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Previous Owners Botched Transcooler Removal

robdiddy

NAXJA Forum User
Location
MI
So if you seen my last post, the coolant leak is gone the freeze plug is handled now via additives and JB Weld until I am forced to do it and the head gasket. In the previous 2 maybe 3 weeks I have been able to drive up to 5 miles before any issues like overheating occurred. Then it would stall even in the middle of the road until it cooled down.

Ive been obsessed with the concept of the head gasket or valve cover leak. Except my oil has zero antifreeze in it and I did a flush and the water came out as clean and majestic as the great lakes. So today I tried something different I burped my cooling system for the first time. What I discovered was the lime away I thought was out was really just blocked or in an air pocket. Suddenly that part of the problem was solved. It was incredible.. I did do a test for exhaust fumes and it came back slightly greenish yellow. Not the full yellow at the exhaust pipe.

So I was studying diagrams of XJ motors and also my dad has a 00 Sport. We already were aware that the previous owner messed up the vaccum system when he put on the new bumper. I knew he took the AC condenser out....

I didn't realize that there is an entire line that goes to my transmission thats not there until today. Also when we compared both XJs I don't have a trans cooler. When it was below 70 degrees I had zero issues. I also realized they way they did the removal that exhaust fumes or combustion gases were exposed to where air intake would be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omBcjX8JugE

Am I crazy or is this a hack job?
 
Send an oil sample to blackstone labs for analysis. They can tell you if you have trace amounts of coolant in it.
 
To me, you're moving the camera way too fast so it wouldn't focus well, so it's hard to tell.

The "primary" trans cooler is built into the radiator. If you have the auxiliary cooler, it's plumbed in series with the primary.

So the flow comes from the transmission, in the upper fitting on the radiator, out the lower fitting and back to the trans. With the auxillary cooler, it comes out the radiator to the upper fitting on the aux then out the lower fitting, back to the trans.

Perhaps some still pics would work better?
 
Go pro fail… I’ll retake.

But realistically if I’m overheating and the car is shutting its self off after driving up to 5 miles. Something is going on where an extra cooler that only costs 30 dollars may help resolve some of this


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By the way... Aside from reinstalling that and running the lines. I'm going to just study all the content I can and do the head gasket repair with my dad. Right now I can drive it to and from the gas station about a mile away if need be. I'm going to just take it apart, probably take the water pump back and exchange it for a new one. Probably do a new radiator too. Just to get all of this fixed.

https://gainzmedia.com/jeep/cherokee-xj-overheating-nightmare-wont-stop/
 
What lines were missing? Did they somehow just loop the trans cooler lines and not go through the radiator at all? No clue what you're talking about with the exhaust. Overheating won't cause a hard shutdown. That sounds more like a failing crank position sensor.
 
You put CLR in the radiator? Was that before or after the freeze plug started leaking. What the freeze plug brass by chance?

In your rather difficult to watch video(s), I can see the trans cooler line going to the radiator. Not all cherokees came with the extra external trans cooler. Adding a trans cooler is a waste of money. You probably plugged up the radiator with all that stop-leak crap you dumped in there to band-aid a bad head gasket or cracked head (possibly caused by the failed freeze plug not letting the system develop pressure).


*Hopefully you take this as constructive criticism. Your videos are painful to watch. It's obvious you're still learning, but you're trying to present yourself as being knowledgeable. Slow down and make them more than 1-2 minutes, explain the issues. Drop the out of focus flashy headache inducing special effects.
 
You put CLR in the radiator? Was that before or after the freeze plug started leaking. What the freeze plug brass by chance?

In your rather difficult to watch video(s), I can see the trans cooler line going to the radiator. Not all cherokees came with the extra external trans cooler. Adding a trans cooler is a waste of money. You probably plugged up the radiator with all that stop-leak crap you dumped in there to band-aid a bad head gasket or cracked head (possibly caused by the failed freeze plug not letting the system develop pressure).


*Hopefully you take this as constructive criticism. Your videos are painful to watch. It's obvious you're still learning, but you're trying to present yourself as being knowledgeable. Slow down and make them more than 1-2 minutes, explain the issues. Drop the out of focus flashy headache inducing special effects.

The best way to learn…. Is trial and error. I started making my own content with videos in the last few months. I bought a new camera 2 weeks ago with a flip up monitor so i can see myself as i record. Podcasting where no one sees me is so much easier since there’s no i hope i don’t look like an idiot.

I’m leaning towards replacing the radiator, I bought a new thermostat i believe i bought the 180 instead of the 195 in the winter. I bought the 195 yesterday, when i first got the Jeep there was brown substance in the cooling system. I don’t know if maybe the guy ran a additives and that was what was in there.

The lines for the transcooler are in the engine there plugged up, truthfully the transcooler is 30 dollars. I’d rather put one back in, exchange the water pump for a new one since it’s 3 months old, new thermostat, head gasket and new radiator.
 
You put CLR in the radiator? Was that before or after the freeze plug started leaking. What the freeze plug brass by chance?

In your rather difficult to watch video(s), I can see the trans cooler line going to the radiator. Not all cherokees came with the extra external trans cooler. Adding a trans cooler is a waste of money. You probably plugged up the radiator with all that stop-leak crap you dumped in there to band-aid a bad head gasket or cracked head (possibly caused by the failed freeze plug not letting the system develop pressure).


*Hopefully you take this as constructive criticism. Your videos are painful to watch. It's obvious you're still learning, but you're trying to present yourself as being knowledgeable. Slow down and make them more than 1-2 minutes, explain the issues. Drop the out of focus flashy headache inducing special effects.

And the clr was after the freeze plug failed.. there was so much rust in the system but i did it in a diluted amount after seeing 4 videos and an article on using it.
Also why i made an account here because the people on this website are more knowledgeable than the other forums.
 
Yeah, quite possible the previous owner dumped in a bunch of stop leak and sold it quick. I was the victim of that once. I'm surprised the trans even worked correctly with the cooler lines plugged. Have you checked that the fan clutch is good? Once it's hot, it shouldn't freewheel very easily. Correct water pump, the vanes aren't rusted off?
 
Yeah, quite possible the previous owner dumped in a bunch of stop leak and sold it quick. I was the victim of that once. I'm surprised the trans even worked correctly with the cooler lines plugged. Have you checked that the fan clutch is good? Once it's hot, it shouldn't freewheel very easily. Correct water pump, the vanes aren't rusted off?

So those lines are there and fine… the thermostat was replaced with a cheap one and not flushed out it was winter time and the hose would have been frozen.guess who’s thermostats was stuck closed and water pump failed.
 
If I never posted this thread and then had the coolant flow broken down for me. i never realized that the thermostat was stuck closed. Truthfully I’m putting a new radiator water pump thermostat on this weekend. Then redoing the test for the head gasket considering none of the symptoms of a blown head gasket appeared. If the head gasket is ****ed… we’ll then i can do the freeze plug and that plus clean up the motor. Then ride out another 30k miles, thanks guy
 
Transcooler installed
New Water Pump
New Thermostat (It was stuck closed)
New Alternator
New Radiator

COMPLETE FLUSH OF THE SYSTEM

1.. Runs smooth as hell has not shut off or overheated. There is now no steam or smoke coming off of the engine.
2.. Zero leaks anywhere after driving it for 30 mins and even on the freeway up to 80 mph.

I made my XJ Great Again... But for how long
 
1500 miles later...

Lower radiator hose had to be replaced like a week after this post. The old one gave out...
I ran a head gasket sealant to be safe also... because I wanted to be safe.

0 to 60 better than my 00 that didnt have these issues...Runs silent as hell no stalling.

280k miles on the dash and I can no hand it on the freeway at 80 mph and it stays in its lane. #Blessed
 
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