The Jeep is getting on my last nerve.

Looks like it’ll be headed back to the shop in town, in the fullness of time.

I was so pleased with myself. I got the radiator replaced without much delay. New hoses, everything sorted out, no parts left over. With a new radiator cap, for the first time since I started driving it 11 years ago, the cooling system held pressure! Actual pressure!

Then this afternoon I went out to drive it to D&L’s place. And on the dirt under the front…


rrrrrr…

Going so far as to actually fix the coolant leaks may have been a mistake. Now the damned thing needs a water pump.

I am reminded, to my disgust, of oil leaks in Oldsmobile 5.7L “diesel” engines. Customers would ask “can you fix that?” I would say, “Sure I can. Where would you like it to leak next?”

I hated doing water pumps even when I was used to wrenching on engines. That was over 30 years ago. I’m going to need to pay somebody else for this one.

About Joel

You shouldn't ask these questions of a paranoid recluse, you know.
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9 Responses to The Jeep is getting on my last nerve.

  1. Ben says:

    Beats walk’n.

  2. phred ! says:

    Awesome.
    I made the same discovery on (under) my rig this afternoon.

  3. Mark Matis says:

    I see you have to pull the power steering pump to replace the water pump:

    https://www.justanswer.com/jeep/3edf9-replace-waterpump-2001-jeep-wrangler-tj.html

    Sounds like fun!

  4. Kentucky says:

    And if only you had known this was required when you had the radiator out of the way . . .

  5. Norman says:

    It’s a financial hemorrhoid of the First Order, but there’s a local shop where I used to live that quoted 2-3 days and $1100 for timing belt replacment when even a dealer would do it same-day for $259. The difference was everything they took off to get to the belt went back on brand new, and they pulled the radiator to more easily get to everything so it went out for cleaning and pressure testing.

    I understand that’s not in everyone’s budget, but eventually the cost will arrive, and it’s always seemed better to me to plan for and control expenditures rather than have them as surprises.

  6. Ben says:

    I hate the very idea of timing belts! Effectively., every car with a timing belt leaves the showroom with an eventual $1000 repair bill. That’s real money.!

  7. Mark Matis says:

    Do you have a $$$ estimate?

  8. Mike says:

    That’s always the problem with vehicles which are hard used and reaching the end of their lifespan.

    Good luck Joel and remember, so long as there’s more coolant on the inside of the engine than on the ground, it’s not as bad as you think.

  9. Joel says:

    Do you have a $$$ estimate?

    Not yet, but I’ll phone and get one in the fullness of time. I have other more immediate worries at the moment.

To the stake with the heretic!