Becoming a Man...

SavageI · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 9:54 am

Okay.... At somepoint in a guys life, they need to know their way around a car to be a man. I have installed stereo systems, and made performance upgrades to all sorts of cars but I have never learned the How-To's of standard maintenance (short of oil changes and wiper blades). I guess now is my time. For those of you who havn't come across my Newbie posts EVERYWHERE, I just bought my GF a liberty - '05 - 63K - 4x4, and I need to run it through the paces. I could pay someone to do it but I would rather do the work myself. If you could please educate me on the things I need to do and if there are write ups or where to learn, I would appreciate the help. Here is the list I have so far, please add to it if I am missing things...

- oil change - as long as I can find the drain plug, I am good
- Air filter - not a problem (not that much of a rookie)
- spark plugs - beautiful write-up on the board
- PCV valve - no clue???
- Engine coolant - might be simple but I don't know what I am doing
- Steering fluid - completely lost (no pun intended)

Thanks again for all of your help (past and future).

Dje Ryu · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:36 am

Drain transmission, replace filter (if it's an auto) and refill
drain and fill both differentials and the transfer case.

You'll have to figure out if you have trac-loc in the rear diff. If you do, you'll need to add a friction modifier to the oil.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:59 am

Just remember there is always a learning curve.. You will mess some stuff up..

The PCV valve is on the side of the oil filler tube. Very easy to change out.

For the coolant, I just take the lower rad hose off and let it drain till it stops. It doesnt get it all out but Im ok with that. Some people would freak over that though. :roll:

Steering fluid. I use a pump to pump all I can out of the steering fluid reservoir. You wont get much out at all(>1/4 quart), so I started my Jeep and ran the wheel lock to lock x4 or so.

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:01 pm

Coolant:

Use Zerex G-05 ONLY! Don't use the anti-freeze that says "For All Makes and Models". There is a drain valve on the driver side of the radiator, on the bottom. Change the thermostat (behind the lower radiator hose on the engine side). Might as well as change the radiator hoses too. Fully drain the coolant. Button everything up and fill the reservoir with G-05. Leave cap open and run engine with heat on full. Top off as necessary and wait until all "air bubbles" are gone. (Every 50K miles)

PCV Valve:

It is on the oil filler tube. Remove the PCV valve hose (it find a flat head screwdriver helps) and twist off the PCV valve and replace with new one. Install hose. (Every 30K miles)

Power steering fluid:

Use a turkey baster and suck all the fluid in the reservoir as possible. Refill with PS fluid, start engine and turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock for about 5 minutes. Do this about 4-5x.

SavageI · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 2:38 pm

Just finished the Spark plugs... Good news, it started back up when I was finished! Thank you for all of the posts. It will be very helpful this weekend.

corwyyn · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 2:46 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

For the coolant, I just take the lower rad hose off and let it drain till it stops. It doesnt get it all out but Im ok with that. Some people would freak over that though. :roll:

And this from the guy whose undercarriage is cleaner than my whole Jeep

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 4:18 pm

corwyyn wrote:

Jeepjeepster wrote:

For the coolant, I just take the lower rad hose off and let it drain till it stops. It doesnt get it all out but Im ok with that. Some people would freak over that though. :roll:

And this from the guy whose undercarriage is cleaner than my whole Jeep

Chief BK · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 5:25 pm

jeepkj02 wrote:

Coolant:

Use Zerex G-05 ONLY! Don't use the anti-freeze that says "For All Makes and Models". There is a drain valve on the driver side of the radiator, on the bottom. Change the thermostat (behind the lower radiator hose on the engine side). Might as well as change the radiator hoses too. Fully drain the coolant. Button everything up and fill the reservoir with G-05. Leave cap open and run engine with heat on full. Top off as necessary and wait until all "air bubbles" are gone. (Every 50K miles)

PCV Valve:

It is on the oil filler tube. Remove the PCV valve hose (it find a flat head screwdriver helps) and twist off the PCV valve and replace with new one. Install hose. (Every 30K miles)

Power steering fluid:

Use a turkey baster and suck all the fluid in the reservoir as possible. Refill with PS fluid, start engine and turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock for about 5 minutes. Do this about 4-5x.

Why G-05 coolant only?

SavageI · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 5:35 pm

Chief!!!!

Have you had any issues with rubbing running stock suspension and 245 75 16? I was going to get 70's instead of 75's but if you dont' have issues, I like the idea of bigger tires.

THanks!

iambob · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:29 pm

With the power steering fluid, I use a turkey baster. NOT YOUR GF'S she may want to use it for Thanksgiving dinner. It does help get down deep into the resovior, and helps keep the mess minimal.

Chief BK · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:55 pm

SavageI wrote:

Chief!!!!

Have you had any issues with rubbing running stock suspension and 245 75 16? I was going to get 70's instead of 75's but if you dont' have issues, I like the idea of bigger tires.

THanks!

I haven't experienced any rubbing yet. I highly recommend the Destination AT's.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:58 pm

Chief BK wrote:

Why G-05 coolant only?

You got 3 basic coolants..........

Good old green stuff(ethelyne glycol)-High silicate content,needs to be changed every 2 years/30,000miles

Dexacool(universal coolants)-OAT(oraganic acid tech),no silicates and does not mix with HOAT coolants

GO5-HOAT(hybrid organic acid tech),low silicate

If your cooling system is designed for high,low,or no silicate coolants adding the wrong coolant will cause damage.

Chief BK · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 7:22 pm

Sorry for the hijack...
Do factory coolants vary from kj to kj....year to year or are we all supposed to be running G-05?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 7:25 pm

Chief BK wrote:

Sorry for the hijack...
Do factory coolants vary from kj to kj....year to year or are we all supposed to be running G-05?

All Chrysler vehicles made from 2001 to the present all use GO5 coolant(HOAT).All Fords built after 2002 use GO5 coolant also.

CrossBones · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 8:42 am

SavageI wrote:

Okay.... At somepoint in a guys life, they need to know their way around a car to be a man.

wow.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:34 am

CrossBones wrote:

SavageI wrote:

Okay.... At somepoint in a guys life, they need to know their way around a car to be a man.

wow.

pretty much what my dad told me at 12, you know where the tools are, you know what needs to be done to the truck by the time I get home. Now if you want to be a man get your a** out there and get started, if not stay a little boy!!

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:49 am

tommudd wrote:

CrossBones wrote:

SavageI wrote:

Okay.... At somepoint in a guys life, they need to know their way around a car to be a man.

wow.

pretty much what my dad told me at 12, you know where the tools are, you know what needs to be done to the truck by the time I get home. Now if you want to be a man get your a** out there and get started, if not stay a little boy!!

Knowledge is Power :wink:

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:16 pm

ok i keep getting a low coolant beep every morning when i leave for work. i look at the resivor but its barely below the fill when cool line. as far as the G-05 HOAT stuff, is it any brand that is a G-05 rated mix or is it a mopar thing? i wondering if i need to top her off. i have 32K on the KJ now

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:58 pm

0311_DoC wrote:

ok i keep getting a low coolant beep every morning when i leave for work. i look at the resivor but its barely below the fill when cool line. as far as the G-05 HOAT stuff, is it any brand that is a G-05 rated mix or is it a mopar thing? i wondering if i need to top her off. i have 32K on the KJ now

You do check the level when it is cold and on level ground....right??? As far as I know, Zerex and Mopar are the only antifreeze that are HOAT/G-05 approved.

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:04 pm

jeepkj02 wrote:

0311_DoC wrote:

ok i keep getting a low coolant beep every morning when i leave for work. i look at the resivor but its barely below the fill when cool line. as far as the G-05 HOAT stuff, is it any brand that is a G-05 rated mix or is it a mopar thing? i wondering if i need to top her off. i have 32K on the KJ now

You do check the level when it is cold and on level ground....right??? As far as I know, Zerex and Mopar are the only antifreeze that are HOAT/G-05 approved.

yes i check it when its cold and level. but every morning that beep goes off and it just concerned me.

Becoming a Man...

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