[nexus42i]

So my Jeep has been overheating and I decided that a new radiator might help the issue. Now, I'm thinking that I probably also need a new fan clutch, but let's start with the radiator and see where it goes from there. Well, it seemed prudent to replace the hoses and the thermostat while I had everything apart.

Of course, the new hose I bought from Federated doesn't have the coil spring inside. I tried to pull the old spring out of the original hose, but it seems like I'm just stretching it out, and the spring isn't coming out of the hose.

Is there some trick to removing the spring and putting it in the new hose? Maybe it's really obvious but I can't seem to get that damn spring out of the old hose, let alone into the new hose.

[Doitsouthstyle]

I am not even sure if it even comes out but did you try twisting the spring so that it would wrapped up tighter and smaller and mayb possisly would come out?

[tjjeepwrench978]

yeah it willl, cut the hose maybe I think u can like unthread it out, I used vasiline when lightly on the spring to help it slide in my high volume pump was sucking the lower hose shut

[Holder350]

I have only had one motor that would suck the lower hose closed an needed a spring....but I simply used a coat hanger and wrapped it around a peice of PVC to make a new spring....worked great

[tjjeepwrench978]

Yeah Im running the 100 dollar flo kooler high volume pump awesome upgrade, But the spring actually came in my 97 xjs stock motor..

[nexus42i]

Alright, I managed to replace the radiator, the hoses, and the thermostat.

I cut the old lower hose open, pulled out the spring, spent about a half an hour reshaping it, and then worked it into the new hose. Of course, the aftermarket hoses, both the upper and lower, were sloppily made so I had to trim them both to a correct length. The lower is closer to the steering box than I'd like, but I wrapped it in hard plastic so it should be alright.

Also, of course, the old constant tension clamps sucked and the upper hose was leaking when I put it all back together. I just slid it back and used a screw-type clamp, in front of it. Two clamps must be twice as good, because it's not leaking from there any more.

I broke the fan shroud trying to put it back in. Since the new radiator is thicker than the stock, it wasn't going in nicely and when I forced it just a little, it snapped into two. I tried to get it to stay in place, but as soon as I started the engine, the fan tore it up. So now I need to hit Crazy Ray's and pull a new fan shroud sometime this week.

Finally, and perhaps most irritatingly, when I got home from the shop where I work on my car, I pop the hood just to check things out, and I see coolant bubbling out from the thermostat housing. So tomorrow I get to take that apart again, remove that crappy paper gasket I knew I should have just thrown out anyway, and put some RTV on there that should hopefully seal it up good and tight.

The car seems to be running cooler with the new 3-row radiator, but it's still creeping up towards 220 in traffic with the A/C on. If the fan shroud doesn't clear it up, I'm going to have to go to dual electric fans, I guess, because I don't know what else to replace at this point.

[medicmandan]

Don't feel bad, I have to pull my newly installed water pump. I have a small seep out the top of the pump right near the bolt.

[tjjeepwrench978]

All right i get the tstat everytime, take your block and housing and clean them throughly wire wheel, brush scraper what ever, CLEAN,,,,prep it with brake cleaner, or thinner, make shhure its super dry, then use RTV on you finger tip and spread A THIN LAYER on both sides by thin I mean almost clear, just barely coated, use the paper , Works 100% of time key word CLean , if you have acces to air grinder or a angle grider with a wire wheel that works awesome.....Also dont overtorque ur bolts, and check the aluminum for cracks USE the paper

[nexus42i]

I cleaned the thermostat housing really well with the wire wheel, and just used the paper but not the RTV. Every other time I've done a thermostat I just tossed the gasket and used only RTV, and I've never had a leak. I don't know what the heck I was thinking this time. I'm going to bring it back in and do it again, and probably just use RTV.

[tjjeepwrench978]

yeah just paper will leak the aluminum usually pitts tooo so you need to make up for that, or just use RTV, I find that gets sloppy though...

[djb383]

IIRC, one or more of the water pump bolts enters the block water jacket so bolt threads need sealer.

[nexus42i]

The water pump bolt enters the block, or the thermostat bolts? I didn't use sealer either, I thought they were both dry bolts.

[Holder350]

Indian head gasket shellac

FTW



Allways use it on water pump and thermostat housings....NEVER had one leak