mattyice

Hi everyone! I recently had to get my lower radiator hose replaced and ever since then my radiator cap(or neck) has been leaking coolant. Tried two new radiator caps still leaks.

I don't think my jeep has a blown head gasket. There are no bubbles in the coolant.

I talked to a guy at the Chrysler dealership, and he said it sounds like the radiator is corroded and needs to be replaced. I hope not

Any help or advice would be great


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

SatiricalHen

radiators aren't bad to replace honestly... It was $100 and a couple hours for me... And I'm a highschooler who doesn't know a whole lot.... Honestly I replaced mine because I thought it might be leaking... And why not improve the cooling system when you can....

HudsonN

This.

It's pretty much a bunch of 8mm (or is it 10?) and a few weird torx bolts and you can pull the radiator out.

Oh and remove some hoses and lines and be careful with the transmission line.

You should be able to do it in a couple hours if it's your first time.

RSWiser

Does your lower radiator hose have the required spring in it?

If not it could be collapsing which could cause problems.

freegdr

Plastic or metal radiator ?

SatiricalHen

mines aluminum core with plastic tanks (end cap things).

SatiricalHen

they're 10 I think maybe a couple 8s but none the less easy.

RTorrez1

The spring is not required...
Before you replace the rad make sure that it is leaking and not the cap. I have had many aftermarket caps leak. The easiest fix for a new cap is to bend the tabs on the cap so it will fit tight. Make sure to only bend the tabs a little at a time.

extrashaky

The spring was included in the OEM hose because some quirk of the factory installation process made it necessary during installation. It isn't necessary under normal operation, and your hose will not collapse without it.

cruiser54

Correct.

318SixPack

Oops I somehow got dumped into the wrong thread

Frank J

Hey everyone,

You all might be aware of this problem, so forgive me if its not helpful - but I found the damndest thing today and now I'm wondering about a whole lot of stuff I've been running around replacing and trying to fix. So my head in my 97 country XJ doesn't work and its got a slow fluid leak I've known about for a while - but I've had no luck running down. Today, I was pouring some coolant system flush into the radiator and I get on a kind of weird angle and notice its leaking out a bit from the back side. I take a closer look, and just underneath the cap, on the backside of the radiator opening pointing toward the airbox, theres a circular flat part that faces the back of the Jeep. Its touching the airbox so I push the airbox back - sure enough, the rubbing from the airbox put a hole in it.

So heres what I think's been happening. That airbox made that hole, and when the car isnt running or is just idling still, the airbox kind of plugs it for the most part - at least on mine. But once you get it up to temp/speed, that hole is letting all the pressure out and I'm willing to bet its keeping my damn heater core from getting all the way up to temp.

Tomorrow, I plan to take a bolt and a washer as close to the diameter of that cap-nozzle extension as I can get, and then dry it of all coolant with degreaser and squeeze some RTV or Ultra Black in there. I'll let it set for an hour or so, then I'll run that bolt with the washer through it and out the backside toward the airbox, where I'll throw another washer and a nut on and torque it down.

Two questions - what do you think about my heater theory, this being the cause of the heater not working?
And, do you think my bolt/washer/permatex/washer/nut solution will hold?

MaskedMallard

Go buy / rent an Infrared Thermal gun & check the temperature of the In & Out hose. It should be pretty close to the same. If it's not, you'll have to back flush the heater core until it flushes clear. You could also have an issue with your blend door. From a failed motor, to a vacuum leak where it only blows on defrost, to the flip that holds the cable in place broke, not allowing full range of the door. I might have missed afew other possibilities.

318SixPack

If there ever was a job for JB Weld, this is it.

PatHenry

I'd correct the original issue. Why is the radiator rubbing on the airbox? Is the airbox out of place, is the radiator out of place?

I'd buy a new radiator and if I had to, forcibly move the airbox back an inch or so (at least on my 95 it just secures into sheet metal below). I'd rather drill a couple new holes and bolt through the air box so it doesn't rub on the radiator and have a sound radiator. A lot of chemicals won't stand up to the pressure or will be degraded by the coolant and just fail again in short order.

Fix it right - don't screw around (pun intended) with mickey mousing your radiator.