2000 TJ Radiator Problem

This is a common problem with the TJ plastic radiators. Since you are one year over your warranty period, the dealer will not replace it free.

Tom

One other thing to keep in mind. When you have a radiator with the plastic tanks, it is imparitive to make sure all of the air is out of your cooling system. My friend was told this when he was at the AC Delco training facility for A/C and cooling systems. The reason for this is that when the coolant gets to operating temp., any air bubble can become a steam pocket and rapidly expand, causing an explosion for lack of a better word. This causes undo stress on the plastic which can and will eventually start a crack. This was confirmed by a Toyota forklift techinician who frequently has my friend repair radiators. Take it for what it's worth.

Chris

To me, this has warranty written all over it. You paid for the warranty, so use it ;-)

Seriously, though, usually warranties are only limited on things like hoses, belts, tires, etc. that are meant to wear out over time. Radiator housings are not one of these sorts of items.

I think it is known that the TJs have weak radiators, and I've had friends who had cracks develop in their radiators as well. I expect mine will one day soon. If you weren't in your warranty period still, I'd suggest upgrading to a larger capacity radiator (3 core?). However, since you're still in the warranty period, were I in your shoes, I would just take it to get fixed at the dealer and be done with it.

I wish I still had a warranty on my jeep...would've made some of the things I've had to fix much less annoying (infamous exhaust manifold crack, leaking/crunching steering gear, alternator, etc, etc, etc...they all add up $$$!)

/Bob

"My Jeep is 4 years old with just over 31K miles I got the 3year 36K do you

My understanding is he's not under his warranty anymore- doesn't the '3 year

36k' mean whichever comes first? His Jeep is 4 years old.

coop

I would shop around for radiator prices......that seems a little high for what I have seen.

Sean

Oops! I sit corrected. I kinda read right past the "4 years old" thing...

c did pass the time by typing:

Yep. When you first start the engine cold, have the radiator cap in the release position (that notch just before it comes off). That allows it to vent to the overflow bottle while minimizing what will burp.

Then stop the engine, top it off, and do it again. Keep on doing it till the coolant doesn't go down below the filler neck. You will still have some air in there and it will slowly come out as the engine heat cycles. That small amount won't do any harm.

Yes, the thermostat won't open until the engine is warm, but it has a small hole that allows some coolant to circulate and that's all you need to slowly fill the radiator.

Ok... here's the deal. As far as replacing your radiator goes, go to

They will have a 3 row metal radiator for much less that what you've been quoted. You can probably install it yourself or find a shop to do it for pretty cheap.

I had the same problem, only worse. After installing the new radiator, I started getting bad coolant leaks but it wasn't from the radiator. I found that it was one of my freeze plugs. Cost me several hundred to get that fixrd then my water pump went. Oh and I forgot to mention, when the freeze plug went, all the coolant in my engine came out and it was almost pure orange... rust all in the engine.

Now, after replacing the radiator, a freeze plug, the water pump, and NOW the remaining freeze plugs, it seems to be better. Apparently, the previous owner of my ride put pure well water in instead of coolant and I have had to pay the price.

Just a piece of advice, have someone check out your system to be sure... :-P

What is a freeze plug?

-- Taylor

'89 Audi 200 '03 Audi S6 Avant '98 Jeep Cherokee Sport

Thanks for asking....I thought I was gonna have to offer up the melon bat to get hit with for asking!!

Also, the orange coolant...rust in the block....water in the coolant do that?

SB did pass the time by typing:

O-tay, firstly it's actually a casting plug used because when you cast the block you need a way to get the sand out and you have a certain limit to what can be cast based on surface area. Too much and the casting sand may slough off. You can see them on the side of my I6

brass metal down on the block. Orange coolant could be the newest more aluminum/environmental friendly stuff or other types they make now that are not the usual Day-Glo green.

Coolant is EGW (Ethylene Glycol and Water). Pure water is the best coolant but due to it's corrosive nature and to modify the boiling/freezing point you have to add something. That something is Ethylene Glycol. Pure antifreeze is a miserably poor coolant.