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Planning on Fixing My Cool System...Am I Missing Anything?

D

dryflakescalp

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Long Island, NY
My '90 Cherokee Limited has been running hot. Changed the water pump, thermostat and flushed the system. Now I'm going to change the radiator, pressure bottle and the hoses. I'm also planning on replacing the fans. What's the right way to fill the system and since I have A/C, will I need a specific radiator?

Also, what are the signs for head gasket leaks? After running hot, but not into the red or overheating, I checked the oil and saw 2 small bubbles at the top of the dipstick. The bubbles looked like the oil was bubbling. Am I screwed?
 
Last edited:
I have a 90 cherokee also and it runs at 210 all the time. Im to am working on fixing the high temp problem, replaced the thermostat, water pump, hoses, expantion bottle. Im going to order a 3 row radiator from radiator.com for 187.12 to my door. My xj needs some motor work. I plan on replacing it with a rebuilt long block by the end of the year. my a/c dosn't work but I will keep it in place to fixed at a later date. All I know is XJ's rum hot no matter what, mine like to leave a wet spot where ever I park. I carry 4 gal of water to keep it cool when it needs it. Since I replace the expantion bottle no more wet spot but still runs hot.

As far as your oil problem Im not sure... sorry

Pugsley - My first post here
 
Pugsley said:
I have a 90 cherokee also and it runs at 210 all the time. Im to am working on fixing the high temp problem
Click to expand...
What problem? Allow me to refresh the collective memory on this board...

210 is NORMAL operating temperature for the 4.0L! ! ! !
 
Yucca-Man said:
What problem? Allow me to refresh the collective memory on this board...

210 is NORMAL operating temperature for the 4.0L! ! ! !
Click to expand...

Mine runs at a hundred :laugh3:

If you have to be constantly adding water, do yourself a favor and buy a big jug of budget distilled water and second best rain water.
The stuff in the water, falls out of suspension when it gets hot and usually ends up in the bottom of your radiator. Might take awhile, but every quart of tap water adds to it some, until it´s mostly plugged up.
 
Fargin' metric smartalecks...
happyfinger.gif
 
If you're replacing the whole cooling system you may want to consider getting away from the early closed cooling system. The newer system is easier to fill, burps itself and has a cap directly on the radiator. I did this to my 87 mj and it works great.
 
just to refresh your memory

"All I know is XJ's rum hot no matter what, mine likes to leave a wet spot where ever I park. I carry 4 gal of water to keep it cool when it needs it"

Yukaman: I know 210 is normal, leaving wet spots isn't. Thanks for the loud reminder.

Maybe I could have worded it better but thats what I wrote.

Thanks,

Pugsley
 
Pugsley said:
Yukaman: I know 210 is normal, leaving wet spots isn't. Thanks for the loud reminder.
Click to expand...

BUT, you also said...

Pugsley said:
Since I replace the expantion bottle no more wet spot but still runs hot
Click to expand...

So....I guess its fixed now?

BTW-The closed system will function just fine when maintained, just a little bit. There is NO REASON to swap to an "open" system.

HTH

Rev
 
OK, you got me

but it's only been 2 days since the last fixes. and I had to add more water to it this morning.

Glad Im making new friends here, HAHA

Thanks, Pugsley
 
Pugsley said:
Glad Im making new friends here, HAHA
Click to expand...

Yeah, impressive for only three posts.

Getting back to the problem at hand, have you tried bleeding the cooling system? You may have trapped air in it that's slowly making its way into the overfllow bottle, hence the overheating and need for fresh water every couple of days.
 
I have forced water in with a water hose and still. Matter of fact I did that the day I made the changes... Hmmm

Just check it after a a short trip and all the water is still there.


Thanks ,

Pugsley
 
Does anybody know what thenormal operating temp is for the 4.0?? :laugh3: :laugh3:
 
bjoehandley said:
Dad took a modified blowgun and blew all the junk out of the fins on his '90, went to a 185* t-stat and a new water pump. Now the truck won't even get to 200* on a hot day!
Click to expand...
If I did that, my fins would fall out...stupid lousy Northeast weather...

Thanks for the input. Radiator.com is trying to talk me into a GDI 3 core instead of a Modine 2 core, but it seems like a 2 core is what everyone recomends.
 
dryflakescalp said:
Radiator.com is trying to talk me into a GDI 3 core instead of a Modine 2 core, but it seems like a 2 core is what everyone recomends.
Click to expand...

I got the GDI 3 core from them. . . Wish I had got the Modine 2 core...
 
the guy at Radiator.com told me that GDI bought Modine. so it would be the same one. I want more cooling surface so I'm opting for the 3 row not 2.

Thanks,

Pugsley
 
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