Wrangler TJ Radiator Replacement
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
Just found this, I think it will work
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...-transmission-line-fittings.16966/post-276393
Probably about 1/2 qt. It's common to overfill the 42RLE transmission by a quart so you'll be safe as long as you haven't already overfilled.
Thanks. I had also nearly emptied the Derale cooler when I took it off to fix the fittings, so I went ahead and added a quart. After running for about 20 minutes in park, and after cycling through all the gears, I checked the level with the dipstick and it was showing up in the Cold zone. I’m not sure if Cold and Hot on this refers to the engine temp or the transmission temp, but at this point the engine was sitting at 205. The trans was at least below 180 because the Derale fan hadn’t kicked on and I hadn’t driven it anywhere yet.
Drove it around this morning and everything looks good. Only one very small leak coming from where the upper radiator hose connects to the tstat housing.
This is a new hose, and I noticed it was about a half inch longer than the old hose. I had trouble with this clamp because the rear side was hitting the cylinder head cover.
I think I may have the clamp a little crooked.
But maybe these clamps just need some time to “sink in” with the new hose?
Let me know if anybody has any tips or tricks for dealing with this clamp hitting the cover with a new hose.
This is a new hose, and I noticed it was about a half inch longer than the old hose. I had trouble with this clamp because the rear side was hitting the cylinder head cover.
I think I may have the clamp a little crooked.
But maybe these clamps just need some time to “sink in” with the new hose?
Let me know if anybody has any tips or tricks for dealing with this clamp hitting the cover with a new hose.
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
I can’t tell from the pic, but did you slide the hose all the way over that ridge on the front of the t-stat housing and clamp it below the ridge?
It’s my understanding that the hose only goes down to the first ridge with your clamp being placed between the ridge and the end of the t-stat housing.
It’s my understanding that the hose only goes down to the first ridge with your clamp being placed between the ridge and the end of the t-stat housing.
Last edited:
Thanks. I’ll check it out when I’m back home, I’m out of town right now. The hose is over the ridge but I think the clamp is straddling the ridge and that’s part of the issue.
I might just put the original hose back on to see how it was fit. It’s actually in decent shape still so I might just leave it on.
My radiator just cracked last night and I purchased a warranty on my 99 jeep wrangler sport last year when I bought it. Should I have it replaced with my warranty or do the work myself? I enjoy working on my jeep but I seem to be having trouble finding a mopar radiator. I used the links provided but it says the radiator won't fit my jeep. Thanks guys! I attached a photo of my radiator too.
Rubicon John
TJ Enthusiast
Ok, I'm new to this site and I know I’m about to get slammed. I can take it as long as it is not fear based but rather based experience or facts.
I recently bought a 2006 Jeep Wrangle TJ Rubicon mall crawler with 78K miles to pull behind my Motorhome. I chose it since it was less weight than my Tacoma with less cost to convert for flat towing. The jeep radiator recently cracked on the top seam which got me stuck in Elko, NV. Thanks to my motorhome I was able to pull it back to CA. That brings me to the part where the hard-core OEM only folks might slam me. I’m 57 with mostly foreign cars under my name and I can’t seem to understand agreeing to a normal 10 years age replacement of a radiator. What happen to quality in our nation? I have a 2003 Toyota Tacoma with over 260K as well as other foreign cars with over 200K miles and I have never had a need to replace a radiator. I asked other fiends with foreign 4x4’s and when I asked about this issue, they have not heard of such a low bar. They all laughed at me when I bought a Jeep. I went to Africa a few years ago to do a safari and they all used Toyota’s. I ask why they did not use Jeeps or Land Rovers and they all stated those brands all fell apart after a few trips. Grrrr. Where did we go wrong? Ok enough with my frustration.
I see this post starts with OEM as the only way to go but when I go to Jeep events, I see a lot of TJ’s having aluminum radiator replacements which goes against the recommendation of this thread. I unfortunately did not ask at the time since I thought it was just bling and did not know I was about to have an issue with my radiator. Now that I have a Jeep sitting in my drive with a cracked radiator, I’m thinking perhaps they may have been on to something. Since mixing plastic with aluminum has different heat expansion characters that it seems to be a good failure issue. It seems to be the failure of most of what I see on this and other sites I’ve searched. With that in mind, having all one material seems to be most of the aftermarket solutions for this problem which seems logical to me.
I challenge someone to go against the OEM standards being posted on this site and respond with their own experience with a non-OEM products that worked for them. I see mostly two being used out there from pictures of Jeep events, YouTube posts, and conversations with other Jeep owners on my last motorhome trip. Mishmoto and Griffen see common replacements and both are made in the USA. I think more Jeep users can be helped from your experience including me. Please post the brand, how long you used it, and what if any successes / failures you’ve had with it. The challenge is on….
Thanks.
I recently bought a 2006 Jeep Wrangle TJ Rubicon mall crawler with 78K miles to pull behind my Motorhome. I chose it since it was less weight than my Tacoma with less cost to convert for flat towing. The jeep radiator recently cracked on the top seam which got me stuck in Elko, NV. Thanks to my motorhome I was able to pull it back to CA. That brings me to the part where the hard-core OEM only folks might slam me. I’m 57 with mostly foreign cars under my name and I can’t seem to understand agreeing to a normal 10 years age replacement of a radiator. What happen to quality in our nation? I have a 2003 Toyota Tacoma with over 260K as well as other foreign cars with over 200K miles and I have never had a need to replace a radiator. I asked other fiends with foreign 4x4’s and when I asked about this issue, they have not heard of such a low bar. They all laughed at me when I bought a Jeep. I went to Africa a few years ago to do a safari and they all used Toyota’s. I ask why they did not use Jeeps or Land Rovers and they all stated those brands all fell apart after a few trips. Grrrr. Where did we go wrong? Ok enough with my frustration.
I see this post starts with OEM as the only way to go but when I go to Jeep events, I see a lot of TJ’s having aluminum radiator replacements which goes against the recommendation of this thread. I unfortunately did not ask at the time since I thought it was just bling and did not know I was about to have an issue with my radiator. Now that I have a Jeep sitting in my drive with a cracked radiator, I’m thinking perhaps they may have been on to something. Since mixing plastic with aluminum has different heat expansion characters that it seems to be a good failure issue. It seems to be the failure of most of what I see on this and other sites I’ve searched. With that in mind, having all one material seems to be most of the aftermarket solutions for this problem which seems logical to me.
I challenge someone to go against the OEM standards being posted on this site and respond with their own experience with a non-OEM products that worked for them. I see mostly two being used out there from pictures of Jeep events, YouTube posts, and conversations with other Jeep owners on my last motorhome trip. Mishmoto and Griffen see common replacements and both are made in the USA. I think more Jeep users can be helped from your experience including me. Please post the brand, how long you used it, and what if any successes / failures you’ve had with it. The challenge is on….
Thanks.