Over heated Jeep

[srimes]

Re: Over heated Jeep

I took my clutch fan off. I'm planning on adding a 2nd elec fan, but I haven't had any troubles yet. If you're going over 35 you shouldn't need a fan.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Over heated Jeep

nobody mentioned it, but a blown head gasket can show up as overheating... are you losing coolant? what does your coolant and engine oil look like?

 

[seaboo]

Re: Over heated Jeep

I took my clutch fan off. I'm planning on adding a 2nd elec fan, but I haven't had any troubles yet. If you're going over 35 you shouldn't need a fan.

True. Ask any Radiator shop and they will tell you a fan is not necessary except in stop and go or idling traffic. If you are moving down the road you do not need a fan. I'd check the radiator, and make sure you have NO leakage (radiator cap, heater hose seepage, ect. If your coolant system isn't holding the correct pressure it isn't going to cool properly).

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: Over heated Jeep

I had the same problem in my dodge dakota. soooo.... what I did was replace the radiator....thought all was good and sure enough, I went with a remanufactured radiator.. Wasn't too long till I had the problem again. It lookes like with a reman radiator they just paint the damn thing and maybe slap some new tanks on the side... SO I put in a new, never used one and the problem went away.
Bottom line, I am fully convinced your radiator is probably just full of corrosion and if you waste money on chemicals to clean it out, you might get another couple of months out of it, till it gets wicked hot in the summer and you will have it again. Replace your radiator with a brand spankin new one. Do not..Do not....Do not replace it with a reman radiator you WILL regret it, I don't care how much money you save with reman radiators they are junk.

 

[barus243]

Re: Over heated Jeep

I'm definitely going to endorse going for a heavy duty radiator. I have fought this issue a number of times especially on highly modified vehicles. At highway speeds and RPMs overheating is almost always radiator related assuming that you have just replaced the water pump and tstat. The only other thing that I can think of is a cavitation issue in the water pump but this is pretty rare unless you have been modifying water pumps to get less weight and better flow. I'd definitely spring for upgrading to an aluminum radiator in at least a 2 core. If you can make the jump to a 3 core then that would be great since you will pick up alot of cooling capacity. Also if you are draining off all of the coolant to flush look for the red line product water wetter I think that is is pretty common at auto part stores such as autozone. Water wetter won't be a fix in itself as the label might claim but it will definitely help. Also if you put in a fail safe thermostat you might want to think about changing it out since it might be stuck in the open position after the over heat.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Over heated Jeep

..................If you still have probs then look at fan, fan clutch, head gaskets, water pump, and transmission problems..... a slipping tranny can cause overheating probs quickly in a vehicle with a marginal cooling system...... such as a cherokee......................

nobody mentioned it, but a blown head gasket can show up as overheating... are you losing coolant? what does your coolant and engine oil look like?

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: Over heated Jeep

omfg....stop beating this into something else. He has a old vehicle that probably needs a radiator...If you had a blown head gasket you wouldnt be wondering, and I doubt he is stupid enough to not notice a slipping tranny!

It is a cooling system problem and most likely the radiator since you replaced the pump and t-stat already.

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: Over heated Jeep

all those reasons are clearly noticable, as I have had them all happen at one time or another.

 

[Tom P]

Re: Over heated Jeep

I bought this Jeep used over Christmas break. It?s clean as can been. It looks like a new car on the inside, and under the hood is real clean to. We did pop the radiator cap before I bought it and the antifreeze was new and green. Having said that she does have 208,000 miles on her.

I read everything everybody here posted and I did a lot of reading at www.jeepforum.com. I?m going to start with a cooling system flush. The plan is to purchase the radiator flush kit from Preston ($9) and some Preston cleaner. I?m going to first drain and flush with water until clean water comes out. Then I?ll use the Preston Cleaner. I may leave the cleaner in for a weekend and tow the boat for about 45 min to Greenwood Lake NY. This should really give things a chance to loosen up. Then I?ll drain and reflush with water. Depending on my mood, and my tolerance for pain. I will either replace the radiator myself or have it done the Monday after dropping the boat off at the lake.

Because of the way I use this Jeep I can?t afford to screw around with this. Day ?to day driving hasn?t been a problem. But, while I don?t trailer a lot, I store my boat the over the winter about an hour up the NY State Through Way. I also go to Island Beach State Park at the NJ shore and 4WD in low 4 on the beach. That?s about an hour in 4 low per trip. Neither of these places are good places to break down.

Thanks to all, I?ll post results when the work is complete,

Tom

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: Over heated Jeep

With 208,000 miles there is a very high chance that the radiator is clogging. Really and truly, all of the trouble youre going to go through with flushing it and then re flushing it, you could of probably replaced the radiator. I like buy all of my stuff from Napa since most of their stuff like that comes with a lifetime warranty.

http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?A=NRS2802_0240358716&An=599001+101999+50038+2038004

We have a 1994 Grand Cherokee with the I-6 engine and the radiator started showing signs of clogging up around 160,000 when towing up hills. With a new radiator the temp gauge never moves.

Have you change the tranny fluid and filter in it since buying it? Wouldnt be a bad idea since you tow so much.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Over heated Jeep

It is actually an important step to thoroughly flush BEFORE changing the radiator.... He is spot on there as otherwise the engine will still be full of the junk that plugged the old radiator and there will be a good chance of plugging the new one

 

[DJ]

Re: Over heated Jeep

I have no issues with a good flush. It may, or may not help.

My son and I worked on/owned two YJ's (4.0's) that had issues with cooling, here in AZ. Note that AZ is extremely hot. 125 +.

We eventually ended up replacing two rad's and thermostats. Surprisingly inexpensive. I recommended the 195 degree stats. They actually helped the engines run cooler and helped the engines run cleaner. We removed the old 160 degreee stat's that made the engines exhaust smell "rich/fat".

Both YJ's had over 175K on the clocks. It was time for a cooling system regeneration.

Both are gone now but the new owners report NO issues.

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: Over heated Jeep

When you drain it, look inside at the core. If it looks corroded, just replace it after a thorough flush.

 

[DJ]

Re: Over heated Jeep

I do not disagree but it's the stuff you can't see that gets you.

Radiators cool, most efficiently, in the bottom half. That's what you can't see.

Hope it works out.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Over heated Jeep

We did pop the radiator cap before I bought it and the antifreeze was new and green.

Green antifreeze??? What type of antifreeze is supposed to be in the Jeep, or to ask the question another way, what did it come from the factory with?

The ol' green antifreeze is not compatible with the new pinkish/orange antifreeze. (I'm not sure of the names off hand) If they are mixed it makes a nasty mess of the cooling system... I picked up my Durango and got it pretty cheap because someone put the ol' green glycol antifreeze in where the new antifreeze had been before, nice chalky white coating all over the inside of the cooling system that had to be cleaned out with citric acid, fun job, not.

I really have no idea if your jeep came with the old style anti freeze of new style, but if they were mixed, that could very well be your problem. Check the owners manual and see what it says the correct coolant is for that year.

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: Over heated Jeep

Green antifreeze??? What type of antifreeze is supposed to be in the Jeep, or to ask the question another way, what did it come from the factory with?

The ol' green antifreeze is not compatible with the new pinkish/orange antifreeze. (I'm not sure of the names off hand) If they are mixed it makes a nasty mess of the cooling system... I picked up my Durango and got it pretty cheap because someone put the ol' green glycol antifreeze in where the new antifreeze had been before, nice chalky white coating all over the inside of the cooling system that had to be cleaned out with citric acid, fun job, not.

I really have no idea if your jeep came with the old style anti freeze of new style, but if they were mixed, that could very well be your problem. Check the owners manual and see what it says the correct coolant is for that year.

A 1999 Cherokee came with the good old green anti freeze.

 

[q5ka]

Re: Over heated Jeep

Also Peak and a few others are now making the green compatable with the orange antifreeze. I just picked some up for my antique tractors and the 5 year green stuff from Peak said good with ANY type of antifreeze.

 

[avenger79]

Re: Over heated Jeep

if it had a bad head gasket it would always overheat.

I would look at the front of the radiator. probably full of crap and bent tubes. I would just replace it. (I did on ourr old truck) but you might be able to clean it out and get it to work better.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: Over heated Jeep

if it had a bad head gasket it would always overheat.

I would look at the front of the radiator. probably full of crap and bent tubes. I would just replace it. (I did on ourr old truck) but you might be able to clean it out and get it to work better.

If you think it's a head gasket check your oil, You'll know then for sure.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Over heated Jeep

If you think it's a head gasket check your oil, You'll know then for sure.

not always true... it can blow between two cylinders, between a cylinder and an oil passage or a cylinder and an antifreeze passage..... the first two would not show up as water in oil... It is also possible to have a slight leak that would simply allow combustion gasses into the coolant (or other passage).... this can sometimes only show up under heavy load conditions... there IS however a chemical test that can detect combustion gasses in the coolant