While wheeling yesterday I started smelling antifreeze while on a steep incline. Having recently changed the thermostat and temp sensor I instantly feared I sprung a leak. Checked and everything was good. Leads me to believe it spilling out of the antifreeze overflow tank. Is there any mods that you guys have done or seen to prevent this?

 

It's happened to me. The reservoir has a hole for overflow like this. I too it off when it's cold because it expands some and you end up overfilling if you too it off while it's warm. Better jeep allowed for expansion than enabled it to pressurize.

 

I recommend to people who actually wheel their Jeep to not go above the min line on the reservoir when the engine is hot. Any higher and I've run into the same problem.

 

I wheel and this only happened when I overfilled it. Within the acceptable range while cold seems to be fine. If there were a leak I'd like a little more time to notice before it drains to a dangerous level.

 

Not to dispute what you wrote, but if you put your Jeep at a steep enough angle while jostling around the antifreeze, my experience is it can dribble out. Not a lot, but enough to have one smelling and chasing a phantom leak.

If higher makes you feel more comfortable, go for it. Maybe you haven't hit that critical combination of factors, yet. And when you do, you'll know what to check. But OP has, so I gave him the advice I've learned off-roading tens of thousands of miles all around this country.

 

Not disputing you either. More personal preference. We're both within the min/max lines.

 

Well just a couple of weekends ago I ran into this exact situation while out on a trail with Mark. It was pretty bouncy in a few areas with a few good inclines and I had that faint smell of coolant. It appears from my investigation that it was just bouncing around enough to come out of that relief spout. No leaks otherwise. And no smell after getting off the trail.

I was slightly below the min line as a result and the group decision was to grab a jug of distilled water to take along on the next trail in case I had an overheat issue. I did not and all was good. No problems since.

 

Is there any reason why I couldn't add something like this to the end of the overfill reservoir just while wheeling?

 

Your fill cap would probably pop open from pressure changes

 

Glad I asked before pulling the trigger. Thanks