Thanks to posters here & some on jeep-forums.4wd.com I started on my way to replace the chronically leaky coolant pressure bottle on my '88 Pioneer. I decided to swap it out for a Dodge Intrepid bottle. I am going to post some pics and will spread them across several messages.
As with any project I have more questions than answers and hope you folks can guide me along.
A quick trip to the local Pick-N-Save yard yielded me this Chrysler/Dodge bottle, an Cherokee electric radiator fan(mine broke), and another stock Cherokee bottle jic this conversion did not work. Total cost for these parts $36.xx
Later on in the project, after reading some posts here & on jeepforums.com, I decided to replace the fan clutch ($37.00 @Advance Auto) and on the advice of an old timer who works there I changed the t-stat to one designed for a early model ford. I am searching for the receipt so I can get the part #.
As with any project I have more questions than answers and hope you folks can guide me along.
A quick trip to the local Pick-N-Save yard yielded me this Chrysler/Dodge bottle, an Cherokee electric radiator fan(mine broke), and another stock Cherokee bottle jic this conversion did not work. Total cost for these parts $36.xx
Later on in the project, after reading some posts here & on jeepforums.com, I decided to replace the fan clutch ($37.00 @Advance Auto) and on the advice of an old timer who works there I changed the t-stat to one designed for a early model ford. I am searching for the receipt so I can get the part #.
This bottle fits perfectly in the spot where the old one was. I removed the old shelf bracket, this one snugs right up to the firewall using the pinch weld as a mounting bracket. I used the hardware which I pulled out of the Dodge
Notice the lower hose, no adapters needed there. But the upper hose connection required some work and I am puzzled about one thing...
Notice the lower hose, no adapters needed there. But the upper hose connection required some work and I am puzzled about one thing...
Notice the upper outlet, it's a plastic fitting but it has a very narrow copper tube inside of it. I can pull this tube out as shown in pic, but I am wondering, should I leave it in or take it out? The diameter is so tiny.
This is the 1/2in. to 3/4in. coupling i used for the upper connection. Picked it up in the plumbing section at Lowes. Took a little wrestling to get the hoses on but the fit was good and tight and most importantly, no leaks!
After reading some posts related to building restrictor fittings for the XJ on http://go.jeep-xj.info/index.htm I decided to leave the little copper tube in the upper outlet.
I also changed my t-stat to an "older" style one according to the old timer down at Advance Auto (mentioned in the initial post).
I did the 12:00 - 6:00 1/16" hole drill and when I got it all back together, filled the bottle, and fired it up, it worked just as designed!
I also changed my t-stat to an "older" style one according to the old timer down at Advance Auto (mentioned in the initial post).
I did the 12:00 - 6:00 1/16" hole drill and when I got it all back together, filled the bottle, and fired it up, it worked just as designed!
I bought a new fan clutch jic, what a PIA it is to take that thing out and put it back in! Not only did I mash up the radiator trying to pull the plastic fan shroud (it eventually came out...in 3 pieces!) 
I was able to brush the fins back, then off to the pick-n-save yard to get another shroud. I learned the hard way that you have to take it out with the fan...good luck loosening those four bolts! 
I was able to brush the fins back, then off to the pick-n-save yard to get another shroud. I learned the hard way that you have to take it out with the fan...good luck loosening those four bolts!
Well, after two weeks of driving on what has been some of the hottest days of this summer I am convinced this is the best upgrade/conversion I have done to my Chokee yet! 
My motor has never run cooler! AND the temp is so consistent now the needle almost never moves above the 185 mark when I'm driving.
I creeps up a little when I'm giving it full throttle going up a long or steep hill and it starts to creep right up to 210 if I'm sitting at idle for too long, but no more does the temp needle swing back & forth like a pendulum like it used to.
I'm so glad I didn't have to ditch all my new parts in order to convert it to an *open* system. Drilling the 1/16" holes in the t-stat caused no problems and no longer do I have to burp the system after filling it up or doing a flush/refill!
Now I just have figure out how I can ad a temp light to my cooling system so I can be warned if it ever starts to overheat again.
My motor has never run cooler! AND the temp is so consistent now the needle almost never moves above the 185 mark when I'm driving.I creeps up a little when I'm giving it full throttle going up a long or steep hill and it starts to creep right up to 210 if I'm sitting at idle for too long, but no more does the temp needle swing back & forth like a pendulum like it used to.
I'm so glad I didn't have to ditch all my new parts in order to convert it to an *open* system. Drilling the 1/16" holes in the t-stat caused no problems and no longer do I have to burp the system after filling it up or doing a flush/refill!
Now I just have figure out how I can ad a temp light to my cooling system so I can be warned if it ever starts to overheat again.
Senior Member
So there is two hose connections on the stock bottle, and three on that one. Where do all the hoses go. I guess one feeds and one is return but what about the 3rd?
Oh and what year intrepid is that out of?
Oh and what year intrepid is that out of?
CF Veteran
This has WRITE UP Potential.
Go to the submissions and start one. Make sure you take some more good pics of the project completed.
Go to the submissions and start one. Make sure you take some more good pics of the project completed.
Skreed, the 3rd hose is the traditional style runoff hose you see on most open systems. It is usually connected to an overflow bottle but the Intrepids don't have them, I think. I don't remember seeing it on the Intrepid I pulled it from anyway. So the one on my Pioneer is just pointing to the ground. I think the Intrepid I pulled the bottle from was a 1996 or 97 model.
Stryker I can't claim this idea as orig. As I mentioned in the entry post I got the idea from a poster on jeep-forums.4wd.com. He added a comment about doing the swap in response to another member who was experiencing the common heating/cooling issuses with these old RENIX systems. But he posted no pics, just a one-post comment. He mentioned you could look at the Intrepids, Eagle Visions, Concords, etc. as well as the mid to late 90's Ford Crown Vics which had similar systems.
I read about using a *restricter* in the cooling system hose from http://go.jeep-xj.info/, scroll down to *Cooling Modifications*, then choose the *Adding a restrictor to improve cooling and stabilize temperature* link. After reading this I realized the little copper pipe that I was confused about was the restrictor, or as I see it, the back-pressure equalizer. If your Jeep is a RENIX you *must* check out the cooling section on this web site, especially check out the high volume water pump installation and the *balanced t-stat* replacement! That is so....uh...cool!
I read about drilling the two small holes in the t-stat here, somewhere. I would have never thought of these fixes/replacements/conversions on my own but if you want, I will take more pics and post them, but it ain't no purdy thang, just a shady tree redneck upgrade that works just as intended. I swear my ol' Chokee has never run so consistently cool in all the years me or it's former owner(my little bro') owned it.
I read about using a *restricter* in the cooling system hose from http://go.jeep-xj.info/, scroll down to *Cooling Modifications*, then choose the *Adding a restrictor to improve cooling and stabilize temperature* link. After reading this I realized the little copper pipe that I was confused about was the restrictor, or as I see it, the back-pressure equalizer. If your Jeep is a RENIX you *must* check out the cooling section on this web site, especially check out the high volume water pump installation and the *balanced t-stat* replacement! That is so....uh...cool!
I read about drilling the two small holes in the t-stat here, somewhere. I would have never thought of these fixes/replacements/conversions on my own but if you want, I will take more pics and post them, but it ain't no purdy thang, just a shady tree redneck upgrade that works just as intended. I swear my ol' Chokee has never run so consistently cool in all the years me or it's former owner(my little bro') owned it.
CF Veteran
8 lugs is doesn't have to be your project to do a write-up.
Just figured you can make a write up for the swap. take pictures of everything you did and explaing what you did to make it work.
You would not be violating any copyright to post a write-up for Jeeper future reference.
You almost have one here except you still werent sure what you were doing and stuff.
Just figured you can make a write up for the swap. take pictures of everything you did and explaing what you did to make it work.
You would not be violating any copyright to post a write-up for Jeeper future reference.
You almost have one here except you still werent sure what you were doing and stuff.
10-4 good buddy . I will re-post it with some additional pics. I just want the the originators of this fix/upgrade/conversion to get the credit. After reading the comment about the Chrysler/Dodge/Ford bottle swap I searched long & hard for a web site which showed a DIY step-by-step for this, but I came up....dry! So I just forged ahead and did it. I needed to get this problem behind me, been dragging on too long, and I didn't want to convert to a newer open system nor buy the expen$ive metal bottle. Plus, if I ain't got a face or fistful of grease at least 1X/week I'm not a happy Jeeper! 
. I will re-post it with some additional pics. I just want the the originators of this fix/upgrade/conversion to get the credit. After reading the comment about the Chrysler/Dodge/Ford bottle swap I searched long & hard for a web site which showed a DIY step-by-step for this, but I came up....dry! So I just forged ahead and did it. I needed to get this problem behind me, been dragging on too long, and I didn't want to convert to a newer open system nor buy the expen$ive metal bottle. Plus, if I ain't got a face or fistful of grease at least 1X/week I'm not a happy Jeeper!