Last weekend I replaced the leaking stock radiator in my 98 XJ with a new CSF 2 core. During shipping the filler neck got a little banged up, most obvious was a dent in the neck sidewall....since the old radiator was already out, I knocked the dent out and pressed forward with the install.
The copper lip was also slightly bent, so I tried to bring that back to shape. Less obvious, during install anyway, was the copper lip was not flat. So now there is a small leak there, I'm guessing because the cap gasket is not sitting flat against the filler lip.
I've already spoken to the place I ordered the radiator from, and they will exchange this radiator for a new one. New units are often damaged in shipping I was told, and it's standard procedure to have the customer try to correct the damage first if possible.
But short of tearing the Jeep apart again to swap radiators, does anyone have any ideas? I should have taken a picture of the lip...there is a raised bump around the circumference of it, in some places the bump is depressed leading to the "non-flatness." I'm concerned wacking it with a screwdriver and hammer will further deform the copper lip.
I think I already know the answer (replace the rad), but trying to avoid it....the AT cooler connector was a bear, don't want to touch that again...
The copper lip was also slightly bent, so I tried to bring that back to shape. Less obvious, during install anyway, was the copper lip was not flat. So now there is a small leak there, I'm guessing because the cap gasket is not sitting flat against the filler lip.
I've already spoken to the place I ordered the radiator from, and they will exchange this radiator for a new one. New units are often damaged in shipping I was told, and it's standard procedure to have the customer try to correct the damage first if possible.
But short of tearing the Jeep apart again to swap radiators, does anyone have any ideas? I should have taken a picture of the lip...there is a raised bump around the circumference of it, in some places the bump is depressed leading to the "non-flatness." I'm concerned wacking it with a screwdriver and hammer will further deform the copper lip.
I think I already know the answer (replace the rad), but trying to avoid it....the AT cooler connector was a bear, don't want to touch that again...