Submitted by bsheridan@rest… on Thu, 08/29/2013 - 13:32

Hello fellow Jaguar enthuiasts,

Can anyone tell me the correct "number of rows" in the core of an original 1986 XJS V12 radiator?

According to the former owner, my 1986 XJS V12 Coupe had a 4-row core radiator before he swapped it out for a 2-row core radiator which he did not have checked out first (after I traded for the car it immediately ran "hot" and is in the shop to repair the radiator).

I obtained the so-called original 4-row core radiator from the former owner and was told by my repair shop it is not the proper radiator and will not fit, so the former owner may have told me a b.s. story.

Okay - so they boiled out the 2-row core radiator and are installing it and then test driving to make sure it will run "Normal" in Loas Angeles summer weather.

Meanwhile, I located someone else with an original 1986 XJS V12 radiator for sale. The seller says it is a "3-row core" radiator made of brass & copper.

Can anyone tell me how many rows an original 1986 XJS V12 radiator is supposed to have? I have heard the XJS V12 runs hot so I want the correct radiator installed.

I would appreciate any help and thanks in advance.

Here is a picture of the 1986 XJS radiator I found for sale.

Bob

Submitted by bob5837@roadru… on Thu, 08/29/2013 - 19:41

Ooops! It's Los Angeles not Loas Angeles - fat finger!

Also, seller of the 1986 XJS radiator sent me the following message after initially believing his radiator to be "2-rows"

Okay, heres what I see, my radiator has 3 rows, so I guessed wrong, the radiator part # from Jag is CBC4047, now with that number you can call a Jag dealer parts dept and have them check if it originally was 3 OR 4 rows, I cant find the part number on mine yet, but I know its original because I got the car with 72k on it....for FREE, tell you why? same problems you're having and rust issues and thats 20 years ago, if you have bought this car you're going to spend a lot of time on it, cooling is a major issue with Jag v12 because of the configuration of the motor, the cooling system has many outlets, look at the top of your radiator it should have auxillary pipes leaving it that are copper and small, those can clog easy, also, the aluminum motor needs phosphate free anti freeze, because regular anti freeze will build up in the galleys by a corrosive nature and give you cooling problems, not to go on too long, you should know that vi12's in general run hot, very hot.

What do you think about advice to use phosphate free anti freeze?