2001 cherokee classic. I6 4.0 4x4

I noticed a small drip running down my wheel well today.so i started to dig into it and noticed the tank is cracked,but not even hooked up.I want to avoid any over heating due to my 0331 head.will running without the tank hurt any thing? Its been this way for 2 years at least.

 

Yeah you definitely do not want to run without a coolant tank. You should definitely replace it if it is cracked. I would hit the local junk yard and grab a new one. Always make sure you have it full with green coolant. Also to avoid overheating make sure your radiator is cooling efficiently.

 

thats what i was thinking.but how is it that it dose not over heat and has only over heated once becuase a stuck thermostat.its been this way since i got it 2 years ago..I am still learning about my cooling system..so this all might sound dumb..lol but bear with me....

 

Having a slight coolant overflow tank leak will not directly cause it to overheat. But the reason it is there is bc in case your radiator is low on coolant that extra tank will replenish lost coolant. Its not a good idea to let your over flow tank run low on coolant. If i were u i would check to make sure your radiator is functioning properly. Jeep should not go past 210 on your temp gauge. In the time u have owned the jeep if the cooling system has not been flushed, flush it. Also be careful i dont know what you do in your jeep but i strongly recommend a 3 row radiator and a good transmission cooler if u plan on off roading or your stuck in traffic during summertime

 

Also make sure you're not leaking coolant anywhere. (Youll know bc youll smell it and see green puddles). Trust me ive had to replace the radiator on my xj i got screwed by a bad shop. They put in a crappy single row plastic radiator and did not flush the system so all the old nasty crap went into the new one. Im telling you all this to 1- prevent you from overheating and having a blown head gasket and 2- to avoid getting screwed by shops

 

i flushed it a month ago when did my thermostat.i plan to flush it again before the snow starts flyin here..just to add i am not having any issues with over heating...this thread was more to get to know my cooling system,i was'nt sure about how it would pull from the tank.but now i know..thanks for the info guys..