On a 1996 Cherokee Sport with a 4ltr motor, is the transmission cooling line going to the bottom of the radiator the return-to-tranny line? (the one with the so-called "quick release fitting")

 

Best way to find out is to follow the lines back to the transmission:

 

You need to pinch the ears together or somehow get the inner retaining 'ears' or tabs to move outward so you can pull the line out past them. The biggest issue with old fittings is rust or debris inside the fitting that prevents the inner tabs (or 'ears') from spreading outward. If you can use a straw and spray inside the fitting with penetrating fluid, wiggle the plastic fitting around a little to help unsettle debris ...and get a compressed air nozzle in there to blow it out ...that may help and allow you to be able to pinch the plastic retainer enough to allow it to release.

I had a lot of rust inside my fittings and in the end I needed to cut the lines with a hacksaw and unscrew the fittings. I was going to replace them anyway. Once off the vehicle, I may have been able to clean them off, but I was able to find some inexpensive ones, I believe at Autozone. They were the cheapest at the time. Good luck!

 

The return line on my 96 XJ differs from the above diagram (1997 - 2001). The line connecting to the lower side of the radiator goes to the rear connect point on the tranny (apparently returning). I have also read about different years having different connections concerning upper/lower radiator connections. Can someone confirm that the rear tranny connector is always the return?

 

My '96 hooks up the same as yours. Rear = Return

 

So that would mean that the return lines of our 96s exit the lower radiator ports - the opposite of the 97s to 2001s. Thanks for the clarification....

 

Yes sir.
I also came across this. Fairly often we get the question of how to remove the quick disconnect fitting on the radiator cooler:


"They make a tool that you can buy cheap at your local parts store,,,it's called quick disconnect tool. Sometimes you can do it by hand."

HAND REMOVAL PROCEDURE:

1. Holding the line as shown, grasp connector body with fingers touching the retainer tabs (Figure 1).



2. Push line into connector until line stops (Figure 2).



3. Squeeze retainer tabs together until both tabs contact line (Figure 3).



4. Pull line out of the connector with other hand while retainer tabs are squeezed together (Figure 4).

 

Which by normal convention is backwards. Normally you want to fill from the bottom up so you don't trap air in the cooler.

 

Found this from '07:
"the FSM shows the lower radiator line as the return line, but most guys I've talked to with late model XJ's seem to have the lines "reversed", where the upper line is the return line. Apparently Jeep made a change I'm guessing around '98 or '99 for some reason, and never updated the FSM."

Can't find out why the change. Speculation is it possibly had something to do with the optional factory auxiliary cooler. For what ever reason I haven't found any reference to it causing trans failures.

 

The back line on the transmission is always the return. Some have the return coming out of the top of the radiator and some come out the bottom.

 

And that's why when someone asks about line locations at the radiator I tell them to follow them from the trans. Rear = Return

 

If you look at the release locks picture, you can see if there is a bunch of dirt and debris (or rust) under the inner retaining tabs they aren't going to just flex in like they should. Therefore really try to clean them out with a strong spray of whatever.. penetrating fluid or carb cleaner ..and wiggle the plastic connectors to work out whatever debris might be under the release tabs. It might make the job go from impossible and frustrating ...to do-able.

 

A dust cover would have been have been nice.

 

When i replaced the lines on my 97, i cut a thin slice of rubber hose to cover the tabs. Connected the lines and pushed the rubber into the fitting and that was it. So far so good. Should keep most, if not all, of the dirt and debris out of it. Try that. After i was done i realized i could have taken a rubber cap (like the ones covering the ends of brake fittings, only bigger) and cut a hole in the middle and slid it over the tube. One small enough to grip the fitting so it stays, of course. But i didnt feel like pulling the lines apart again.

 

Good ideas! My quick disconnect is at the top of the radiator so no problems.