My name is Tayler, and I live in Austin, Texas. My father died recently and I ended up his 95 Jeep Cherokee. At first I was hesitant to take it. Then I drove it from Beeville to Austin and now all I want is to fix that beast up.
My daily ride is a little go cart with license plates, a Ford Fiesta. Say what you will, but 40 miles per gallon is perfect for my A to B. Well no surprise but it over heated and died on me which turned me into a YouTube Mechanic (being very generous here). Over the last few weeks I replaced the thermostat, housing, fan, belt, and coolant reservoir in that little ford. Which seemed way more difficult than it needed to be. I only managed to strip one eTrox bolt in the process but that was my fault for using the wrong tool. After looking under the hood of my Jeep my first impression was that it looked way easier to make those same repairs.
So this jeep has been running hot when in idle, or parked. Whenever I am driving it runs at perfect temperature. The gage is right in the middle, or only slightly over. My theory is that it needs a new thermostat. Easy enough since the its right on top (My other car required me to remove the alternator and belt just to get to the housing). I'm thinking that driving allows more fluid to be pushed through the thermostat to cool the engine. The other issues seem to be oil leaks in the usual places. I need to find out how to replace the seals since they are probably old.
So I am here to learn what I can, and get this thing running smoothly. Looking forward to the discussion!
Thermostat is probably fine if it's cooling fine at highway speeds. Low speed/idle overheating is typically caused by an airflow issue. My first guess would be the fan clutch, followed by a worn out or not working e-fan, or a busted up missing fan shroud around the clutch fan. Overheating at highway speeds is typically a waterflow issue, worn water pump, stuck thermostat, clogged radiator. Stuff like that.
Thermostat is probably fine if it's cooling fine at highway speeds. Low speed/idle overheating is typically caused by an airflow issue. My first guess would be the fan clutch, followed by a worn out or not working e-fan, or a busted up missing fan shroud around the clutch fan. Overheating at highway speeds is typically a waterflow issue, worn water pump, stuck thermostat, clogged radiator. Stuff like that.
I had seen that in the other forums. I will replace the thermostat since it's cheap and easy. I don't know how long that one has been in it anyway. I'll do the boil test for good measure also. I think it's getting slow to open.
I read that the fan clutch is a typical problem. Thanks for letting me know. I have yet to really spend some time under the hood and check what isn't working.
I got a small leak under the vehicle in the center. I definitely think I need to replace the transmission housing gasket and filter. Off the top of your head, is there anything else in that area I should check?
As in oil leak? I wouldn't waste your time with the transmission "filter", it's nothing more than a mesh screen, unless you're in there anyway there's no need to drop the pan just to replace the "filter". Unless the fluid you're seeing is red there's no guarantee it's a trans pan gasket leak anyway.
I think you'll be wasting your time/money/effort replacing the thermostat. If it was the issue you'd be having overheating issues at speed as well. But if it makes you feel better than do it I guess.
You'll need to get under the hood and under the Jeep and CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN, if you don't it'll be nearly impossible to find out what's leaking. Oil coming off of the trans pan could just as easily be engine oil from a leak up there.
If you decide to fire the parts shotgun at it start at the top of the engine and work your way down. Valve Cover gasket, they have a tendency to leak down the back and look very much like a rear main seal leak, then the oil filter adapter o-rings, then pan gasket/ rear main seal. I suggest Permadry gaskets for the valve cover and oil pan myself. They seal very well and don't typically require RTV of anykind. Mine was even leaking at the timing chain cover and front crank seal. I've got all my leaks knocked out at this point except for the oil galley side of the head gasket which is still leaking about 1 quart every 2500-3000 miles. Basically EVERY leak on the engine runs down towards the rear (the engine sits in the engine bay at a rearward angle) and looks like a rear main and also blows back onto the trans pan.
