Radiator? 90 Cherokee?

[hwcurtice]

Okay, the PO decided they didn't want to replace, and I mean that by install , the replacement radiator for the Jeep my son is buying from them. They are getting a new one. Schmucks Life Time guarantee. And we all know that means next year we'll be doing it again...

Yes I have replaced a radiator before, but I had way more room in the engine compartment. (Think late 70's Chev) Anyone have instructions on how to do this? Does anyone, within the Monroe, Sultan, Startup, Gold bar area have a few free minutes and want to stop by and assist?

 

[NotMatt]

Basically you need to take apart the whole front end of the rig to get the radiator out... it's not too bad, just don't lose any of the screws for the grill and other misc. trim pieces. The fiberglass trim piece above the radiator needs to come out, then there's a metal reinforcement piece that bolts on top of the radiator that will need to come out as well.

I've done it a couple times and barring other issues, it's probably a 2 hour job.

 

[hwcurtice]

Good news, after driving it home last night, it looks more like the thermostat is bad. Much more easy fix than the radiator.

Now, how do I fill the SOB up? There's no radiator fill on the radiator. I can't imagine filling it entiring through the overflow.

 

[NotMatt]

Good news, after driving it home last night, it looks more like the thermostat is bad. Much more easy fix than the radiator.

Now, how do I fill the SOB up? There's no radiator fill on the radiator. I can't imagine filling it entiring through the overflow.

It has the closed cooling system that came on the early cherokees. You need to fill it at the coolant bottle on the firewall on the passenger side. White/clear bottle. If you have the coolant drained down, you might want to take the resevoir bottle off and check it for cracks and replace as necessary. Once it cracks fully, it won't hold pressure any more and you'll run into overheating problems.

If you do a complete drain/flush/refill, you will need to "burp" the cooling system since it does not have a radiator cap. Fill the radiator up through the upper hose before connecting it to the block, then fill the bottle but leave the cap off. Start the rig and run it with the heater controls on full tilt until the t-stat opens (feel the upper hose get hot). Once it gets hot, shut it off and it will start sucking coolant down from the bottle and gurgling/burping out the bottle... keep the bottle full, you don't want it to suck air in at all. Repeat these steps until it doesn't burp/gurgle anymore when you shut it off.

I recommend going ahead and replacing the radiator anyway if you have a new one, because the one that's in it is probably the stock 17 year old radiator. I guarantee even if it's not giving you trouble now, it WILL in the future, and you'll be kicking yourself cause you have to do the whole refill/burp/refill/burp process again. It's a pain.

 

[hwcurtice]

It has the closed cooling system that came on the early cherokees. You need to fill it at the coolant bottle on the firewall on the passenger side. White/clear bottle. If you have the coolant drained down, you might want to take the resevoir bottle off and check it for cracks and replace as necessary. Once it cracks fully, it won't hold pressure any more and you'll run into overheating problems.

If you do a complete drain/flush/refill, you will need to "burp" the cooling system since it does not have a radiator cap. Fill the radiator up through the upper hose before connecting it to the block, then fill the bottle but leave the cap off. Start the rig and run it with the heater controls on full tilt until the t-stat opens (feel the upper hose get hot). Once it gets hot, shut it off and it will start sucking coolant down from the bottle and gurgling/burping out the bottle... keep the bottle full, you don't want it to suck air in at all. Repeat these steps until it doesn't burp/gurgle anymore when you shut it off.

I recommend going ahead and replacing the radiator anyway if you have a new one, because the one that's in it is probably the stock 17 year old radiator. I guarantee even if it's not giving you trouble now, it WILL in the future, and you'll be kicking yourself cause you have to do the whole refill/burp/refill/burp process again. It's a pain.

Radiator was replaced last year. The origonal thought was the Life Time Schmucks radiator was bad. Steam coming from under the top of the radiator. But after driving it home and watching a the fluid boil out of the overflow, Maybe not...

Still getting the replacement though.

So, anyone want to blow an afternoon and help?

Anyone?

Hello?

 

[NotMatt]

Radiator was replaced last year. The origonal thought was the Life Time Schmucks radiator was bad. Steam coming from under the top of the radiator. But after driving it home and watching a the fluid boil out of the overflow, Maybe not...

Still getting the replacement though.

So, anyone want to blow an afternoon and help?

Anyone?

Hello?

I'd offer to help but I'm a bit far away. My question is, exactly where was this steam coming from? The '90 cherokee doesn't have an overflow in the traditional sense because it's the closed system. If it's boiling over at the bottle, it's very likely that the system isn't holding pressure for some reason. (Could be a cracked bottle like I previously mentioned). It very well could be a bad t-stat, might as well change that because it's cheap and easy to do...

If there's steam coming out of the radiator anywhere, it sounds like it's leaking or cracked somewhere... but maybe I'm not understanding what you're saying. If it's overheating, it will boil over out of the cap on the coolant resevoir bottle, but it shouldn't be steaming anywhere else...

 

[hwcurtice]

I'd offer to help but I'm a bit far away. My question is, exactly where was this steam coming from? The '90 cherokee doesn't have an overflow in the traditional sense because it's the closed system. If it's boiling over at the bottle, it's very likely that the system isn't holding pressure for some reason. (Could be a cracked bottle like I previously mentioned). It very well could be a bad t-stat, might as well change that because it's cheap and easy to do...

If there's steam coming out of the radiator anywhere, it sounds like it's leaking or cracked somewhere... but maybe I'm not understanding what you're saying. If it's overheating, it will boil over out of the cap on the coolant resevoir bottle, but it shouldn't be steaming anywhere else...

Yes, it is a bit hard to describe. When we first drove it, about 2 miles, we parked it and noticed steam coming out from under the hood, front. We opened to hood, and I am sure I saw steam coming from the radiator, towards the top, possibly under the top cap of the radiator. We figured, mmm bad radiator. Okay, From the ad, they said they had just replaced almost the entire cooling system, including the bottle. The radiator is under warranty.

We drove it home last night, only abiout 5 miles, and water was coming out of the cap of the overflow. We had just filled it up, in case there was less water in teh cooling system, and now all that we put in is in the ditch accross the street from our house. Yes, from the looks, about 95% water. Very little Green Wood Grain Alcohol.

BTW, I'm only about 10 miles west of Crash... Or so...

 

[junkyard jim]

If you are getting it replaced anyways, I would tell them they sold you the wrong rad to begin with and that it is a late '90/early '91 XJ. That way you'll get the one with a cap on the rad and you can ditch that other crap.

PS: You need to loosen up the temp sensor to let the trapped air out of the closed system.

 

[NotMatt]

If you are getting it replaced anyways, I would tell them they sold you the wrong rad to begin with and that it is a late '90/early '91 XJ. That way you'll get the one with a cap on the rad and you can ditch that other crap.

Yeah, but there's more to converting to the open system than just replacing the radiator... plus the close system does work just fine as long as it keeps pressure... it's just more of a pain to fill it.

PS: You need to loosen up the temp sensor to let the trapped air out of the closed system.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that trick too.... park the rig with the ass end up a hill somewhere and loosen the temp gauge sending unit on the back of the head to get the last little bits of air out of the system.

 

[TreeClimber]

It has the closed cooling system that came on the early cherokees. You need to fill it at the coolant bottle on the firewall on the passenger side. White/clear bottle. If you have the coolant drained down, you might want to take the resevoir bottle off and check it for cracks and replace as necessary. Once it cracks fully, it won't hold pressure any more and you'll run into overheating problems..

This is a big concern and a good hint. Don't overlook doing this. If the system has a crack and is leaking out the coolant, you could be low on antifreeze and that's the cause of the overheating.

And given the opportunity to swap out the early system for a radiator with a cap on it, I'd do it!

Remember, an overheating engine may also be caused by a bad headgasket.

 

[hwcurtice]

A few things.

The radiator was replaced a year ago, along with the coolant bottle. The radiator we received 'new' from Schmucks is to replace it. We are going to replace the thermostat, and get a repair book. Hopefully, the book will show us how to replace the radiator and locate the temp sensor.

I think to replace the radiator with a capped one, would take some metal work, which we are not prepared to do at this time.

Wish us luck....

 

[hwcurtice]

A few things.

The radiator was replaced a year ago, along with the coolant bottle. The radiator we received 'new' from Schmucks is to replace it. We are going to replace the thermostat, and get a repair book. Hopefully, the book will show us how to replace the radiator and locate the temp sensor.

I think to replace the radiator with a capped one, would take some metal work, which we are not prepared to do at this time.

Wish us luck....

Okay, we got the radiator out. Decided to do the thermostat at the same time. I have one question: :wtf: do they use to put these fracking bolts on with? I cannot get the fracking bolts off. I've just about rounded it off. Not a good thing. So I've stopped and I'm going to go to Sears and get true size sockets that won't break or round the bolt heads off.

Um, what size am I supposed to be looking for? 1/2" or 13 mm? Or what?

 

[hwcurtice]

Okay, we got the radiator out. Decided to do the thermostat at the same time. I have one question: :wtf: do they use to put these fracking bolts on with? I cannot get the fracking bolts off. I've just about rounded it off. Not a good thing. So I've stopped and I'm going to go to Sears and get true size sockets that won't break or round the bolt heads off.

Um, what size am I supposed to be looking for? 1/2" or 13 mm? Or what?

Does anyone have the answer to my question? About bolt size? I am thinking about getting some airtools, somewhat in order to break this bolt loose. Not that big of a rush, but the wife does enjoy parking in the shop, er, garage, at night...

Yeah, it's a perk I give her.:cheer:

 

[Nuzzy]

Okay, we got the radiator out. Decided to do the thermostat at the same time. I have one question: :wtf: do they use to put these fracking bolts on with? I cannot get the fracking bolts off. I've just about rounded it off. Not a good thing. So I've stopped and I'm going to go to Sears and get true size sockets that won't break or round the bolt heads off.

Um, what size am I supposed to be looking for? 1/2" or 13 mm? Or what?

Probably not 13mm (or any metric) on an american vehicle, but I've seen weirder things...

Which bolts? Been so long since I worked on a cherokee I'm drawing a blank.

 

[hwcurtice]

Probably not 13mm (or any metric) on an american vehicle, but I've seen weirder things...

Which bolts? Been so long since I worked on a cherokee I'm drawing a blank.

Thermostat housing.

I have found Metric on American cars before, and vice versa. Doesn't help when so many are built overseas now.

Went to Sears and bought both Metric and American. One should fit better than the other. I got 1/2" sockets so I would have a bit more leverage.

What about using an air wrench on them? Is there too much of a chance of shearing the bolt head off?

 

[xjoffroad]

i dont know what size it is but my bet is its metric. metric all over the xj's

 

[hwcurtice]

Thermostat housing.

I have found Metric on American cars before, and vice versa. Doesn't help when so many are built overseas now.

Went to Sears and bought both Metric and American. One should fit better than the other. I got 1/2" sockets so I would have a bit more leverage.

What about using an air wrench on them? Is there too much of a chance of shearing the bolt head off?

About the air wrench still. Bad idea? Good idea? Or should I just get a muscle bound freak over to try and bust this bolt loose?

 

[NotMatt]

About the air wrench still. Bad idea? Good idea? Or should I just get a muscle bound freak over to try and bust this bolt loose?

The t-stat bolts should be 13mm IIRC. Jeeps are funny, anything bolted to the block on the 4.0 and the diff center chunks is SAE... everything else is metric (or Torx :haha

Get a 13mm 6 point socket and go to town, and hope you don't break the bolt off. I'd stay away from an air wrench and just apply some easy pressure with a little leverage from a longer breaker or cheater bar slipped over the ratchet.

 

[hwcurtice]

The t-stat bolts should be 13mm IIRC. Jeeps are funny, anything bolted to the block on the 4.0 and the diff center chunks is SAE... everything else is metric (or Torx :haha

Get a 13mm 6 point socket and go to town, and hope you don't break the bolt off. I'd stay away from an air wrench and just apply some easy pressure with a little leverage from a longer breaker or cheater bar slipped over the ratchet.

And if the socket breaks, I go back to Sears for another

Thanks, um, NotMatt...

 

[junkyard jim]

Sorry. Been a little busy with the jay oh bee. (plus emptying out my cube van full of parts into my new storage so I can sort and sell off everything I don't need plus assemble my stroker before the NEXT snowfall!)
I put the '91 rad into my '87. Piece of cake. Needed the rad, a cap, new heater hoses, and a vacuum controlled heater valve. Bolted right in (except a minor issue with the upper rubber mount bolt rusting in place)
Header panel stays in place. You take the couple bolts out of the angled plate behind it and the old rad is ready to pull (after undoing the hoses) Be careful of the fan when installing the new rad.