lower radiator hose leaking... brand new. help ...
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
Model: Cherokee
ok guys, this is a weird one.
i have a 97 xj , i did a coolant flush about a week ago , cleaned her all out.
i noticed a drip from the lower radiator hose in between where it connects to the engine and where it connects to the radiator.
i replaced the hose with a brand new lower hose, and it still drips!
it drips from where the hose connects to the engine ( water pump) . ive tighened the hell out of the clamp, cleaned off the male end of the engine side with steel wool and alcohol, retightened with permatex ultra black rtv sealant gasket maker on the engine end, still drips. ONLY DRIPS WITH ENGINE ON ... so under pressure.
i got so sick of paying 12$ for radiator fluid when i would have to yank the hose to work on it, i just bought the bars leak stuff and it slowed it down some. i used to be a steady drip, maybe 2 drips a second. now its 1 drip every few seconds or so... but enough to worry me .
anyways, only thing i could think of was RTV sealant, any ideas? hose clamp is new, water pump side is clean, and yes, i tightened the hose clamp PAST the male nipple protrusion part of the water pump,
thanks!
i have a 97 xj , i did a coolant flush about a week ago , cleaned her all out.
i noticed a drip from the lower radiator hose in between where it connects to the engine and where it connects to the radiator.
i replaced the hose with a brand new lower hose, and it still drips!

it drips from where the hose connects to the engine ( water pump) . ive tighened the hell out of the clamp, cleaned off the male end of the engine side with steel wool and alcohol, retightened with permatex ultra black rtv sealant gasket maker on the engine end, still drips. ONLY DRIPS WITH ENGINE ON ... so under pressure.
i got so sick of paying 12$ for radiator fluid when i would have to yank the hose to work on it, i just bought the bars leak stuff and it slowed it down some. i used to be a steady drip, maybe 2 drips a second. now its 1 drip every few seconds or so... but enough to worry me .
anyways, only thing i could think of was RTV sealant, any ideas? hose clamp is new, water pump side is clean, and yes, i tightened the hose clamp PAST the male nipple protrusion part of the water pump,
thanks!
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,603
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From: Hollidaysburg, PA
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 lt. 242 cu.in.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
Model: Cherokee
also, i inspected almost the whole nipple of the water pimp, its clean and shiny, no cracks. couldnt see the top of it from under the car, so thats why i say ALMOST all inspected.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 101
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From: Baltimore Md Area
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.6l Stroker
Had the same exact problem with my 96 2 days ago. It was actually the weep hole on the water pump running down the hose making it look like it was the hose.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 79
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From: North Carolina
Model: Cherokee
well the weep hole is up high on the pump, right?
my nose was 8" from this junction when it started leaking. in fact, i put my finger on the junction, to see if it would slow the flow of the drip down , and it did, thus confirming the dripping is coming from inside of the rubber hose where it meets the nipple of the water pump.... pretty much slipping past the hose clamp underneath .
my nose was 8" from this junction when it started leaking. in fact, i put my finger on the junction, to see if it would slow the flow of the drip down , and it did, thus confirming the dripping is coming from inside of the rubber hose where it meets the nipple of the water pump.... pretty much slipping past the hose clamp underneath .
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore Md Area
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.6l Stroker
There r 2 weep holes 1 on top and 1 under by the bolt hole. Thats bottom one has to be the one that is leaking. Took me a little bit to figure it out too.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
Model: Cherokee
i can almost guarantee you its not the weep hole. any suggestions otherwise? its a reputable national auto parts store (autozone in ohio) so im assuming they gave me the right diameter. it was quite easy to slide on though... who knows. i just hate using the bars leak stuff to solve the problem. shouldnt need to


