1999, 200800 miles. I purchased in May. No idea on maintenance history. I bought it as a fun vehicle to have and as a way to teach myself some auto repair but I think I may end up going to a shop for this as I think I might be in over my head.
Radiator hose exploded
- Thread starter Krbranst
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1999, 200800 miles. I purchased in May. No idea on maintenance history. I bought it as a fun vehicle to have and as a way to teach myself some auto repair but I think I may end up going to a shop for this as I think I might be in over my head.
Some very helpful information in here. Unfortunately with time available and my skill level I think it's going to be better for me to take it to a shop for this.
As stated, I'd be doing a flush and hose replacement. When you flush, use this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R74I5UY/?tag=wranglerorg-20
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R74I5UY/?tag=wranglerorg-20
This isn't difficult and can be done with basic tools. Try it and save yourself some money!
It’s really not as hard as you’re thinking and it’s a good place to learn about your vehicle. It’s about 500 bucks in parts but you’ll easily spend 2.5x that having someone do it for you.
Just for future readers, usually if you are replacing your water pump it's best to also replace the hoses and use the OEM hose clamps.
I'm surprised this didn't blow sooner, seeing the other cracks in the hose.
Something else to keep in mind. If you just had to do the water pump and everything in the system has 200k on it. Everything is decayed. When you replace some but not all of the parts, you expedite the failure of whatever is on its last leg.
I had an Audi A4 in college and those cooling systems were notoriously for blowing up, so as preventative maintenance I did a full system overhaul and it sealed everything up nicely for the compromised head gasket to blow with the return to normal pressure.
After looking at the previously attached thread and this https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/jeep-wrangler-tj-cooling-system-overhaul-faq.3397/ I think I will give this a go on my own.
Thanks for the help everyone.
Worst case scenario you have all the parts, realize you’re over your head, you can tow it to someone to put back together.
The hose was old and worn out. They can get brittle with age. The stress of disconnecting and reconnecting to the water pumps help push it over the edge.
Take this as a sign to inspect/replace ALL the other cooling system hoses. If the main hose is that old the others are probably as old or older.
Changing hoses is easier than changing the water pump, so have at it.
Take this as a sign to inspect/replace ALL the other cooling system hoses. If the main hose is that old the others are probably as old or older.
Changing hoses is easier than changing the water pump, so have at it.
When buying a used vehicle it's a good idea to get a new baseline by replacing the hoses and belts. Some vehicles come from hot climates and the rubber will break down faster. Vacuum lines can also be very hard and will crack if moved.
Do the work yourself, it's straight forward and not hard, although you need to pay special attention to removing old stubborn hoses from the connection at the radiator and heater cores. You can cause damage if you start pulling instead of cutting the hose. Watch a video or two for help and you'll be back on the road in no time!
Mobusaki
TJ Enthusiast
I had very little automotive repair experience when I got my TJ. Overhauling the cooling system was one of the first things I learned how to do (by necessity, bad water pump). It wasn't as difficult as I feared. You got this!
That Accessory drive belt looks to be one of the next things to go too... shouldn't be able to see the ribs of the belt through the outside like that.
If it was local to you, I'd guess that the PO ran straight water in it for a long time (based on the advanced corrosion evidenced by rust coating the hose interior). While you can get away with it in the south and it does cool better than 50/50, this is what can happen long-term.
Recommend multiple complete flushes (engine block, heater core, radiator, etc) after removing the stat, then use a good quality 50/50 distilled water mix. Perhaps do another set of flushes after 1 year and then resume normal maintenance.
Recommend multiple complete flushes (engine block, heater core, radiator, etc) after removing the stat, then use a good quality 50/50 distilled water mix. Perhaps do another set of flushes after 1 year and then resume normal maintenance.
One important thing to keep in mind. Use the factory "spring" style hose clamps, like the one on the bottom right in your picture. Do not use the "worm gear" style on the left. Those are prone to either cutting into hoses or failing. The factory clamps just work and last!
100% you can do this job, if you have basic mechanical knowledge, and are willing to learn and listen. You found one of the threads I used, and take your time.
You're in Louisiana it looks like, so freaking hot there like TeJas. I'd take a look while doing this, at what radiator you have. The biggest lessons I just learned:
1. Get a Mopar radiator, with the black coloring, there are many places to find them online, and some will say "Discontinued", don't stop looking there.
2. Take out the thermostat, like Blain said in my thread, it's 2 bolts, scrape the gasket good, and you'll see in there how rusty or not etc (looks like it will be rusty). New felpro gasket, and put the housing on. **This way you can run it for a minute, and the water circulates the entire system right away, you don't need the engine to heat up.
3. Do all this BEFORE replacing the radiator, ha. No need to get any chunks or pieces in a new one.
4. Maybe it's just me, but pull the negative battery cable before doing the work, I do not put my hand in by the fan without that off, call my whatever, but I just don't.
5. Thermocure will zap this pretty hard, let it work, leave it in for a couple days and run it, and circulate. It's only like $10 I think, you may even want to do it twice. It'll stink big time, ha. Chemicals that clean rust get Nasty.
6. Get the block plug socket, 8mm square. Once you know it's there and where, it is not hard, at all to get out. And i wouldn't put plumbers tape on the threads, until you're on your last drain. I used a long extension between the cats and hand tightened it so as to not cross thread, and then put the ratchet on it and tight is tight.
And that idler pulley takes about 5 minutes to change, if wobbly fix it, ha. Belt too.
I'll add that, in my experience with my LJ, when parts get discontinued, it doesn't take long before you can't find them anywhere. The radiators were discontinued this year, so there may still be some out there, but time is of the essence. If you want an OEM radiator, start looking immediately.
Exactly-
Probably 80% of these running around need new plugs, new oxygen sensors, new hoses and belts.... and more -
I am in no way trying to shame anybody, We’re all pretty much doing the best we can with the time and money we have, I just thought this was a succinct post that pretty much summed it up, and that there is a lesson in this.
Really the neglect these things are able to withstand is both a nod to the reliability of the engine and at the same time they cause people to run around with parts that have seen way too much time and heat,etc. The little 4.0 doesn’t care, It just wants to keep going- And will until something like this causes greater damage.
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man if you changed the water pump this part is easy ! do yourself a favor and replace all your hoses while your at it....only take it to a shop as a last resort
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