Leaking Antifreeze
 

Alright lads, let's see if we can solve my new issue.

Got a 2001 Jeep cherokee, replaced the radiator with a non-oem a few years ago after the car started overheating (blew a drain plug, took it to a mechanic). Last year, car started over heating again. Opened up the cap, saw a bunch of brown mud. Drained/flushed the radiator, filled up with new 50/50 antifreeze, car was fine. A few months later, started to overheat. Cracked the head, replaced it with new one. Took it to a reputable jeep mechanic by me, drained antifreeze and put new head on. Car was fine..again. Recently, car starts to get hot after short drives. Brown mud+liquid will squirt out of radiator neck, and will go everywhere. I have the right cap on it, even bought a new one. Flushed it again, seemed okay. A few weeks later, it does it again. Open the cap, brown mud is in there. What in the hell do I do? I'm thinking a new CSF Radiator, new hoses, and an extremely thorough flush. Car only has 100,000 miles on it, and I'm the original owner, so I've known what its gone through but no clue what couldve happen. Getting very frustrated, and so is my wallet! Thanks everyone

have you checked the oil?
 

Maybe a head gasket

Stop spending money on parts. Do some testing.

Start with a compression test. Also check for exhaust gases in your coolant with a coolant test kit.

http://www.ehow.com/how_7885485_test...s-coolant.html

No, its a bad 0331 head.

Get totally rid of it and buy a new aftermarket one, like from Clearwater. Hope your bearings aren't toast.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! Just to send a quick reply to all, I've already had the head(0331) and the gasket replaced, and BlueRidgeMark, its more of a leaking issue. The compression test wouldve been better if it wasn't leaking like it is. I mean it's really spweing from the radiator neck when it gets round operating temp

Well if its a "leaking issue" , it could be leaking from head gasket... compression check would tell for sure. where do you think it is leaking from? what about the electric fan is it starting up? is your water temp already boiling over before the electric fan starts up? what about your engine driven fan clutch? have you checked its operation?

I understood what you said earlier. If you put another or remanned 0331 head back on it, that is still your problem.

New aftermarket only as I stated. We see this all of the time on this Forum. Hardly any mechanics are familiar with this particular problem, and its solution, on the 2000-01 XJ 4.0s.

Not even Chrysler mechanics, because this happens after the warranty ran out.

Can you confirm the mechanic actually put the new head on and not 'reused' the old head? It would be something any non-reputable shop would do; inspect the old head, miss the crack and say its okay and put a new gasket and reinstall old head and go.

When a head gasket or a head fails, it can pressurize your cooling system by allowing exhaust gases to leak into the cooling passages in the block or head. You spewing sounds exactly like a failed head (probably) or head gasket, which is why I recommend the compression and coolant tests.

I recommend checking your bank account balance first.

I actually have the old head sitting in my room on my shelf (to be honest, it looked like a cool item to keep). So it was definitely replaced, as well as the gasket, but I guess you can say that the new head he installed is 100% out of trust. As stupid as that sounds, he's one of the most reputable jeep mechanics around-runs solely on recommendation. With that said, I hope he would put on what was required to complete the job.

I addressed that possibility in an earlier post.

He could be top notch and completely honest, but not know about the 0331 head crack issue.


Do the tests. Then you'll know.

Call and ask him what kind of head he put on.

And the head is???