First time poster with a 96 Jeep Cherokee Sport - had cracked head. Have replaced head and gasket, temp sending unit, radiator, radiator cap, thermostat, and water pump. Coolant system appears to be full and belt is tight. With thermostat in, temp gauge climbs slowly to red-line but upper radiator hose not even warm. Heater hose is hot, but no heat inside the cabin (suppose heater valve is stuck closed or no vacuum - not sure yet). With thermostat removed, upper radiator hose gets hot. What am I missing?

 

Thermostat installed backwards.

 

Is the spring in the lower radiator hose, or is it collapsing? Did you burp the coolant?

I would say that the heater control valve could be the culprit for the heating of the cabin, but it is another issue with the top hose not being warm.

 

is that possible? i thought it only fit one correct side. i flipped the other way in but it doesn't want to be seated correctly in the t-stat housing.

 

the thermostat housing won't even close if the thermostat is installed in the wrong direction. the side with the spring is the side that goes into the head.

your problem is most likely just an airbubble. take off the radiator cap and squeeze the upper hose and some bubbles should come out and the fluid level at the cap should dip.

add radiator fluid until it seems full, then with the cap still off, start the engine with the heater turned on full blast and see if the fluid level still drops in the cap, add fluid until it won't accept any more.

You did inspect your water pump when you installed the new head right? all the impellers were still intact and in good shape?

 

Do yourself a favour and get an OEM Mopar thermostat. Install it correctly, burp your system thoroughly ( but I think the 96 is self burping anyway) and you will have a good chance that that upper rad hose will be hot again...

 

I gave up awhile on the Jeep problem I originally posted in November. I've tried everything y'all posted and still no circulation. I've taken out the heater control valve and inserted water hose t-connects and pushed water through the system and still nothing. Question - my water pump turns counter-clockwise when viewing from the front bumper. Are there clockwise and counter clockwise turning water pumps for this model? If so, I've not been able to find one.

 

CCW looks cool from this diagram


Is the engine a victim of any type of "stop leak"?

 

Yes there are, and you need a so-called 'reverse rotation' wp.

 

My serpentine belt routing is different than the one above. Idler is on the right just below the power steering belt. I don't know if motor has ever had stop leak - we never have used it on our vehicles or the Jeep which we've had a short time. I left a message with a Jeep Chrysler dealership. Hopefully they can find a reverse rotation water pump. Only other issue is whether lower hose is collapsing. Didn't appear to be, but possible I didn't notice. Hose has no spring, so I'll will replace with a hose that has a spring. Thanks, Turbo/Roler.

 

The one shown above is for newer XJs. My 2000 XJ looks like that.

 

Make sure you have the correct wp. I'd be curious to hear if the lower radiator hose with spring will solve the issue....there are different views on the need for the spring. You'd be a good candidate to share your experience once you changed your current hose for one with a spring..

 

This should be the "newer" one

 

"Newer" and "older" is relative. I don't perceive that I have a newer XJ but my "93 routing is the same as the first diagram. As long as we are into it, it would probably help for someone to give the actual years for the various routings.

Water pumps driven by serpentine belts are reverse rotation because they are driven by the back side of the belt.

 

Trust me, you have a reverse rotation wp. Now get one.