap out it was still under warranty. Therefore I got an OEM replacement. Will definitely go aftermarket when this one dies.

Mine lasted 130,000 miles until an offroad incident where the fan dipped into the center of it and chewed most of it out

After 50,000miles my 00TJ 4.0 started to leak around the top cap. A two row CSF and Robert Shaw 180' thermostat have kept it running cool ever since. Though mine is a manual trans I got a radiator for an automatic and plumbed an oil cooler to it....Again even on 90' wheelin' days, the temp gauge doesn't move!

My 97 lasted 3 years until the plastic on top cracked. Doesn't seem to be the best quality.

Thanks for the info guys, looks like I'll just keep the rad on hand for if/when our stock rad goes south. Going on 4 years with it now and no problems (knock on wood trim), but we also don't even have 30k miles on it yet.

mine died after the jeep got side swiped on the freeway (ofcourse after i got it back from the body shop) so i got a three core radiator and high flow t-stat housing from rock-it-parts never looked back.

Mine didn't leak yet, but used to get a little warm climbing up to Big Bear with big tires in the heat of the summer. Especially if I used the AC. Just to be safe, I replaced it with a 3 core metal radiator at 30,000 mi. It cured the overheat problem, and gives me a more secure feeling offroad that I don't have a plastic radiator anymore.

I had a 99 that had a perpetual leak from the time it was about 2 years old. My 2000 that I sold last year had a similar tiny leak. It wasn't that it would be low on water, just a tell-tale mark that showed where the leak was.

The plastic and metal radiators aren't the best solution to our problems. They probably install them because they're cheap and normally last to the end of the warranty period. Anything that lets go after that is money in the dealers pockets. And Music to his ears.

Buy metal. Copper is good. Aluminum is great.