Mysterious Coolant Leak

97JEEPTJ · Post by **97JEEPTJ** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:06 pm

Good to know, thanks for the info.

97JEEPTJ · Post by **97JEEPTJ** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 12:43 pm

I'm likely going to order a new radiator for the Jeep.

As for flushing the block, how do you go about doing that?

Where would you take an old (empty) radiator? Junkyard/dumpster?

Also, what brand of coolant do you guys use? I figure I can probably get straight antifreeze and mix it with how every many gallons of distilled water rather than getting the pre-mixed.

Post by **MtnToys** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 12:06 pm

97JEEPTJ wrote:
As for flushing the block, how do you go about doing that?

I just remove the thermostat, shove the garden hose in one end and have a drain pan at the other end. The block on my engine has a drain plug at the lowest point though. I don't know how your jeep is but it may have a low spot that water could pool up in the block.

97JEEPTJ wrote: Where would you take an old (empty) radiator? Junkyard/dumpster?

Since your radiator is half plastic I would just chuck it in a dumpster.

97JEEPTJ wrote:
Also, what brand of coolant do you guys use? I figure I can probably get straight antifreeze and mix it with how every many gallons of distilled water rather than getting the pre-mixed.

Definitely go with the straight antifreeze and mix it your self. The premixed is a ripoff.

97JEEPTJ · Post by **97JEEPTJ** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:03 pm

Thanks Matt.

I'll hopefully be set to replace it next week when I get home.

Anybody ever install an auxiliary auto transmission cooler?

How about replacing a water pump?
Mine isn't leaking or anything, just thinking about it since I will be working in the area.

Post by **shmoken875** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:29 pm

97JEEPTJ wrote:Thanks Matt.

I'll hopefully be set to replace it next week when I get home.

Anybody ever install an auxiliary auto transmission cooler?

How about replacing a water pump?
Mine isn't leaking or anything, just thinking about it since I will be working in the area.

both are easy

Post by **Ctrow** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:17 pm

97JEEPTJ wrote:I'm likely going to order a new radiator for the Jeep.

As for flushing the block, how do you go about doing that?

Where would you take an old (empty) radiator? Junkyard/dumpster?

Also, what brand of coolant do you guys use? I figure I can probably get straight antifreeze and mix it with how every many gallons of distilled water rather than getting the pre-mixed.

Hey bud, if you end up doing the flush in blacksburg let me know. we do it at snappy lube and I could get you a deal. It's done with all coolant so you don't have to worry about water and low spots.

-ctrow

97JEEPTJ · Post by **97JEEPTJ** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:32 pm

Thanks Caleb. Before school, I did get the radiator flushed, so most of the system should be good. I'll let you know though.

97JEEPTJ · Post by **97JEEPTJ** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:54 pm

So of course I get home, just get settled in, decide to take a look at the radiator before I tackled the project tomorrow.

The god damn box it came in was broken, as if someone had stepped on or kneeled on it. In three separate spots, the fucking fins are messed up. And of course they're closed and I have to wait until tomorrow.

God damn box had "Fragile" all over it, how hard is it to fuck shit up.

97JEEPTJ · Post by **97JEEPTJ** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 3:57 pm

So I went ahead and got them to send a replacement radiator, should be here saturday.

I took the old radiator out.
Turns out only 3 bolts were holding my radiator in, and one of those snapped off as I was taking it out. Should 5 bolts be sufficient with the new one?

I also got the water pump off. I cannot get the metal 'heater hose' to unbolt from the water pump, any suggestions?

I also need to pull the studs off the old water pump and install them onto the new water pump, has anyone done that before using two nuts tightened against each other?

It's been the biggest PITA yet with the Jeep.

Post by **95greenrio** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:46 pm

I think when I replaced the water pump on my YJ I had to clamp the old pump into a bench vise pretty tight to get that heater tube off, also I think I used a small monkey wrench or vice grips to get the studs out, they came off pretty easy but using 2 nuts on them would probably work better.

97JEEPTJ · Post by **97JEEPTJ** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 6:03 pm

Well I got the studs off and installed onto the new water pump, wasn't bad at all, the 2 nut trick worked well.

Heater tube won't budge though, tried a breaker bar on it. I think I am going to try and bolt the water pump to a bench/table to try and get more leverage on it. I'll leave it sit overnight and hit it with some PB blaster.

Post by **Ctrow** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 6:47 pm

97JEEPTJ wrote:Well I got the studs off and installed onto the new water pump, wasn't bad at all, the 2 nut trick worked well.

Heater tube won't budge though, tried a breaker bar on it. I think I am going to try and bolt the water pump to a bench/table to try and get more leverage on it. I'll leave it sit overnight and hit it with some PB blaster.

vise+heat+pb blaster+ vise grips with metal pole+ four letter words
= worked for me

97JEEPTJ · Post by **97JEEPTJ** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 7:14 pm

Thanks Caleb.

Wouldn't have thought it to be such a PITA

Going to get back at it tomorrow to get that new water pump ready to install.

97JEEPTJ · Post by **97JEEPTJ** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:23 pm

Well with the help of a friend, a vise, and a propane torch, we got the heater tube off the old water pump. I put some teflon tape on the threads when I put it in the new water pump.

I got the water pump installed, serpentine belt back on and tensioned, fan back on.

Installed the aux transmission cooler in the grille in front of the A/C condenser. Got the radiator installed, have been working on hooking it up.

Been difficult to get the spring clamp on the lower radiator hose on the water pump end. Just hard to work up in there, any suggestions? Channel locks have worked well so far, but they're a bitch under there.

I plumbed the aux tranny cooler, had barely enough hose. The radiator came with the auto transmission fittings already installed, but they were on the end of the lines when I took them off the old radiator. One of the lines would not come loose from its old fitting, so I had to cut it off. Unfortunately, Jeep didn't provide any slack in the line, so its a bit too short to seat properly on the radiator's fitting. So, I need to get some more hose, and some double barbed junction and 2 screw/band clamps.

Hopefully that will finish things off, and I can fill the radiator and start the bitch up.

97JEEPTJ · Post by **97JEEPTJ** » Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:12 pm

Alright, so I got things buttoned up.

Filled the Rad with antifreeze/water. The system is supposed to take 10.5 Quarts, that'd be 2-5/8 gallons including the overflow bottle. I was only able to fill up a little over 2 gallons, say 9 quarts including the overflow (I could add more to it so it is all the way to the 'full' mark).

Does this seem alright? Could the remaining capacity have just been remaining old coolant? I know air can get trapped in there, and I let the Jeep run with the rad cap off, let it burp some bubbles of air.

Also, the temperature sensor in the dash has been fluctuating when driving. The temp sensor coming out of the thermostat housing did get wet, could that be the issue? If it is, when it dries out, it should be good, right?