1990 Cherokee radiator replacement, what is best?

I have a 90 Cherokee with the 4.0 six cylinder. I am replacing the engine due to a bad rod knock and being severely overheated. The stock cooling system does not have a radiator cap or a pressure relief cap anywhere in the system. I do not like this set up. I need to replace the radiator. Can I put a radiator with a cap in this system without replacing the rest of the cooling system? If I need to replace other components what are they?

Thanks

Braden

That would be the older, closed cooling system. I think 91 or 92 was when it was changed to an open system, where you would have a radiator cap and vented overflow tank. Conversions from closed to open are common (I think the pressurized tanks are known to explode) and there should be plenty of information on the Google, though I have no idea what all is involved. Should be pretty cheap to do using JY parts though.

Thank you Furious_E, you are right about it being a common conversion. Would you go with a stock aluminum core, plastic tank radiator? My thought is to use an all aluminum radiator.

maybe you can use the system already in the donor car.

All-metal all the way, there's a special place in hell for whoever invented plastic radiator end tanks. All-aluminum will cool better and save some weight if you can afford it.

BTW, I was wondering what insane pressure early Cherokee cooling systems run at, and it turns out that there is in fact a pressure-regulating valve in the system, in the overflow tank cap.

This is what I put in my Cherokee.

I have been very happy with it so far. Temps are very stable no matter the outside conditions or A/C usage.

It was a little less than twice the price of a stock radiator.

Link to Amazon page.

Edit: It may not fit your 90. I was putting it in a 00.

Edit again: Here is the link to the same radiator for the 90 Cherokee.

Link to Amazon page.

I'd think all aluminum, but the radiator is the one thing on the cooling system of my XJ that I HAVEN'T replaced. Of course, now that I've said that, it's guaranteed to fail on my drive home tonight

If you're doing the open cooling conversion, I don't think that second radiator Toyman posted is going to be what you need. You want one of the later style ones, like the first one he posted. Not sure if any of the mounting points or anything changed anywhere along the way, but I'm sure the info is out there. Someone has to have done a comprehensive "How to" on the cooling conversion, with part numbers and all that good stuff.