LadyKenai

Hey cherokeeforum

we've been struggling with a cooling system for a while now but since 2 days ago i've decided to do it right, we already had a brand new water pump last summer and this summer a brandnew radiator with a new thermostat 195 and 50% antifreeze and 50% distiled water. Everything seems to work fine but since i've never had it this way i am just wondering this..

after a 45 minute highway drive i've checked under the hood for overheating, radiator is nice and warm (almost hot) thermostat is working aswell cause i've waited before this drive to let it idle for 15 minutes and kept my hand on the upper radiator hose and after it warmed up i felt the hot fluid starting to flow through this hose towards the radiator. So question is after this ride we stopped at home and i put my hand on the oil filter which i couldn't hold on there for more than 5 secs cause its hot also the value cover i cannot touch longer than 5 secs cause its so hot aswell. waiting for 5 minutes longer i can touch the oil filter cause it had cooled down but the value cover i cannot touch until at least 30 minutes after the jeep has parked atfter about 45 minutes i can touch the valve cover.

So just to verify this that my cooling system is working in proper order is this normal or am i still looking at a overheating?

since its a 1988 and it doesn't have a temperature gauge but just a light that turns on or off, am i looking at a good working cooling system now finally ?
[edit] the temperature light does not come on by the way and it is located at the very end of this whole cooling cycle at the radiator where the bottom hose connects.

thanks, Marc

Big David

I'll blame the valve cover temp on "heat rises".

The temp sensor is actually located on the head at the firewall on the drivers side. The sensor you describe is to actuate the e fan when the engine gets too hot or you turn the AC on.

The biggest issue I have had with cooling a Renix is air in the system.
I've heard is you park nose down & remove the temp sensor in the rear of the head the air will escape. I found this great tip AFTER I finally got the air out. Very frustrating.

LadyKenai

ok thanks Big David for your reply, i will look and locate the sensor and see how that goes.
so i wonder.. does your value cover stay hand warm ??

by the way i dont have an extra fan installed neither an air conditioner

Big David

I'm not 100 % sure but would guess so.

andrewmp6

Get a infrared thermometer and check the temp of your upper radiator hose after driving it a while.But also keep in mine a jeep has a cast iron engine and 210 degrees is there happy spot.We do get post like this and people swear their jeep is overheating and its only 200 degrees,For other cars 200 degrees is hot for a jeep the thermostat just opened.

XJRed96

Most of the heat in an engine is generated in the head, it would make sense that the valve cover retains a lot of it. If your gauge isn't tipping past 200-210 and you can verify that your gauge is accurate then there isn't anything to worry about. an infrared thermometer as mentioned is useful in verifying this.

Turbo X_J

OP
I should probably offer the suggestion that you not attempt to touch the fan when the engine is running nor the exhaust after the engine has been operating.

LadyKenai

alright, well thanks for the replies.. 'good' advice is hard to get and i know this for a fact someone telling me not to worry about the ticking noise in our other jeep the zj, saying the noise is just ticking values and now our zj is parked in the drive way with a blown engine. we need to play this safe this xj is the only vehicle we have to drive and we need to cherish it. we can afford small fixes but not a complete engine

[edit] i found the temperature sensor on the back of the head on the drivers side, i swear i've looked at this before but not knowing this was actually 'the' temperature sensor. i will give this a try as david mentioned and will let it know here if i notice any difference after.

LadyKenai

i also want to mention that without the cherokee forum and all the help the members have given to other really helped me out fixing a lot of the problems we've had and saved tons of money doing it ourself instead of the dealer.

thanks again this is an awesome forum and taught me a lot

Turbo X_J

Trying to analyze a "noise" over the interwebz can be pointless as you discovered. An internet forum is no substitute for a professionals eyes on diagnosis. As an aside valve/lifter noise does not change in volume, a connecting rod ready to let loose will increase in volume/frequency relative to the load placed on the engine.

Big David

The 4.0's are know to develop a valve tick. They probably just figured it was what you heard.

XJRed96

Also if the zj has a blown motor now you likely would have needed an engine or an engine rebuild in order to correct it anyway

LadyKenai

oh didnt mean to step on anyones toes but this wasnt doesnt over the internet actually 3 different mechanics had a look at it with the hood open engine running and they all told me the same thing, still they were off

LadyKenai

if i would known this was more serious than just not to worry about it i could of planned this ahead the situation to work on the zj with an engine swap is just not possible now but i did back in the day when i was asking around. but this tread was about my cooling system on the xj not the blown motor on the zj this is for a later project hopefully this winter if we have a good location to work on it.

LadyKenai

trying to analyse/verify an overheating problem doesnt refer to sticking your hand down a spinning fan nor touching an exhaust either