no jy's around here with Cherokees, well there is one and he has 5 cherokees but they are all 85-86 (I think, 2.8). Where would you mount it?

 

Like the closed system bottle, the open system bottle must coolant fill from the bottom. With the open system, the rad cap needs to be the high point.

 

So the bottle needs to be lower than the radiator cap?

 

Not necessarily, bottle height in an open system is not as important as it is in a closed system. Bottle must be high point in a closed system....rad cap should be high point in a open system.

 

ok, thanks!

 

Well new radiator is in, temps are much better but are still just north of 210*. 55* ambient it's running close to 215* (estimated of course). Much better than before but what will it be when it's 80* outside, that is the question. My last thought is to replace the tstat with a factory one but I believe mine is working. My heater core is also definitely partially blocked, I'll have to address that sometime this summer as well. I'll also have to find a open system overflow bottle, the way I have it set up is working but if you pull the radiator cap the fluid from the overflow bottle runs into the fill neck and over fills it pretty quick. Thanks for all the help/replies!!

 

I just went through this on my 89. I replaced the radiator with an open one (only $100 brand new), but you have to ditch the old bottle and the hoses that go to it. I just grabbed the hoses off my busted 94 and used those, but you could just plug the ones that are there. If you dont it will not build pressure in the system and you will have hot and cold spots. Mine would overheat everytime and yet the radiator was cool, until I ditched the bottle.

 

Elkwagn, where in Montana are you? I've already installed the new one, got rid of all the hoses from the old bottle and connected the overflow tube on the fill neck of the new radiator to the bottom connection on the old bottle. I left the upper connection open so it can breathe. So far it's doing ok but temps aren't much above freezing here yet, supposed to be 70 on Friday (that would be so nice!!!!).

 

Have u verified the gauge reading? 215 operating temp in 55 ambient temp just seems high, regardless of which/where the bottle is located. Presuming a 195 stat is being used and all cooling system components r functioning correctly, actual coolant temp shouldn't be 215 in 55 ambient and under normal driving conditions.

 

I have verified the gage reading with a temp gun, it was very close. I have replaced everything except the heater core (which shouldn't effect my temps). I don't have very many miles on it after the radiator replacement, had to top off the overflow bottle today so it must still be working air out of it (or I have a leak which there is no evidence of yet). I'm going to keep an eye on it, at least we are able to drive it now, we couldn't before because of the temps. Thanks!!

 

How many miles on the odometer Coach?

 

the waggy has 140k on it. My daughter is learning how to drive, so this is a good one to learn in. I've put a bunch of money in it already though, still have more to do, needs shocks and possibly some front end work, still lots of leaks I need to fix too.

 

I'm over in Boulder, between Helena and Butte. You cant leave anything "open" as far as the hoses go, it needs to build pressure to work properly. Mine had metal T lines in the two heater hoses, one that connected a hose to the top of the bottle and one to the bottom. I removed that completely and just have hoses that run from the heater core to the front, with the inline vacuum controlled by/pass on the hot side going to the heater core(this is stock on them). The previous owners replaced the water pump, thermostat, flushed the radiator, and even went so far as replacing the head gasket and it still overheated, so I got it cheap, replaced the radiator with an open style from a 95, removed bottle and lines from system and voila, no more issues

 

Not sure what u r saying....."closed" cooling system means the bottle is closed to the atmosphere and holds pressure. "Open" cooling system means the bottle is/must be open to the atmosphere and does not hold pressure. R u saying u removed the closed system bottle and replaced it with a open system bottle or r u saying u have no recovery bottle now?

 

My system has been converted to an open system, the only thing the same is I used the old pressure bottle, it is now "open" and vented. I will replace it one day with a correct bottle but it's working so it's ok for now.