Overheating insanity
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Model: Cherokee
Overheating insanity
I have a 96 Cherokee Sport 4.0 and I am dealing with overheating issues. It overheats while driving or at idle, on cold days and on hot days.
Heater works fine. Fluid levels are good, and there is no leaking. There is def no oil in the coolant and exhaust is normal and def no white smoke. Reservoir is full with no leaks. There are no other fluid leaks of any kind. Head looks good. It starts great and runs great, without stalling or misfiring... it just over heats. It gets up to about 250's but I turn it off before it climbs any higher and I haven't let it get into the "red".
Things I have replaced...
-Radiator
-Water Pump
-Thermostat (and yes it was placed in the right direction)
-Fan shroud (grasping at straws!)
-Clutch Fan
-All temp sensors and fan related fuses
-Radiator Cap
-Serp Belt (and yes the pattern is correct)
Things I have done to it...
-Flushed the system multiple times including twice professionally flushed.
-Cleared air out of system
-Removed AC condenser to improve airflow to Radiator
My thoughts....
I am not impressed with the flow through the top Rad hose running from the thermostat housing. I have replaced the thermostat three times and confirmed it to be working in hot water with external temp gauge and it opens at about 200F (its 195F rated). Water pump has been confirmed to be the right one and it is moving in the right direction. Serp belt is DEF on right so its not that. Aux fan works when it is unplugged, but it wont come on when plugged in due to the sensor not receiving the hot fluid flow into the thermostat housing. But even if I start from a cold start, and have the Aux fan on the whole time (with it unplugged so it works) it still overheats.
Could there be some kind of other restriction preventing the coolant from either reaching the thermostat or preventing enough flow through it? Ive pawed around past the thermostat as much as I can, but could there be a restriction deeper in the engine block?
I have had all the freeze plugs replaced professionally. But now I wonder if an old freeze plug got pushed in and is causing restriction. Ive spoke with a few mechanics about that idea, but they all stated that it wouldn't restrict enough flow to cause a problem.
So, if it is indeed a fluid flow problem (which it might not be) and the thermostat is working then what could be causing that restriction?
Heater works fine. Fluid levels are good, and there is no leaking. There is def no oil in the coolant and exhaust is normal and def no white smoke. Reservoir is full with no leaks. There are no other fluid leaks of any kind. Head looks good. It starts great and runs great, without stalling or misfiring... it just over heats. It gets up to about 250's but I turn it off before it climbs any higher and I haven't let it get into the "red".
Things I have replaced...
-Radiator
-Water Pump
-Thermostat (and yes it was placed in the right direction)
-Fan shroud (grasping at straws!)
-Clutch Fan
-All temp sensors and fan related fuses
-Radiator Cap
-Serp Belt (and yes the pattern is correct)
Things I have done to it...
-Flushed the system multiple times including twice professionally flushed.
-Cleared air out of system
-Removed AC condenser to improve airflow to Radiator
My thoughts....
I am not impressed with the flow through the top Rad hose running from the thermostat housing. I have replaced the thermostat three times and confirmed it to be working in hot water with external temp gauge and it opens at about 200F (its 195F rated). Water pump has been confirmed to be the right one and it is moving in the right direction. Serp belt is DEF on right so its not that. Aux fan works when it is unplugged, but it wont come on when plugged in due to the sensor not receiving the hot fluid flow into the thermostat housing. But even if I start from a cold start, and have the Aux fan on the whole time (with it unplugged so it works) it still overheats.
Could there be some kind of other restriction preventing the coolant from either reaching the thermostat or preventing enough flow through it? Ive pawed around past the thermostat as much as I can, but could there be a restriction deeper in the engine block?
I have had all the freeze plugs replaced professionally. But now I wonder if an old freeze plug got pushed in and is causing restriction. Ive spoke with a few mechanics about that idea, but they all stated that it wouldn't restrict enough flow to cause a problem.
So, if it is indeed a fluid flow problem (which it might not be) and the thermostat is working then what could be causing that restriction?
#3
Seasoned Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Garden Prairie
Posts: 281
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 2000, (1957 Willys)
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Belt routing. If you have your belt routing wrong you will be spinning the pump the wrong way. Double check that.
Air in the system is another cause of over heating. Have you burped it well?
Just a couple of the odd ball things we have seen go wrong with the XJ cooling.
As an aside, have you confirmed that you're actually getting that hot? Could it be that it's just a bad sensor? Better to err on the side of caution and shut down, but it's a thought.
Air in the system is another cause of over heating. Have you burped it well?
Just a couple of the odd ball things we have seen go wrong with the XJ cooling.
As an aside, have you confirmed that you're actually getting that hot? Could it be that it's just a bad sensor? Better to err on the side of caution and shut down, but it's a thought.
#4
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Model: Cherokee
aye
-Belt routing is def correct
-Def burped of air
-It does overheat with the heater on full blast.
-I have not tried it without the thermostat
Could the head gasket somehow cause a coolant flow restriction? At about 240F the top rad hose is not even hot, and can still grab with bare hand without problem
-Def burped of air
-It does overheat with the heater on full blast.
-I have not tried it without the thermostat
Could the head gasket somehow cause a coolant flow restriction? At about 240F the top rad hose is not even hot, and can still grab with bare hand without problem
#5
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 2,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: The venerable 4.0
If the head gasket was installed wrong it would cause this. Other then that the only time I've seen this was caused by a large air bubble.
#6
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Carlisle, PA
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Belt routing. If you have your belt routing wrong you will be spinning the pump the wrong way. Double check that.
Air in the system is another cause of over heating. Have you burped it well?
Just a couple of the odd ball things we have seen go wrong with the XJ cooling.
As an aside, have you confirmed that you're actually getting that hot? Could it be that it's just a bad sensor? Better to err on the side of caution and shut down, but it's a thought.
Air in the system is another cause of over heating. Have you burped it well?
Just a couple of the odd ball things we have seen go wrong with the XJ cooling.
As an aside, have you confirmed that you're actually getting that hot? Could it be that it's just a bad sensor? Better to err on the side of caution and shut down, but it's a thought.
Trending Topics
#8
CF Veteran
-Belt routing is def correct
-Def burped of air
-It does overheat with the heater on full blast.
-I have not tried it without the thermostat
Could the head gasket somehow cause a coolant flow restriction? At about 240F the top rad hose is not even hot, and can still grab with bare hand without problem
-Def burped of air
-It does overheat with the heater on full blast.
-I have not tried it without the thermostat
Could the head gasket somehow cause a coolant flow restriction? At about 240F the top rad hose is not even hot, and can still grab with bare hand without problem
#10
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 2,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: The venerable 4.0
Originally Posted by OttawaXJ
Thermostat. Its not flowing to the rad.
#12
Senior Member
He did say he replaced all the sensors, but that was my first thought too. You could always have a bad sensor or bad connection. If youve replaced everything and done everything youve said honestly, there is either an air pocket in the coolant (which WILL burn a head gasket faster than anything) or you have a bad connection somewhere. If you didnt burp your coolant, youre going to have an air pocket and it WILL burn through the head gasket.
You burp it by turning the heat to high, forcing the coolant to cycle through the entire system pushing the air bubbles out all the while adding coolant to fill it to its max. It will push the air bubbles out and allow the system to suck in more coolant. I do it using a "Spill-Free" funnel. Its a MUST for doing your cooling system.
You burp it by turning the heat to high, forcing the coolant to cycle through the entire system pushing the air bubbles out all the while adding coolant to fill it to its max. It will push the air bubbles out and allow the system to suck in more coolant. I do it using a "Spill-Free" funnel. Its a MUST for doing your cooling system.
#13
CF Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: The Republic of TEXAS
Posts: 8,172
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes
on
14 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO
I believe a properly functioningt t-stat will open in air or liquid....tested one on the center rack of the oven, it opened in air just like it did when in a pan of water.
#14
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Salamanca NY
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 IL6
This may sound like over kill but knock out your freeze plugs and make sure that around the cylinders is clear, I think a new kit from summit is like $9, I actually have one that I would be willing to ship to you $9 plus shipping.
It was recommended when I swapped my head to do this, but I inspected around the cylinders and they were clear so i didn't punch mine out.
If its full of stop leak, or rust it wont cool properly of if its full enough not at all, no amount of water can keep it cool if water isn't getting to it.
It was recommended when I swapped my head to do this, but I inspected around the cylinders and they were clear so i didn't punch mine out.
If its full of stop leak, or rust it wont cool properly of if its full enough not at all, no amount of water can keep it cool if water isn't getting to it.
#15
Originally Posted by Johnny9Inches
This may sound like over kill but knock out your freeze plugs and make sure that around the cylinders is clear, I think a new kit from summit is like $9, I actually have one that I would be willing to ship to you $9 plus shipping.
It was recommended when I swapped my head to do this, but I inspected around the cylinders and they were clear so i didn't punch mine out.
If its full of stop leak, or rust it wont cool properly of if its full enough not at all, no amount of water can keep it cool if water isn't getting to it.
It was recommended when I swapped my head to do this, but I inspected around the cylinders and they were clear so i didn't punch mine out.
If its full of stop leak, or rust it wont cool properly of if its full enough not at all, no amount of water can keep it cool if water isn't getting to it.