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Advice about my cooling system

954 views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  brokebolts 
#1 ·
Okay. So, I own an 87 xj pioneer, I drive it approx 100 miles a day commuting for work, and have recently changed my thermostat and heater control valve. Since then, everything was okay, until about a week ago, I was driving and when I came to a stop, I could here a hissing. I looked at my temp, and it was just over 210. So I parked, popped the hood and low and behold, there is coolant spraying out of the pressure tank. But it was coming out from where the return hose comes into the tank, and I am not sure what to make of it.

So, I changed out my water pump, started the engine, turned the heater to heat, cranked it up to high, and filled the pressure tank as it filled the system, keeping the level in the tank above the the spout on the bottom of the tank so it didn't start pulling air in. Well, I waited and eventually the return hose started flowing consistently with coolant,so I took that to be my que the air was out of the system, so I, filled it to about half full, put the cap back on the tank. I let the motor idle for a few minutes, and as it starts to build pressure in the tank, it leaks from the same place, between the return hose and the tank. It also seems to be running hotter than the gauge is reading, and it appears to be boiling away coolant and the gauge is showing under 190.

I have a feeling it could be the radiator, I haven't checked it for cold spots to see if it is clogged, but I'm pretty sure it is the stock radiator, with 200k plus miles, and yes, I know it is past it's time.

I want to get this fixed at a decent price, and I was considering switching over to an open system, which I can do for about 200 total, new radiator and all, except I was thinking if I change to an open system, I would keep my current thermostat housing, and cut out the heater control valve entirely, cutting and capping off the vacuum line, then running the hoses directly to the heater core. I'm not sure about the overflow tank and considering just running a hose to drain to the ground for the time being till I can get a tank and get it fit in there somewhere....

So I guess what I'm asking is if anyone has an idea what could be wrong and how I can fix it?

Would converting to an open system be a better way to fix the issues?

Thoughts? Opinion? Suggestions?
 
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#4 ·
So...it's leaking between the hose and the pressure tank...and you're thinking the problem is the radiator??? How does that logic work?

...a better way to fix the problem is to look at where the leak is happening...or did I miss something??
 
#7 ·
Even a small leak can cause a huge issue. On your system the "return" hose is under pressure. Under normal circumstances the bottle, the cap, the hoses are all pressurized. When they become pressurized, leaks present themselves...you lose coolant...air enters the system. and so on. It doesn't have to be overheating to spew coolant out of a leaky hose...it's not just an overflow hose...it's a pressure hose.
 
#9 ·
Well. I'm going to replace the bottle and cap first. I have a question though, the hose on the bottom of the resevior is in desperate need to be replaced, I am all for changing it, but where it meets the T-connection, it is crimped down. I had been told once if I replace it, I can't use a regular hose clamp, ya know, the screw down type. Would it mess anything up to replace the hose and use a regular hose clamp??
 
#10 ·
You'd have to replace the entire hose "assembly" with the closed system or do some plumbing modification. You can carefully cut the crimp off and using a regular hose clamp is fine as long as you can arrange the hose the right way. The guys at our local NAPA let me rummage around in their hose racks when I need to find a hose, be it bent this way or that way. In the long run it might be easier and cheaper to just replace the whole assembly, pressure bottle and cap.

If you want to do the open system mod it'll cost about $250-$350 depending on your choice of radiator. That is really only if you NEED to replace the radiator.
 
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