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| Coolant loss http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=61609 |
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| Author: | click23 [ Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:14 am ] |
| Post subject: | Coolant loss |
A couple months ago the wife and I were going somewhere, when I started the jeep I looked down the low coolant light was on. I asked her if she had seen it before and she said yes, and I asked her why she hadn't told me and she said "it goes off by the time I get to work, so I didn't think anything was wrong". I then inform her that she needs to inform me of any light that comes on. I think well maybe I did't get quite enough coolant in when I changed the water pump back in the fall, so I top it off we go. A couple of weeks later it is back on, and I find a small puddle of coolant under the jeep, I track do the leak, I had left the clamp off of the water pump end of the hose that runs from the pressure tank, (FROM LAST FALL). I put it back on and top it off again. Now a couple of weeks later it comes on again, and I convince myself that it probably had some air in the system from being low and it has worked itself out, so I top it off again. Yesterday I start it up and it comes on again. I need to look to see if I see any leaks tonight. I know the EGR cooler is a likely candidate, but what else should I check? |
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| Author: | papaindigo [ Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Coolant loss |
To confirm air is out of the system. On a cold engine open the radiator cap on the plastic tank, then open the vent valve on the top of the passenger side of the radiator until the flange is at 4 o'clock then pull up to remove, if there is any vacant air space below that valve add straight HOAT antifreeze to the plastic reservoir until fluid flows out on the vent hole and immediately reinstall vent valve and close it, add enough more antifreeze to get the fluid level in the plastic reservoir about 1/2" above the mid-line. Drive until engine is at operating temp. then let sit until cold which should complete any needed air purge. To check for leaks - double check all the clamps (NOTE a weak standard factory clip on clamp can cause a leak; if so replace with worm clamp) including making sure they are fully on the hard pipe and not resting on the bulge at the end of the pipe; check and make sure the passenger side radiator drain on the bottom and the vent on the top are closed (they are on/off valves that don't really need tightening but if they are not fully closed either can leak under pressure); if you installed a new tstat at least one member reports a leak due to a problem installing the lower rear tstat bolt; check the AC drip tube on the firewall (passenger side) to see if it's leaking antifreeze (a drop on your tongue tastes sweet) from a bad heater core; you might double check that your water pump install is not leaking (apparently you can drop the engine skid plate and look up toward the pump to see it it's leaking (there is a thread on this); a bad radiator cap, the one on the plastic tank, can result in intermittent inappropriate overflow and hence fluid loss. FYI a dry paper towel is an excellent tool to check for tiny leaks at hose and other joint fittings as fluid will clearly show on a dry towel. If no luck go by any good parts store and get ultraviolet leak detector dye for your coolant system; add; drive a bit and look for leaks with ultraviolet light. FYI ultraviolet flashlights are pretty inexpensive on Amazon. After this you need to begin doing things like pressure testing and looking for engine internal leaks but my bet is on something directly related to the work you did last fall. |
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| Author: | Greasey Bob [ Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:56 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Coolant loss |
Mine is leaking coolant also and it looks like it is around the EGR cooler. It is on the drivers side and I can see the orange stain and a few drops sometimes. But not really sure where it is coming from or how to fit it. Is this a side effect of the ORM? And how do I fit it. My current plan was keep it filled and ask the mechanic at the time of the Timing Belt change because I really do not want to do that. I am not against removing the whole EGR system but that does not sound easy either. Is there a was to connect a coolant line to where the coolant coomes out of the block and go around the EGR cooler and connect directly to the waterpump thermostat area? |
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| Author: | click23 [ Tue Jan 17, 2012 9:09 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Coolant loss |
I am going to man up and admit this for all to see. After months of procrastinating I finally decided that I was going to fix the leak. What did I find? Apparently after I change my water pump and thermostat in the fall of 2010, I failed to attached the majority of the hose clamps back the thermostat in addition to the one that left off the pressure tank. I know, when I found the one off of the tank last year I should have checked the rest. We put close to 30K miles on the jeep in the time, including a trip from Tennessee to Key West, without blowing a single hose off. |
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| Author: | papaindigo [ Tue Jan 17, 2012 9:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Coolant loss |
Opps, they do stick on there pretty tight but need to clamps to prevent small leaks. |
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| Author: | racertracer [ Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:47 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Coolant loss |
Greasey Bob wrote: Mine is leaking coolant also and it looks like it is around the EGR cooler. It is on the drivers side and I can see the orange stain and a few drops sometimes. But not really sure where it is coming from or how to fit it. Is this a side effect of the ORM? And how do I fit it. My current plan was keep it filled and ask the mechanic at the time of the Timing Belt change because I really do not want to do that. I am not against removing the whole EGR system but that does not sound easy either. Is there a was to connect a coolant line to where the coolant coomes out of the block and go around the EGR cooler and connect directly to the waterpump thermostat area? Greasey Bob I had a leak there too, I used a 1/4" wratchet with an extension to reach under the intake and place a small socket on the hose clamp to tighten it just a tad. That solved my leak. It's a tight area to work in, getting at it from the bottom may be better. |
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