Hey y'all,

I'm having a bit of a problem here. I was driving home from college the other day and after being on the highway for about 20 minutes it occurred to me that my coolant temperature was very low (about 115) and my heat wasn't working well. I thought this might be normal as it was -2 out and I was going 75 MPH but now I realize it was not. I read around about the issue and it would appear that I need a new thermostat. This theory is also strengthened by the fact that when I have 'er running in the summer and I idle, the temperature shoots up.

So, my question is: do y'all think I need a new thermostat?

Thanks for any help.

 

Yes.

Install a new 195 degree thermostat. I buy my stats directly from Jeep as there are a lot of cheap-charlie stats out there. The Stant SuperStat is another good one.

When you do that, always a good time to think about a complete coolant flush if it hasn't been done in the last 30k. Serpentine belt good? Radiator caps are only $5.00 and often overlooked. And if you have any original hoses in your '98, replace them as you are on borrowed time with them. There are only a few hoses on the XJ and they aren't that expensive.