Source of slow coolant leak?
- Thread starter red02tj
- Start date
Do you have evidence of a leak below that area, the white stuff is typically aluminum corrosion.
Nothing I’ve been able to find. On 8/1/2020 I filled the empty overflow tank but the rad was full to the neck. On 3/13/2021 I refilled the overflow tank to between add/full and the rad was filled just below the neck. Temp gauge sites at 210 and oil I changed last week looked normal but the coolant is going somewhere. I want to get ahead of any potential summer issues.
Looking at the deformation of all the hoses in the pic, it looks like it may be time to replace them anyway. Are they original?
If they are original, they are 20 years old. In general, when cold a good hose will feel very firm, a worn hose will feel a bit squishy. If they are really squishy (sorry to be throwing around all the technical terms...
) it may be time. If it were me, I prolly replace both rad hoses, and the heater hoses as well. You may be fine, but I like the piece of mind.But I may be the wrong person to give advice on this subject - I’ve had my rig for 16 years, and I’ve never kept an engine in there long enough to have to worry about old hoses...
JKP
TJ Addict
Check the water pump for weeps.
Pull the oil fill cap and look for coolant directly below it. If you see the letters TUPY, you have the improved head which is not prone to cracking there. Can't remember if the new head came out in '02 or '03.
Pull the oil fill cap and look for coolant directly below it. If you see the letters TUPY, you have the improved head which is not prone to cracking there. Can't remember if the new head came out in '02 or '03.
The thermostat housing corrodes, it's pretty cheap and easy to replace. If it is pitted it will be difficult to make it seal even with a new hose. Sometimes the valve cover interferes with the clamp so it doesn't sit properly. You can easily grind a bit off the valve cover to give yourself some more room once the housing is removed. Take a close look at the back of that big hose clamp before you take it all apart and you'll see what I mean. Most slow coolant leaks seem to be the radiator cap. If it ain't new I'd make it new.
Well you don't have to drain it first, but when you do the lower hose it will end up being more or less simultaneous.
If you are not finding proof of a coolant leak put some cardboard down or something and let it run for an hour in idle giver some revs here and there. then let it cooldown. no leaking on the ground? no problem. NOW.......turn that heat when the engine is hot on high and see if you can smell some coolant smell. no smell? No problem. if you get a funky smell when heater is on full then you have a leaky heatercore. I ran mine all summer didnt know i had a leak till winter was just filling up the overflow from time to time.
if you find signs of a coolant leak on the ground get some dye do a dye test. check your overflow for cracks. if there is some pressure building up during load IE WHEN YOUR DRIVING you may have some leaking somewhere and you wouldnt know during idle hence give her some peddle in the drive way.
Deff drain it if you go through that process. unhook your heatercore low pressure reverse flow through the heater core clean that out. and run a hose through your radiator and cooling ports might as well clean her out. but make sure you flush all that tap water out when you fill with coolant... Warning! if you flush your radiator and alot of gunk comes out there is a chance you will start to see it leaking mine was sealed up with all kinds of crud and when i flushed she leaked.