its pretty hot out today, probly the hottest day so far, my rig started to over heat today after quite a bit of driving which it has done so since i fixed my aux. fan, coolaint was bubbling and overflowed out. so i let my rig cool down for a while so i dont blow a head gasket. i know i need a coolaint flush because its brown and looks like crap. but i looked inside the coolaint bottle and theres a bunch of muck and and sludge in the bottle of the coolant reservoir, if i do a coolaint flush will it get rid of all the sludge and everything, and should my rig stay cooler?

 

Lots of neat goodies/mods listed..........................any maintenance?

 

I dont really know what u mean... If u mean do I take care of it then yes all the time. I just changed the plugs, oil, and air filter along with changing out the tranny fluid/filter, and not to long ago, I replaced 2 o2 sensors, plug wires, distributor cap and rotor and also the electric fan. And I seafoam it every now and then. I have a tranny cooler to put in once I have time, and I plan on installing 703 injectors and hood vents.

 

Dayum! Done everything but the cooling system (brown crap). About $250 for new parts (including a new rad),............just git 'er done.

 

Same problem with me. A good flush should remove the sludge. I'll be doing this tonight as well

 

what do you recommend I replace?

 

I would only replace the thermostat as of now. If the radiator isn't leaking and isn't completely rusted shut you should be fine with the stock one.

 

Radiator, water pump, t-stat, fan clutch, hoses, coolant, flush heater core, etc., etc. If u replace it all at once, u only drain and refill once. There's no better time to flush the cooling system than when both the t-stat and water pump are off.....stick a garden hose in the t-stat hole.

If u keep an eye on the color of the coolant (flush before it turns brown), this will likely be your last overheat post, ever.

How do u tell if the rad is rusted shut?.......u can't see in it.

 

My rad and evrything seem fine, theres just sludge in the coolaint bottle, I dont mind changing little things like the tstat if it helps to keep my rig cool

 

I'm debating on the water pump as well, considering it's only $30 it's not a huge deal. Mine has over 200k on it and the coolant is still nice and green (haven't touched since I bought a year ago) but I'm guessing the fins might have been worn down causing it to not circulate like it should. Then again it's more than likely the stop in go traffic in 100 degree weather. She started bucking once it hit ~220, kinda odd to me.

 

How hard/how do I go about installin a new tstat and water pump, I havnt touch any of that so I dont rlly know how to change it, and im guessing my rig still has the original ones and its got 184k

 

Coolant doesn't turn brown overnight. The brown is coming from inside the block/head and collects in low places....like the bottom of the rad and heater core and gradually fills/clogs them up. The brown crap will slowly eat water pump seals and they start leaking. The only thing u can replace, without draining/refilling the cooling system, is the fan clutch. U gotta drain/refill 4 times if u do the t-stat, water pump, radiator and hoses at different times.

 

I would just take out the coolant bottle and clean it out really good, and flush out the system, radiator, block and all.

 

They aren't too bad. For the Tstat just unbolt the housing and replace. For the waterpump you drop your belt, remove the fan shroud, unhook the hoses and unbolt it. I'm assuming it's along those lines. Had to replace one in my old 90 XJ, turns out the new one was defective and nothing was wrong with the old one. It had 180k and I also assumed it wouldn't hurt to change

 

Ok I think ill change both then. So im assuming djb is correct tho I have to flush the system anyways to change them?