Ok Dudes, i need some help or advice for all you XJ wizards out there.

Just replaced the majority of my cooling system this weekend. New all metal CFS radiator, water pump, thermostat & housing, serp. belt and all the connecting hoses etc. finished up the install, and it was all going good until i filled the radiator and started the engine. Eevrything would start fine, but as soon as the temp warmed up, coolant started to gush out the side of the radiator cap. Double checked to make sure i didn't put the cap on weird, then i saw the issue. Turns out the expensive, brand-new radiator i just installed had a ding/dent/divit on the very top of the coolant neck were the rad cap twists on. The top of the Rad neck should be a flat surface, so the rad cap can meet it and form a gasket....and stop coolant from spilling over. Well, it turns out i received a dinged up radiator that didn't have a flat top of the neck. It actually is bent on the back side of the neck, causing the mating surface betweent he coolant cap not to be flat and lets coolant gush out. Obviously not a fun thing when i just spent all weekend fixing this stuff.

I know i'll get bashed for not having pictures of this right now, but it's late and i'm tired. My questions is this....

Does anyone have ANY idea of how to fix this (short of ripping out the rad and installing a new one)???? I tried bending the top lip of the neck back in place, to try and make it as flat as possible, but still no fix.

 

Pliers. I'd say keep working at it until you get it right.

Or if you can be without your XJ for a short while, take out the radiator and send it back for a replacement

 

well, I tried flattening it some, but it still leaked through. It wasn't even a little 'drip-drip' - it was a lot of coolant coming out. Fortunately, without much struggle, I called the company and they were able to overnight me a new radiator. So hopefully it’s only two days sans XJ.