Cracked Radiator

[PackMule]

Starting a new thread since I didn't see anything out there yet on this.

32k on a '21 JTR Ecodiesel (although my understanding is the radiator is the same on the Pentastar). Only real mod is 2.5" lift, with Fox remote resi shocks, and 37's.

Driving in Glacier area, on a mildly washboard gravel road, stopped in a gas station on the way out and was spewing coolant. I was only 6 mi from a jeep dealer, tried to limp it there monitoring temps on Off-Road-Pages. Shut it down and called a tow truck when coolant hit 220, and oil temp crossed 260. No derate, no codes... didn't want to chance it. Waited three hours for a 3 mi. tow (I know, coulda got a ride to a parts store, filled it with coolant and spewed it all the way to the dealership... but I have 100k warrantee, so ... nope).

Turns out have a crack on the passenger side seam of the radiator. Dealer also found that some mounting bolts were missing on the reservoir up by the driver side cowl. Must have been missing from the factory, cause nobody's been modifying anything up there.

Anyone else have these issues? I checked both this forum and the JL forum, and only thing I've seen on radiator issues is a loose hose issue on the JL 2.0T, and a potentially looming CP4 water pump recall for the JTDs coming in 2023.

Other factors / observations:
- Ambien temp was 89
- Engine coolant temps and oil temps were normal (like, 207 and 230 respectively) when I checked it immediately after noticing the leakage

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[rjogren13]

Same thing last week for me, 2021 Rubicon 3.6 with 2800 miles on it. Coolant started disappearing from the reservoir about every two weeks. Made sure it was not in the oil, but never saw a leak, last weekend driving down a dirt road, smelled coolant. When I stopped to look, it was dripping steadily from the passenger bottom of the radiator. Stopped at a parts store to buy coolant and made it home. The engine temp never went over 220 and the oil temp just around that. once I added coolant it went back to 195 to 200. Parked there is a big puddle underneath. took two weeks to get an appointment to get it into the dealer. dropping it off tomorrow morning.

 

[rharr]

is the crack in one of the end tanks or a cracked core row?

fyi, if you get a hole in one of your core tubes you can pull out the cooling fins to each side of the crack, cut the row, use a needle nose pliers crimp the row and then roll the cut ends a little bit like the end of the tooth paste tube to close off the row and get you home.

 

[rjogren13]

Not sure where on the radiator the crack is. Was about to start taking stuff apart to see (the plastic moldings) after checking all the hoses to see where it was coming from. When I stopped and remembered it only has 2800 miles on it and that's what the warranty is for. got it home by adding coolant enough to overcome the rate of leaking. I will look at it to see what you are describing though. Great to know if I have to deal with it again. Hopefully not, didn't really buy it to have to wrench on it for at least a few years, other than add accessories.

 

[PackMule]

is the crack in one of the end tanks or a cracked core row?

fyi, if you get a hole in one of your core tubes you can pull out the cooling fins to each side of the crack, cut the row, use a needle nose pliers crimp the row and then roll the cut ends a little bit like the end of the tooth paste tube to close off the row and get you home.

My dealer said it was on the seam, it too was leaking big-time on the passenger side.

 

[rjogren13]

Not sure where on the radiator the crack is. Was about to start taking stuff apart to see (the plastic moldings) after checking all the hoses to see where it was coming from. When I stopped and remembered it only has 2800 miles on it and that's what the warranty is for. got it home by adding coolant enough to overcome the rate of leaking. I will look at it to see what you are describing though. Great to know if I have to deal with it again. Hopefully not, didn't really buy it to have to wrench on it for at least a few years, other than add accessories.

So, radiator has a large leak upper passenger area where the plastic and metal meet up. Dealer first said it would take two weeks to get a new radiator in. Called jeep wave and they found another local dealer with 13 in stock should be ready for pick up Friday now. Hoping to be able to trust the replacement.

 

[Rusty PW]

If it wasn't under warranty. I would get a custom Ron Davis Radiator.

http://www.rondavisradiators.com/radgallery.htm

 

[rjogren13]

If it wasn't under warranty. I would get a custom Ron Davis Radiator.

http://www.rondavisradiators.com/radgallery.htm

Its covered under warranty but thanks I will keep them in mind if I have to replace in the future.

 

[PackMule]

So, radiator has a large leak upper passenger area where the plastic and metal meet up. Dealer first said it would take two weeks to get a new radiator in. Called jeep wave and they found another local dealer with 13 in stock should be ready for pick up Friday now. Hoping to be able to trust the replacement.

Nearly exact same spot as mine. Mine was in the seam just below the metal clip. Dealer said "when we've seen this in the Wranglers, it usually is just above the metal clip, and usually leaks slowly..." like you reported... so this seems not to be a one-off. Mine was spewing coolant.

Don K Jeep in Whitefish MT did me right. Found a radiator in stock at another dealer. Busted on Thurs evening, back on the road Tuesday afternoon.

 

[PackMule]

Follow on issue. "Check Shifter"

One week into it with the new radiator, now when I'm pull my 4.5k trailer up steep grades (e.g. 6% or better), even short pulls, once the transmission has successfully downshifted from 7, to 6, to 5... once it gets past that it then throws a "Service Shifter" error on the dash, then the dashboard goes haywire, tach and speedo cut off and on repeatedly, then starts throwing all sorts of random errors, cutting off DSC, etc.

Once it hits the top of the hill, all goes back to normal. No check engine light, ... nothing.

Temps were "normal" for 90 degree ambient going up a steep hill at 6k ft of altitude ... 220's for coolant, 240's for oil temp.

Tried next short hill in manual mode.... and again, once the RPM starts touching around 3k rpm in 5th or 4th gear it starts going haywire again. Pulled over, shut it down, etc.... Restarted, tried the next hill again in manual mode, it still goes haywire.

Again, it only happens on a steep hill. If the jeep can pull the trailer at 2400 rpm in 6th or 5th, then it has no problem.

Took it to a dealer in Calgary (3 hr drive each way) for diagnostics. Drives fine with no trailer. They run Diags and can't find anything.

I showed them the pics on the Wrangler Forum about JLUDs that had a "Check Shifter" error they thought was due to a wire harness coming in contact with the EGR tube near passenger wheelwell (radiator crack was on passenger side). Dealer checked mine and seemed fine.

At first they wanted to say that it could be my 37" tires pulling the load uphill, or the Tazer Mini "programer". I told them I only used the Tazer to recal the for tiresize, I've had this setup since April, done Montana to Moab and back, and many Montana passes without having this issue at all until the radiator issue.

Looks like they are going to strap on a diagnostic tool for the next week while I'm in Jasper and see what it says.

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