Radiator advice needed

**haumana** · 04-05-2009, 02:34 PM

Let me just start with the fact that I'm selling my WJ.

Here's my dilemma... I just noticed this morning that the dub was dripping some coolant. I did get a "low coolant" warning a couple of weeks ago and filled it at that time. I haven't gotten the warning again, but I did notice that after running to the market this morning that it was starting to drip coolant on my driveway.

So ... do I flush and seal, or do I recore? It must not be a huge leak, being as it's managed not to overheat while I've been driving it these couple of weeks, nor has the warning light come on again.

I've checked the upper hose, still great condition, no leak. I've checked the lower hose, same thing. I can see a very small amount coming out near the corner where the fan shroud meets the radiator on the driver's side.

Advice please!!!

Mahalo!

subliminal · 04-05-2009, 02:57 PM

If you are selling it anyway I would just put a thing of that stop leak powder in and call it good.

aagill225 · 04-05-2009, 03:26 PM

I just replaced my radiator on mine and first I took it to a radiator shop. The cost to repear is quite close to new OEM from Hawks Radiator w/Warrenty. Mine Also drips from the over flow hose right next to the cap, it runs to the reservour. The most difficult thing I faced with my radiator was the entire front facia has to be removed (bumper cover), head lamps, fan, and shroud. You are realy going to need a spanner tool to remove the fan from the pully. I would also suggest that you keep all the little O-rings from tranny lines to prevent loosing them and mount tranny cooler before putting new radiator in. I didn't have a spanner tool to remove fan, it was doable but would be easer with tool. That is if you decide to install youself. I got my radiator for about $150 from radiators.com (Hawks Radiator.)

ephjeeper · 04-05-2009, 04:05 PM

First, you have a plastic tank radiator, so no recore is possible. Second, there is a need to take the front facia off (grille, bumper cover), and you will lose the plastic poprivets in the wheelhouse area. Otherwise, not challenging at all. Also, you do NOT need to take off the fan, but can remove the the radiator by tilting forward after removing the tie bar and headlamp mounting reinforcement. Lastly, you can get a new radiator of high quality for about $150 (as stated above), and mine was delivered to my door same day (in Sacramento, CA). The whole job took 5 hours and a little over $200. Works great!

**haumana** · 04-05-2009, 05:39 PM

wow. thanks for the heads up. i've come to realization that nothing on the dub is fast to fix, while some fixes might be simple, it's still time consuming.

i will definitely take everything into advisement. I didn't realize there was such a thing as a plastic tank radiator. learn something new everyday

aagill225 · 04-05-2009, 08:49 PM

I did mine without removing the fan but it was pain in the butt. Honestly, for me that is what took the longest. It could, imo cut 30 min of my job plus the cost of band-aids LOL. Plus I only lost about 1/4 cup of ATF

ephjeeper · 04-05-2009, 08:53 PM

I looked at my WK with the 3.7, and I would be surprised if the rad took an hour to change! All that luxury and power has a price!

**haumana** · 04-06-2009, 12:29 AM

I bought a jar of stop leak. Now I gotta find the best way to get it in there. While the radiator might be leaking, under the cap seems to be filled to the rim and the overflow/reservoir is low. The only place that I can really see to drain is the lower hose on the pump side - is that right?

**horatio102** · 04-06-2009, 01:30 AM

No offense, but it's a total **** move to knowingly sell a broken car with a band-aid of a fix, unless you tell the person.

I'll put $10 that your problem is a cracked end tank on your radiator. I doubt stop leak is going to do the trick, but I've never used the stuff.

I just replaced my radiator myself recently because the end tank on the driver's side cracked at the top on the front side.

To answer your question - driver's side bottom there should be a hose coming from the drain petcock. Just pull the hose from it's retainer and open the valve, it takes a while but it'll drain.

ephjeeper · 04-06-2009, 07:29 PM

IMHO, it is always better to fix something rather than to sell a ticking bomb. Or, let the person know what is up, like horatio said. To me, the $200 bucks and 5 hours are worth it for the peace of mind, and I would never want to turn someone off to jeeps.

**horatio102** · 04-07-2009, 01:17 AM

You also never know who you're dealing with. If you piss off the wrong person, they could come back and make your life miserable, or short.