homestd

Hi all, and hi Cruiser! Haven't been on here for quite a while (wreck, 13wks in hospital). My 90 xj has run cool ever since I rebuilt the motor front end (water pump, harmonic balancer, thermostat, belt) 2 years ago. My problem is suddenly it got hot, no leaks, hoses are all good. I added coolant up to the line on the reservoir. after a 30 mi. drive it was empty. My first thought was a blown head gasket, no white smoke, motor ran well (other than getting hot), no water in the oil. The last time it was out, I ended up putting a whole gallon of coolant in it trying to get home. I can't figure out where it is going. I'm going to test the thermostat first but I can't figure out where all that coolant went! The system only holds about 2 gallons. My xj has over 300k on it and all the blow by one could figure for that amount of miles. I'm 76 and live 30 miles from civilization and it's my only ride!

exasemech

Just a sad FYI. Cruiser passed away some time ago

lawsoncl

I think you need to let it run in the driveway and look for leaks. I've borrowed the radiator pressure tester from AutoZone before, and it's really nice for chasing down leaks. They charge a fortune to buy it and then you return it for a full refund. Otherwise the kit is $50 on Amazon.

Being able to pump up the system at will with the engine off and cold is a game changer. No burning yourself, and you can see leaks in the radiator without the fan drying it off. You still have the old closed system with the pressurized plastic football?

homestd

So sorry to hear about Cruiser, he will be missed by all! Testing the thermostat now. How do you turn the bold off??
More to come shortly. Hey, the bold turned itself off!