heater core leak, cleaning advice.
 

Well, I have a few things here I could use some advice for... Over the
Christmas holiday, I went muddin at one of my favorite spots. Usually I
will ride around the trails with my windows down, since it's still warm down
here (Florida). When I got to the mud hole, I zipped my windows up, turned
on my AC and started to commence the mudflinging. After a few passes and
doughnuts, I sat in the middle of it all, and noticed vapor coming out of my
vents. Coolant was coming out of the bottom vents, so now my floorboard is
soaked. It's home now, and I ripped out everything inside and got to the
heater core box housing thingy. I think I read somewhere in this group that
there are 4 bolts holding it in from the engine compartment? If that true,
I'm gonna have to clean up my engine compartment to find them, its very
muddy in there. What would be the best way to clean up in there, engine and
all while I'm at it? I know I gotta cover up the alternator, but anything
else I don't know about? I'm thinking of pressure washing everything in
there.

Re: heater core leak, cleaning advice.
 

I hose the crap out of everything, 'especially' the alternator. Just
let it dry really well. If you are in a hurry use a hair dryer.

Mud is liquid sandpaper and it will destroy brushes and bearings. When
your starter quits, you can just open it up and spray the insides out
with WD40 to get the mud out and free up the brushes. We have to do
that lots to our starters when playing in the mud. WD40 excels at that
job.

You don't say what you are driving, but on the CJ's and YJ's at least
there is one hard to get nut dead center behind the valve cover for the
heater box.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Troy wrote:
>
> Well, I have a few things here I could use some advice for... Over the
> Christmas holiday, I went muddin at one of my favorite spots. Usually I
> will ride around the trails with my windows down, since it's still warm down
> here (Florida). When I got to the mud hole, I zipped my windows up, turned
> on my AC and started to commence the mudflinging. After a few passes and
> doughnuts, I sat in the middle of it all, and noticed vapor coming out of my
> vents. Coolant was coming out of the bottom vents, so now my floorboard is
> soaked. It's home now, and I ripped out everything inside and got to the
> heater core box housing thingy. I think I read somewhere in this group that
> there are 4 bolts holding it in from the engine compartment? If that true,
> I'm gonna have to clean up my engine compartment to find them, its very
> muddy in there. What would be the best way to clean up in there, engine and
> all while I'm at it? I know I gotta cover up the alternator, but anything
> else I don't know about? I'm thinking of pressure washing everything in
> there.

Re: heater core leak, cleaning advice.
 

I hose the crap out of everything, 'especially' the alternator. Just
let it dry really well. If you are in a hurry use a hair dryer.

Mud is liquid sandpaper and it will destroy brushes and bearings. When
your starter quits, you can just open it up and spray the insides out
with WD40 to get the mud out and free up the brushes. We have to do
that lots to our starters when playing in the mud. WD40 excels at that
job.

You don't say what you are driving, but on the CJ's and YJ's at least
there is one hard to get nut dead center behind the valve cover for the
heater box.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Troy wrote:
>
> Well, I have a few things here I could use some advice for... Over the
> Christmas holiday, I went muddin at one of my favorite spots. Usually I
> will ride around the trails with my windows down, since it's still warm down
> here (Florida). When I got to the mud hole, I zipped my windows up, turned
> on my AC and started to commence the mudflinging. After a few passes and
> doughnuts, I sat in the middle of it all, and noticed vapor coming out of my
> vents. Coolant was coming out of the bottom vents, so now my floorboard is
> soaked. It's home now, and I ripped out everything inside and got to the
> heater core box housing thingy. I think I read somewhere in this group that
> there are 4 bolts holding it in from the engine compartment? If that true,
> I'm gonna have to clean up my engine compartment to find them, its very
> muddy in there. What would be the best way to clean up in there, engine and
> all while I'm at it? I know I gotta cover up the alternator, but anything
> else I don't know about? I'm thinking of pressure washing everything in
> there.

Re: heater core leak, cleaning advice.
 

I hose the crap out of everything, 'especially' the alternator. Just
let it dry really well. If you are in a hurry use a hair dryer.

Mud is liquid sandpaper and it will destroy brushes and bearings. When
your starter quits, you can just open it up and spray the insides out
with WD40 to get the mud out and free up the brushes. We have to do
that lots to our starters when playing in the mud. WD40 excels at that
job.

You don't say what you are driving, but on the CJ's and YJ's at least
there is one hard to get nut dead center behind the valve cover for the
heater box.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Troy wrote:
>
> Well, I have a few things here I could use some advice for... Over the
> Christmas holiday, I went muddin at one of my favorite spots. Usually I
> will ride around the trails with my windows down, since it's still warm down
> here (Florida). When I got to the mud hole, I zipped my windows up, turned
> on my AC and started to commence the mudflinging. After a few passes and
> doughnuts, I sat in the middle of it all, and noticed vapor coming out of my
> vents. Coolant was coming out of the bottom vents, so now my floorboard is
> soaked. It's home now, and I ripped out everything inside and got to the
> heater core box housing thingy. I think I read somewhere in this group that
> there are 4 bolts holding it in from the engine compartment? If that true,
> I'm gonna have to clean up my engine compartment to find them, its very
> muddy in there. What would be the best way to clean up in there, engine and
> all while I'm at it? I know I gotta cover up the alternator, but anything
> else I don't know about? I'm thinking of pressure washing everything in
> there.

Re: heater core leak, cleaning advice.
 

Oh, ya, forgot. I'm driving the 01 TJ. Man I love that thing. Honestly
I'm considering not muddin anymore, the cleanup usually takes me an hour.
I'm running 33x12.50 tires on it, so they stick out a good distance from the
stock flares. Can anyone tell me if the aftermarket wide flares help much
against mud slinging on the sides? I maybe should get some, cuz even when I
clean up my jeep, if I run through a puddle on the road, it gets it dirty
all over again. Hmm, now I remember reading there are a couple different
manufacturers, but only one of them are worth a damn. Who makes the ones
that are high quality?

Re: heater core leak, cleaning advice.
 

Oh, ya, forgot. I'm driving the 01 TJ. Man I love that thing. Honestly
I'm considering not muddin anymore, the cleanup usually takes me an hour.
I'm running 33x12.50 tires on it, so they stick out a good distance from the
stock flares. Can anyone tell me if the aftermarket wide flares help much
against mud slinging on the sides? I maybe should get some, cuz even when I
clean up my jeep, if I run through a puddle on the road, it gets it dirty
all over again. Hmm, now I remember reading there are a couple different
manufacturers, but only one of them are worth a damn. Who makes the ones
that are high quality?

Re: heater core leak, cleaning advice.
 

Oh, ya, forgot. I'm driving the 01 TJ. Man I love that thing. Honestly
I'm considering not muddin anymore, the cleanup usually takes me an hour.
I'm running 33x12.50 tires on it, so they stick out a good distance from the
stock flares. Can anyone tell me if the aftermarket wide flares help much
against mud slinging on the sides? I maybe should get some, cuz even when I
clean up my jeep, if I run through a puddle on the road, it gets it dirty
all over again. Hmm, now I remember reading there are a couple different
manufacturers, but only one of them are worth a damn. Who makes the ones
that are high quality?

Re: heater core leak, cleaning advice.
 

Is there no way to protect the engine compartment or at least shield it from
the incoming mud? At least while you're mudding. Maybe a detachable shield
that can be added before mudding?

bill




"Troy" <no@spam.please> wrote in message
news:yGAAd.6294$qf5.2793@newsread3.news.atl.earthl ink.net...
> Oh, ya, forgot. I'm driving the 01 TJ. Man I love that thing. Honestly
> I'm considering not muddin anymore, the cleanup usually takes me an hour.
> I'm running 33x12.50 tires on it, so they stick out a good distance from
the
> stock flares. Can anyone tell me if the aftermarket wide flares help much
> against mud slinging on the sides? I maybe should get some, cuz even when
I
> clean up my jeep, if I run through a puddle on the road, it gets it dirty
> all over again. Hmm, now I remember reading there are a couple different
> manufacturers, but only one of them are worth a damn. Who makes the ones
> that are high quality?
>
>

Re: heater core leak, cleaning advice.
 

Is there no way to protect the engine compartment or at least shield it from
the incoming mud? At least while you're mudding. Maybe a detachable shield
that can be added before mudding?

bill




"Troy" <no@spam.please> wrote in message
news:yGAAd.6294$qf5.2793@newsread3.news.atl.earthl ink.net...
> Oh, ya, forgot. I'm driving the 01 TJ. Man I love that thing. Honestly
> I'm considering not muddin anymore, the cleanup usually takes me an hour.
> I'm running 33x12.50 tires on it, so they stick out a good distance from
the
> stock flares. Can anyone tell me if the aftermarket wide flares help much
> against mud slinging on the sides? I maybe should get some, cuz even when
I
> clean up my jeep, if I run through a puddle on the road, it gets it dirty
> all over again. Hmm, now I remember reading there are a couple different
> manufacturers, but only one of them are worth a damn. Who makes the ones
> that are high quality?
>
>

Re: heater core leak, cleaning advice.
 

Is there no way to protect the engine compartment or at least shield it from
the incoming mud? At least while you're mudding. Maybe a detachable shield
that can be added before mudding?

bill




"Troy" <no@spam.please> wrote in message
news:yGAAd.6294$qf5.2793@newsread3.news.atl.earthl ink.net...
> Oh, ya, forgot. I'm driving the 01 TJ. Man I love that thing. Honestly
> I'm considering not muddin anymore, the cleanup usually takes me an hour.
> I'm running 33x12.50 tires on it, so they stick out a good distance from
the
> stock flares. Can anyone tell me if the aftermarket wide flares help much
> against mud slinging on the sides? I maybe should get some, cuz even when
I
> clean up my jeep, if I run through a puddle on the road, it gets it dirty
> all over again. Hmm, now I remember reading there are a couple different
> manufacturers, but only one of them are worth a damn. Who makes the ones
> that are high quality?
>
>