Radiator Overflow Bottle CJ's

Mine has a tube that is part of the cap that extends to the bottom of the bottle. Some bottles have a nipple on the bottom that the overflow hose connects to. The goal is to have the overflow hose from the radiator to extend to the bottom of the overflow bottle.

Yes Jeff I know I need the tube at the bottom that is why one of my options was to use the small 3/16 tube to poke through the hole in the top of the bottle and drop down. Looks to me that my bottle is missing the tube that goes from the top opening to the bottom. As my original post said there is no bottom opening.

Michael Stevens ( snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net) wrote on Thursday 09 October 2003 10:08 pm:

Michael,

I bought fuel line that would just fit inside after trimming the tip a bit. I -think- it was 3/8ths. Take the overflow to the parts store and find the tightest fit. I then spent about ten minutes or so working it down to the bottom. Be careful that you don't hold it by the bolt flaps, as it may crack (first hand experience there).

In my original post I said this is what I had done as a temporary fix - but is it the right way?. The hole in bottle top size was a meager 3/16th and this is too small to fit the radiator standard 5/16th hose. The bottle looks like it was made to take a rigid downspout to reach from above the hole to the bottom - the hole even has an expansion slit in it to make a tight fit for a rigid tube. Seems a funny design to poke the tube in and what with the hole being smaller than radiator overflow tube. Something is not quite right here.

I'd surmise from your description the internal hose is missing.

If you got this from 4WD Hardware I'd only caution that much of their replacement parts inventory is being sourced from overseas now and is clearly inferior to what they used to sell. I noticed this when I was restoring my CJ last year, many items had to be sent back and sourced elsewhere.

Much as it might pain you to do, check with your local Jeep dealers parts dept. a lot of original, NOS items are still available. If you need a source, check with Jeff Blackwell at Pat Murphy Motors in Durango, CO. He's the parts manager and an old Jeep enthusiast. He helped me a great deal. (970) 247-5043.

Yes indeed - the replacement radiator overflow bottle from 4WD hardware ($29.95!) comes WITHOUT the downspout! I called them and they said use the bits from your OLD bottle. Unfortunately I do not have an old bottle and that is why I bought a new one.

Anyway, poking the hose in the top of the bottle and letting the end lay on the bottom of the tank will do just as well I suppose.