88 Renix Elec Fan

[Saudade]

Yeah, the threads just don't fit tight enough to get the cap tight. It's then easily "stripped". If the cap doesn't seal, the cooling system can't build pressure. As suggested try a hose clamp.

The cap also is a check valve. If the coolant level drops, it will allow air into the bottle. If the check valve goes bad, it will also loose pressure.

I had this problem until I went to my dealership and bought an OEM cap.

 

[ParadiseXJ]

the reservoir looks like its been replaces, maybe right before i got the jeep about 2 years ago. i grabbed a better looking cap from the JY a few months ago and threw it on. but no i have not replaced both new from a autoparts store yet.

If the PO bought a new bottle he was likely having trouble with the old one. Then he probably bought a cheap Chinese bottle off of ebay. Life expectancy on the Chinese aftermarkets is about 1 summer, 1 fall, 1 winter...come about spring it's shot. Little cracks become big cracks with pressure and the hood pushing on it.

I think the bottle and cap, unless you get new, dealer part is the weakest point in the link. IMHO swapping to the open system is what solved on my XJ and so I did it to thje MJ when I got it. No spewing.

 

[Ecomike]

If the radiator is clogging up, and restricting the coolant flow, or the water pump is not getting the outlet pressure high enough, or the top half of the radiator is full of air, or any comination of the above, the engine can over heat (>240 F), while the cold side of the radiator, where the 190 F coolant fan switch is located, never reaches 190 F, and so never turns on the E-fan!!!!

The coolant fan temp switch was bad location design, that is why Jeep moved it in 1991 to the thermostat housing....I switched to a manual toggle switch on mine, and run it on, continuously except for a few cold mornings each year.

 

[Ecomike]

Here is the fix for the Renix coolant bottle and cap!

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=952147&highlight=renix+coolant+bottle


And the fix for making sure the radiator is not half full of air!!!!

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1000460&highlight=renix+coolant+bottle

Been about 3 years on two Renix jeeps with no leaks, no overheating, even using the cheap China coolant bottles!

Here is the last thread, showing some real interesting things I discovered along the way about Renix closed coolant systems, including the importance of checking for an exhaust leak heating the block:laugh3:, LOL!

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=998371&highlight=renix+coolant+bottle

 

[cruiser54]

Yeah, the threads just don't fit tight enough to get the cap tight. It's then easily "stripped". If the cap doesn't seal, the cooling system can't build pressure. As suggested try a hose clamp.

The cap also is a check valve. If the coolant level drops, it will allow air into the bottle. If the check valve goes bad, it will also loose pressure.

I had this problem until I went to my dealership and bought an OEM cap.

I have found that the Napa 703-1396 cap will tighten down fine where the chinese ones wouldn't.

 

[Elcapitano]

Picked up the radiator cap from napa, it seats 10000x better. havent taken the time to let it try and over heat to see if it fixed the spewing issue.

played with the low pressure switch on the A/C and tried throwing in some R134a with a retrofit kit just for grins. terrible time trying to make it take the R134a but it now engages the clutch on the compressor and in turn turns on the Electric fan, but doesnt blow any cold air. so im "assuming" until otherwise tested that the fan will work correctly when it reaches the right temp.

 

[8Mud]

Picked up the radiator cap from napa, it seats 10000x better. havent taken the time to let it try and over heat to see if it fixed the spewing issue.

played with the low pressure switch on the A/C and tried throwing in some R134a with a retrofit kit just for grins. terrible time trying to make it take the R134a but it now engages the clutch on the compressor and in turn turns on the Electric fan, but doesnt blow any cold air. so im "assuming" until otherwise tested that the fan will work correctly when it reaches the right temp.

Before I put a toggle in, I'd unplug the compressor clutch wire and turn the fan on with the A/C control.

Like EcoMIke said, it is most always advisable to try and bleed the air out of the cooling system, before you do much else. There have been a hundred threads on various ways to get the air out of the head and other places that trap air.

 

[Ecomike]

so im "assuming" until otherwise tested that the fan will work correctly when it reaches the right temp.

Bad assumption for Renix. Read my posts below, follow the links, and read how it can overheat with out the fan switch getting hot enough to turn on the fan!!!

 

[Elcapitano]

replaced the res cap with the Giant green monster (volvo cap) made a huge difference. no more spewing. temps stay down. picked up a radiator filler neck from Jegs to put in the upper radiator hose to help clear the system of any air pockets.

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance+Products/555/53040/10002/-1

its a 4 pc unit, so going to take it apart and reseal it before i put it on.

 

[WrenchMonkey]

Bad assumption for Renix. Read my posts below, follow the links, and read how it can overheat with out the fan switch getting hot enough to turn on the fan!!!

Here is the fix for the Renix coolant bottle and cap!

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=952147&highlight=renix+coolant+bottle

Care to summarize? Call me lazy, but I'm not really interested in sifting through twelve pages of speculation and chitchat looking for the point...

Myself, I found that the caps with identical part numbers stamped "China" where flimsy enough to squeeze barehanded, and would leak. The same p/n, same brand, etc stamped "Germany" where much stronger, and wouldn't. Haven't had any problems with it in the couple years since...

Robert

 

[cherokeex2]

Is it ok if i borrow this thread a little?

My fan works like it should, but I want to have a swich so that I can start it when i want to.
Is it possible to controll it with a switch and still have it functioning like jeep designed it to do?
Or I can only have one or the other?

 

[WrenchMonkey]

Is it ok if i borrow this thread a little?

My fan works like it should, but I want to have a swich so that I can start it when i want to.
Is it possible to controll it with a switch and still have it functioning like jeep designed it to do?
Or I can only have one or the other?

What year?

If it's a Renix like we were discussing, you can simply wire a toggle switch in parallel with the temp-sensor switch (low on the driver's side of the radiator.)

Turning the new toggle switch on will effectively make the Jeep think the radiator is hot, trigger the relay and turn on the fan.

Turning that switch off will make it invisible to the circuit, and the fan will automatically cycle as stock.


If yours isn't a renix, you'll have to ask someone else, cause I don't know. :conceited

Robert

 

[cherokeex2]

I forgot that, mine is an 89.

Is it just to splice in the wires for the switch in the existing wires for the tempsensor? Should i add a fuse and a relay for that or it will bee fine without?

 

[WrenchMonkey]

I forgot that, mine is an 89.

Is it just to splice in the wires for the switch in the existing wires for the tempsensor? Should i add a fuse and a relay for that or it will bee fine without?

So's mine.

Another fuse never hurts, but the circuit is already protected, so it's not really needed.

No need for a relay, you're just signalling the fan relay that's already there.

:cheers: