WTB 1989 Xr4ti Shorty aluminum Radiator

[Gman414]

After contacting Merkur Depot and finding out the Depot is sold out and most likely not going to reorder any more 89 Shorty aluminum radiators. I thought I would try here hoping to find this radiator sitting on the shelf of someone's garage. If you would have the intercooler as well I would be one lucky XR4TI owner. Please private message me with any helpful information. I checked with MPM and he has no availablity at this time. Thanks

[John Brennan]

Don't get an '89 Shorty-- you don't need it. In fact, the placement of the hoses will interfere with your IC piping, and your vent hose will no longer be at the highest point in the system. Use an Early rad, and just run your fill hose from your burp jug straight down to a T-fitting on your lower hose (get one of those new silicone beauties, and no more stupid crossover pipe!), then T off your upper hose to the other side for your vent, towards the T-stat end where it's highest. You can use brass fittings for the T's available form a hardware store, or maybe Grainger if they don't have what you want.

I have personally done these variations, also tried using a Shorty '89-style rad with an FMIC (Mike warned me!). Early rad with the Late jug gives you the best of both worlds.

[my8950]

John, do you have any photos of this setup?

[John Brennan]

No, I sold that car a long time ago, so I only have pix of the one-off, custom '89-style rad that I'm saying you don't need. But, it's pretty straightforward, as described:

1. Early-style Shorty rad
2. Early hoses, with one T-fitting for the fill from your jug (bottom hose, lose the crossover pipe), and one for the vent (top hose, highest location).

EDIT: Below step is for those of you fitting a Late jug to an Early car, as I did with my old '85:

3. Cap off the recirc. fitting on the valve cover hardline (honestly, unless you have some nice Ed's Tubes, or something, I'd also lose the old, likely-corroded hardlines for some silicone hoses with one T-fitting for the turbo, if you still have a water-cooled turbo).

[Gman414]

John thanks for the information. Ok I thought I could go that route but Merkur Depot is sold out of both (Shorty Aluminum Radiators)!!!. Mike in his response to me about the 89 shorty recommend I completely convert the system back to 85-88 cooling system layout and buy the aluminum reservoir he sells. Can I get all the piping (coolant reservoir and rotated FMIC) with alternator on the drives side allowing me to still keep my A/C and alternator? Or is there an upgraded alternator with more capacity in a smaller package?

[John Brennan]

If you go 90*, keeping your Late jug is a matter of extending the alt adjustment slot downwards and using a shorter belt. I'll find you a pic...https://share.icloud.com/photos/0a5qHWz ... dHgqW9SmdQ

BTW, I don't want to fail to credit Hugh Lacey for the pic; his car can be seen on CarDomain, "6foot7's Merkur."

[Gman414]

John thanks for the photo. I wish icloud would let me copy the photo for reference. The under hood looks awesome. Nice and clean and straight forward. Exactly the look I want. I hope you don't mind if I copy your setup? Is there any problem with clearance issues? Is the upper intake shortened or changed?

[merkurdriver]

Is the upper intake shortened or changed?

You have to chop out about 1" of the intake when you cut it to rotate it on the flange. If you don't shorten it the hood on an XR4Ti won't shut.