Can I keep the coolant from overflowing?

[Qban]

I read through the posts again and was trying to think a bit more about your problem. If your just getting hot and not really overheating by that much and your pushing more coolant than you should back to the resevoir to the point where you are loosing it then it would make sense that only a bad radiator cap would cause that, also the cap might be fine but the inner surface of the radiator where the cap pushes against might be messed up somehow.

One of the things I did for testing which might help you is pressure testing your system another way. Use a bicycle pump connected to a schrader valve and some pipe fittings including a T and a pressure gauge then attach this to the heater hose. That way you can watch the pressure of the system including the radiator cap. If when you pressurize the system you see your coolant in the reservoir start increasing before you hit the cap rating of 16psi then you would have your answer and know that the rad cap or sealing surface is the culprit.

I highly recommend not just replacing things unless you have a good idea that that's the problem. I created lots of problems and aggravation for myself by not following this advice.

 

[outracing]

Markw, check out the posts about the 3.8 liter 1995 ford Taurus cooling fan. Nothing moves more air.
I need the big electric fan because I use my jeep to plow snow and the stock clutch fan didn't pull enough air when I was transporting the plow.

Qban, I think there maybe a trip to home depot in my future. I have a pump already that has a pressure gauge. I'll let you know how everything works out.

 

[outracing]

well, pressure testing complete. As it turns out, my new champion radiator seems to have a small leak in it. I was able to pressurize the system to almost 18 psi before it began to flow into the overflow bottle.I let it sit overnight with the pressure on it, in the morning I noticed it was down to about 10psi. I pumped it up again and went to work. When I got home the pressure was way down again. There is hole in the new champion radiator at one of the welds. It is so small that it barely leaks. I guess when the coolant is hot, it evaporates before it makes it to the floor. Guess I have to replace my radiator. Hopefully this will solve my problem.

 

[mako my day]

Aren't we just a helpful bunch?

Good work. That'll solve ya straight up.

 

[Qban]

Another bad champion radiator although for a different reason than mine. I really recommend going to the dealer and getting the Mopar HD XJ radiator (52080104AC). I got mine last week and it was $300. Money well spent in my opinion as it cools a lot better than the champion 2 row and according to the guy (Lazyxj) that helped me in my thread:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1104444&page=9
It cools better than a 2 and 3 row csf.

Online I found the mopar rad for about 200, but all the websites look shady. I've heard of others ordering a mopar and getting an aftermarket "equivalent" Better off getting from the dealer and verifying the part numbers in person.

I'm glad you made some progress =) good luck

 

[gradon]

My theory and now twice bad experience is that someone sucks at welding at Champion and over many heat cycles, the welds/junctions of the aluminum tubes on the endtanks expand and contract and develop leaks. Mine never pressurized the overflow tank, but the leaks would prevent pulling extra out of it since no vacuum. Bars leak works for now and it pulled a few ounces out of the overflow. DON'T BUY CHAMPION/AMERICAN EAGLE RADIATORS!

 

[yossarian19]

Way to pay it forward, Qban.

 

[markw]

Another bad champion radiator although for a different reason than mine. I really recommend going to the dealer and getting the Mopar HD XJ radiator (52080104AC). I got mine last week and it was $300. Money well spent in my opinion as it cools a lot better than the champion 2 row and according to the guy (Lazyxj) that helped me in my thread:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1104444&page=9
It cools better than a 2 and 3 row csf.

Online I found the mopar rad for about 200, but all the websites look shady. I've heard of others ordering a mopar and getting an aftermarket "equivalent" Better off getting from the dealer and verifying the part numbers in person.

I'm glad you made some progress =) good luck

Did you get a chance to measure the core on that mopar HD XJ radiator? I'm curious as I'm researching replacing the one in the jeep I just bought. Looking at the griffin exact fit which is a single row @ 1.5" tube, and their direct fit which requires some work to make fit, also looked at ron davis which has an exact fit 2 row 1" tube. Curious as to the core on the HD one and how it'd stack up to the above ones as it's a couple hundred cheaper.