when i join a new forum i go back 3-6 mo and read to get a feel for what its about, still lots to learn.

 

Hm???

Ok, what about this… 2001 Sport

So I've replaced the radiator to the 3 core, replaced thermostat to 195, water pump, all hoses, new AC SYSTEM (YES, EVERYTHING), of course coolant, temp switch and electric fan (OEM)… have been running it this way for right at 1 year with NO ISSUES. Today, Memorial day of all days, I'm stuck in bumper to bumper for about 30 minutes, AC blasting away, and for the first time ever I see a warning light that says "check gauges"…so I "check gauges"… everything looks okay, can't see anything abnormal. Though my temp reads at about 200.
BTW… I don't get good mpg, around 14-16, period, don't know why.

Anyway, I drive for about 20 minutes, then stuck in BnB for about 20 minutes, and then BLAM! F‰EEKIN STEAM coming out from under the hood!!

I park and shut her down, hood is hot as S**T! Finally get her opened up and overflow tank is roaring and overflowing! Once she settles a bit, I pop the Rad cap, and Old Faithful blows!

I ran into this convenience store and the clerk gives me a bucket full of water. I wait about 30 minutes and slowly pour in some water and use up about 1.5 - 2 gals of H20. I fire her up and run her down the road without a hiccup. I run for about 45 minutes till I get her home. I let her cool for about 30-45 min w hood up. I pop the rad cap off and under the cap is sludge, looks like mud, not a lot. The water is rusty brown, but not a lot. I run her with fresh water, of course loosing all my coolant, AC blowing and hood up. Electric fan comes on and off, like it should. The temp gauge hovers around 190.
No other issues, not at all.

What gives here???

I You Tube some problem solving and come up with these things.
1. The thermostat needs to be a MotoRad High Flow because the "over the counter" ones aren't large enough to allow enough water flow.
2. I need a heavier duty electric fan, but I don't know which one
3. I need a separate toggle switch for which I can control the fan manually so that when I am in BnB traffic I can hit the switch and keep the Rad's cool.

Does any of this make sense? What fan do I need?
Is the switch thing worth doing?
And, the big ticket item…the thermostats, which is what everybody is focused around…IS the Moto Rad the one to get and if so, at what temp?

OK…maybe this will shake this thread up a bit, heck IDK?

But I do need to get this right cuz I'm teaching my daughter how to drive and she wants to go take the test and we don't need an explosion during the driving test in about a week!

HELP…Advise need to get this right and have a cool running CHEROKEE SPORT!!!

 

I like turtles

 

Sounds like you need some TLC in the cooling system.

When you overheated, you were in slow moving traffic, right?

You stated you have an electric fan, do you have a mechanical fan clutch, or one of those multi e-fan setups?

If it's the former, and not the latter, replace the fan clutch. It doesn't cost much and is easy to do.

Second, I would do a flush on the cooling system. Also low cost, you can get the flush and fill kit at any parts store for under $10. Follow the directions, and replace with coolant when done, and make sure you get all the air out of the system. Might take a couple of warm up cycles, followed by topping off of coolant after it cools down each time. Don't open it when it's hot, LOL...also replace the rad cap, again, low cost and easy. You also said your gauges light came on, but the temp read around 200, so I would verify your temp sensor is working properly, and replace if needed as well. Another easy to do and low cost item.

Once you have done this, check the system for leaks, verify your expansion tank is operating normally, and drive as normal. Try recreating the situation when it originally overheated...go sit in traffic a while and see what happens. Pick up one of those IR thermometers as well, and verify temps at the upper and lower rad hoses. If all is well, drive it. If you're still having problems, I would then just do a complete cooling system overhaul, replace WP, T-stat, hoses, and anything else not already replaced.

You're fine with a 195 t-stat. I don't know why all these people think it makes your engine "run cooler"...all it does is open your t-stat at a lower temp range. The engine was designed to run with that t-stat... I also only use Mopar t-stats. Costs a tad more, but they work.

One last thing. I have a stroker motor. I live in the desert. It gets hot AF here. My cooling system is stock. I recently started to have overheating issues. Did a reverse flush, and found my expansion tank was clogged, preventing normal operation, and was overheating from the rad cap...expansion tank was full, so it looked normal, but the rad had barely any coolant in it. Cleaned it all out, new rad cap, and everything is boobies.

Good luck.

 

Well, think of it this way. If that was the case I and every member on here would need these items. Not the case. Even in hot climates the stock cooling system is fine. Roninofako is right.

Curious, what brand thermostat are you using?

 

Thanks.

I replaced the cooling system a year ago, everything, including the AC system. I will flush again, and burp it, replace rad cap and check for leaks, again.
To clarify…the warning light came on when the gauge went over 200. Since its not very accurate, I'm guessing the temp was high enough to have triggered the sensor properly (new sensor); it did go off after the gauge went down below 200-210, or so.
Also, the fan clutch is one year old. The electric fan is OEM, comes on automatically, I think its actually in place for the AC?? In any case it works when the AC is on, cycles.
I'll start with a new flush and cap.
The tstat is from ORielly, can't remember what brand, but not from Mopar, or Moto Rad. It was replaced a year ago. Should I replace it again?

Thanks again!

 

Do the flush and cap, and go from there. Only replace stuff if you need to. Verify with an IR thermometer that your t-stat is opening. If it looks like it isn't, or maybe opening only partially, remove it, pop it on the stove in a pot of boiling water, verify operation, replace if needed. If replacing, it doesn't HAVE to be a Mopar unit, I just use them because they're reliable. If yours came from Oreilly, it's probably a Murray, which I have used before, decent for the price...I have just come to learn that certain items like the t-stat and CPS are better off if you get the Mopar units. My .02

P.S.

Don't use the Misses good pot for the t-stat test unless you like the couch, LOL

 

'01... keep checking for sludge, check your oil too JIC. Possible you might have toasted your head and/or HG.

 

Indeed, you can get a test kit for the coolant to verify if you have exhaust gases in there, and of course keep an eye on your oil like rcguymike suggests.

 

Thanks guys, I will deff do these things! I'm not noticing anything unusual, it runs as it has been. I will deff keep an eye on the oil and coolant for signs of further sludge, etc...