Hi all ! Just purchased my first jeep, a 1988 cherokee laredo inline 6 4litre. I was giving it a once over and noticed both the coolant resevoir bottle was empty and the electic fan was'nt running. i topped the resevoir up to the top of the stem and ran it when the temp hit 100 the coolant bottle pissed coolant everywhere. So i pulled the thermostat and flushed and drained the coolant system, replaced with new thermostat and gasket. When i try to refill the coolant it would only take about 5 litres and what it did take it took realy slow. should it take near 11 litres? what would cause it not to fill? bad water pump? Any ideas?
Many Thanks,
Mike

 

You could have air in the system or a clog in the radiator. My guess is its one of those 2.?

 

When i flushed the system i used a hose. And let it run till the coolant flowed clear from where the thermostat goes and and the drain on the rad itself. Flow seemed good. If i trapped air in the system how would i fix that?
Many Thanks,
MIke

 

Did you fill it up with a 50/50 mix afterward?

I'd say after the flush let the radiator drain all of the water out, plug the Rad drain and all hoses, fill the radiator through the top hose on the radiator with your pre mix. Then let the vehicle run till op tempature and shut it off. Let it cool and top off fluid accordingly.


Some people say when filling he system to avoid air pockets you can remover the "coolant drain plug" on the side of the block under the header. Then add coolant to the system till it flows out there.


I have a 88 and 90 Cherokee and both of them were converted to the "open" cooling system. I no longer have that pressurized bottle and.now have a radiator cap and a unpressurized overflow bottle.

 

Welcome to Renix! Renix is good in ways and bad in ways.
you will definitely want to acquire a FSM. you most likely have air in the system. burp it like Desert said. inside the reservoir theres a fill indicator, you have to look inside the bottle to see it. the bottle will be a bit over half full when at max fill for system. I would pressure test the system after getting the air out. any leaks will let it suck air back in when you shut off the engine.

 

If the plug on the side of the block is out and u add coolant, u'll get about 1/2 cup of coolant in before coolant starts pouring out the block.

Fill the bottle 1/2 full, start the motor and let it idle while the cap is OFF the bottle, keep the bottle about 1/2 full while the motor warms up.

 

And after that, replace the coolant cap with a 703-1396 from Napa.

 

I know i'm deaf in one ear and blind out the other eye and probably am hallucinating, but did I read correctly once upon a time that u (cruiser54) never had a problem "burping" a Renix XJ?

 

Yep. That's true.

 

That's what I was thinking.

 

I use your method in Post #6.

 

Sorry for taking so long to get back . Too much work on the go. So after examining the coolant bottle closer i could see cracks , so i replaced it today with a new one. Ran her with the cap off a while , you could see coolant flowing from the upper hose and into the bottle. That must mean im getting circulation? correct? The max level never changed so i put the cap back on and once it hit near 100 it started to boil out the cap again, not near as bad as before. Maybe restricted flow thru rad? Any ideas? Again thanks to all who helped with all their usefull input !!!!
Greatly appreciated,
Mike

 

New cap? Best one to use is the 703-1396 from Napa. All the others are cheap chinese junk. Is that redundant?

 

No just the cap that came with it. Ill put an order in tommorow for a new cap as you suggested. I got my coolant bottle from my local napa suplier. didnt expect it to be chinese but it was!!!. If the water pump was shot would i still get flow into the top of the coolant bottle?
Thanks again cruiser54

 

Probably wouldn't get flow. Tonight, fill the bottle plumb full and leave the cap off. See what the level is in the morning.