mudd89driver

ok so i swapped out the thermostat... but now i have a leak in the water housing... so i'm going to buy a new one tomorrow... i did put in a new gasket so i'm not sure whats going on... does anyone know where to put coolant in a 89 cherokee?

BuckB91XJ

Don't buy a new T-stat housing. Buy some sandpaper and put a sheet of it on a flat surface and then scrape the gasket maiting surface of your T-stat housing on it until you have shiney metal all the way around. Then put it back together with a new gasket and torque it to OEM specs.

The T-stat housing on the 4.0 is aluminum and it gets warped from lots of heating and cooling. This is a very inexpensive way to reuse your old housing and save a few dollars.

OverlandZJ

Buy a new thermostat housing? Not yet...

It happens often, sometimes the thermostat will fall out of it's recess when installing the housing and leak after reassembly. Take just a bit of silicome and glue the thermostat in the recess, and double up on the gaskets when you reinstall the housing.

You fill the collant through the reservoir on pass side firewall.

mudd89driver

ok i'm going to sand down the housing and use double gasket then. if the t-stat isn't in place i'll glue it on. thanks guys.

BowtieGuy3

Did you install the gasket dry, or with sealer? And don't double gasket it, you'll get a leak for sure... I just did both of mine, and I just use the Edelbrock Gask-a-cinch, or Indian Head/Permatex gasket shellac. I personally don't believe in using RTV for a lot of coolant applications...

mudd89driver

i put it on dry... am i supposed to use a sealer? if so, what kind of sealer should i get?

BowtieGuy3

I use either of those, they're the same, just with different names.
And like I said, I never use RTV for coolant applications. I rarely use it at all for that matter.

XJ Stryker

they should have reccomended a sealer when you picked up the new t-stat never install that dry.

And instead of sandpaper use emory cloth better for metal.

You will have to burp your renix engine which usually requires lift the rear end and at the rear d-side of the valve cover there is a lil plug like deal for burping your coolant to get the air out will require it to be at operating temp though.

Have fun.

mudd89driver

got it done thanks guys. i used a gasket adhesive to put that gasket on and hold the thermostat in place, used 180grit sand paper to clean it, a cloth to wipe it down, and got now bolts. runs like a champ now

mudd89driver

i can't find the plug to let the air out