How to live with a CJ340 or similar Jeep?

[V-16]

Great thread Samurai. I have just been inducted to the Jeep owners club. The Jeep is a vehicle that is as alien to me, as it is to you but getting hold of one ia my childhood dream come true.
Your thread here will help people like me to get to know their vehicles better without asking too many basic questions.
Im providing a link to the thread I started about my Jeep. Ill be glued on to this thread. Cant tell you how helpful it has been to me. Thanks.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-of...-now-what.html

[headers]

Sharat, IMO 17 and 18 together is called the "drag link". They help in steering the jeep.

[Alfa_Kilo]

#18 is the tie rod. As you said, it helps bot wheels steer together. The Jeep steering mechanism has MANY balljoints in it, and is prone to develope freeplay. The tie rod is also prone to bending if a the vehicle is abused off-road, but it can be fixed by adjusting the length of its ends.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Attachment 20874

Isnt that coolant liquid residue out there? Was this before you attended to the problem?

[headers]

Originally Posted by Alfa_Kilo

#18 is the tie rod. As you said, it helps bot wheels steer together. The Jeep steering mechanism has MANY balljoints in it, and is prone to develope freeplay. The tie rod is also prone to bending if a the vehicle is abused off-road, but it can be fixed by adjusting the length of its ends.

It cant be fixed entirely. I've had my gypsy's drag link replaced. At some point, they become bent to cause front wheel wobble. you may not feel it in the steering though!

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Isnt that coolant liquid residue out there? Was this before you attended to the problem?

Yeah it is coolant and sharat has already answered that point I'd guess!

[Samurai]

The radiator problem is not exactly solved. Last Friday I again had to fill 2lt of water. I even saw some leakage when the engine was left on. At that time I had filled the radiator to the brim.

But I haven't seen any leakage since then, not sure how it could self-heal like that. Yesterday I drove it twice, after both drives I checked below the radiator, no leak.

It has been suggested that I should just replace the radiator with a new one. How much does a new CJ340 radiator cost?

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Before you replace the radiator - there are people who fix radiators - they will identify leaks and fix them using molten zinc. Look out for places with old radiators on display - like tyre repair shops displaying useless tyres. Asking a taxi / jeep near you will give some pointers to an exact location.

A radiator is basically two tanks at top and bottom with several channels containing coolant / water running vertically, and horizontal fins to help dissipate heat. The channels and tank bocdy will be copper. So, you should be able to get at least 1/3 of the value of a new radiator as scrap value for the old radiator.

In certain cases like accident damage to the vertical channels the radiator repair guy will simply close the channel, and I am told that a radiator will work (depends on vahicle) even with 5% of the channels blocked. In certain cases, the channels / channel assembly along need be replaced, without replacing the entire radiator (ie. you re-use the tanks). Have done this on a Ashok Leyland bus. About 10 channels were closed. the radiatory repair guy had said that on trucks which had the same ALM 370 entine, they cannot block more than 3 channels. :-)

Of course, your jeep being a vehicle intended for serious off roading, you may be happier replacing the entire radiator.

Yet another alternative for you will be to identify the equivalent of "Chor bazar" for your locality and find a radiator from a dismantled vehicle for your jeep. Again, these radiator repair guys will have them handy.

[GTO]

Even without a leak, old Jeeps *drink* up radiator water pretty fast. Samurai : Check the condition of your fan and shroud too.

[nitrous]

Originally Posted by samurai

It has been suggested that I should just replace the radiator with a new one. How much does a new CJ340 radiator cost?

Keep monitoring the engine temperature level while driving.
If it's overheating (temperature 20% more than normal), you will need to do something about the radiator.
As Backseatdriver mentioned ,you can replace the 'core' alone with a new one and re-use the existing top and bottom tanks in it. You might get some value for the old 'core'.
This is the simple solution.

There is a more advanced solution.But, we won't go there since we don't need to,right now.

[headers]

More advanced solution - Open the radiator cap - drive - fill up water whenever engine temp touches 110 or 100 C, fill water again and keep going. Just ensure you dont blow the head gasket!

Pl dont put back the radiator cap!


An electric fan in front of the radiator also helps in keeping your engine temp at check!

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by headers

More advanced solution - Open the radiator cap - drive - fill up water whenever engine temp touches 110 or 100 C, fill water again and keep going. Just ensure you dont blow the head gasket!

If the radiator cap is open, there is no pressure, that means the boiling point of water stays at 100C. The water will evaporate at no time.

Actually, I have been told to keep the temp below 90C for this Peugeot 2.1 engine, it will seize very fast at higher temps.

[sudev]

This is indeed getting interesting and Samurai you have way of putting your posts and descriptions to pull in all readers...keep it up.

Originally Posted by Samurai

18) This makes sure both wheels turn together, what's the name?

Link bar?

21) Shock Absorber or Dampner. This dampens sudden movement of the suspended chassis in uneven roads.

The shockers/dampers stop springs from bouncing back (expansion) and not compressing when wheels hit uneven patch. This prevents harmonic vibrations from building up and making vehicle un-controllable. For fun try to drive a car without shocks in place.

[headers]

Originally Posted by Samurai

If the radiator cap is open, there is no pressure, that means the boiling point of water stays at 100C. The water will evaporate at no time.

Actually, I have been told to keep the temp below 90C for this Peugeot 2.1 engine, it will seize very fast at higher temps.

The coolant in our radiators can go higher than 100 deg C [ I understand water evaporates at 100 C]

The engine will not seize if one keeps topping water every 10 kms or so. Trust me I've done this before! On a Peugeot Engine as well as a 796cc 3 cylinder one!

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by headers

The engine will not seize if one keeps topping water every 10 kms or so. Trust me I've done this before! On a Peugeot Engine as well as a 796cc 3 cylinder one!

Is that practical? How about a radiator flush?

Replace/repair the radiator before the engine siezes. This engine dosent take too well to heat. Also check oil consumption.

[headers]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Is that practical? How about a radiator flush?

Replace/repair the radiator before the engine siezes. This engine dosent take too well to heat. Also check oil consumption.

The radiator flush is of no use if your radiator is leaking.

That method is only to get you from point A to point B in an emergency situation.

I agree, one should watch out the engine temp before it seizes. but a slow drive say 40 - 60 kmph will not seize the engine!