Dripping Radiator 2008 Liberty

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Liberty I just purchased has a radiator drip, coming off the driver's side of the radiator. It starts to drip about an hour after shutting off the engine.

Assuming I need to swap out the radiator, I have looked on-line for a video, but they are all for earlier models. This one has the coolant reservoir and the windshield washer reservoir mounted on top of the radiator. I was hoping to gets some wise advice before dismantling, like what needs to come off and what can stay.

 

[tommudd]

Liberty I just purchased has a radiator drip, coming off the driver's side of the radiator. It starts to drip about an hour after shutting off the engine.

Assuming I need to swap out the radiator, I have looked on-line for a video, but they are all for earlier models. This one has the coolant reservoir and the windshield washer reservoir mounted on top of the radiator. I was hoping to gets some wise advice before dismantling, like what needs to come off and what can stay.

Sounds like you have a KK then since 08, KJs ended in 2007 And yes time for a new MOPAR radiator

 

[[email protected]]

I understand that I need a radiator. I was hoping to hear from someone who has done one like this. I checked all of the online videos I can find, and none have the coolant/windshield washer reservoir on top of the radiator. I would like to know things like whether or not the grille should be removed for access to fasteners.

Any clues on why it begins to leak an hour after it is turned off? Is pressure plugging the leak? Could the leak be in a place other than the radiator? It is dripping from the driver's side corner of the radiator, so the source is there or somewhere above there.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

I have no clue why it drips AFTER the engine has been shut off. I had the same leak with my KK. It's not a very easy radiator swap. The washer/coolant tank has to come out, along with the fan shroud. The hoses are held in by clips, relatively easy to remove. Two bolts near the top of the radiator, remove those, radiator is held in by rubber grommets on the bottom.

 

[tjkj2002]

I have no clue why it drips AFTER the engine has been shut off..

Plastic side tanks are crimped on the center aluminum cores and sealed via a rubber gasket.Over time and constant heat cycles those crimps will loosen a bit or the rubber seal will start to harden so full cold it still seals and at full operating temps it seals but when heating up or cooling down the 3 different materials expand/contract at different rates allowing coolant to leak on cool down/warm up.

 

[[email protected]]

It takes a full hour after engine is turned off until it begins to leak, and it doesn't stop. I think that the pressure created by the warm engine will temporarily seal the leak. I am planning to remove/replace the radiator on Thursday. I will take a few pictures.

 

[tjkj2002]

It takes a full hour after engine is turned off until it begins to leak, and it doesn't stop. I think that the pressure created by the warm engine will temporarily seal the leak. I am planning to remove/replace the radiator on Thursday. I will take a few pictures.

When you turn off the engine it will actually get hotter for 10-20mins depending on ambient temp and can take up to 12 full hours before cooling down to ambient temp.

 

[k99jk99j]

Thanks for pictures! Keep us posted.

 

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You can see the radiator cap, and the rest of the radiator is under that reservoir complex.

 

[[email protected]]

Working together, my son and I got the new radiator installed. It was a 7 hour project.

Working without instructions, it is much like exploratory surgery; starting removing things you can access until you get to where you are going.

What I can offer for advise is a list of things you will need to remove and things you can leave in place.

Things you may leave attached: grille and air filter box.

Things to remove:
1) Battery & horn closest to coolant/washer reservoir.
2) Coolant/washer reservoir. Disconnect hose to radiator, two hoses to washer pump, electricial connector to washer pump, five screws (Torx 25).
3) Fan shroud/electric fan - two screws (8mm head). There is a circuit board mounted inside the shroud. We could not get that connector separated and didn't want to break it or pull out a wire, so we disconnected the connector at the fan. We had to slightly enlarge the hole in the fan shroud to get the circuit board out.
4) Upper and lower radiator hoses. We used new hoses and reused the OEM spring clamps.
5) Radiator, 2 screws (10mm head). To lift out the radiator, you have to detach the A/C condenser. It has two hooks on the driver side and two screws (8mm head) on the passenger side. This interface comes apart easier than it goes together, and the lower screw is very hard to reach.

It is all together and holding coolant.