Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online! Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online!
Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online! 
-
Latest | 0 Rplys
Go Back   Automotive Forums .com Car Chat > Jeep > Cherokee
Reply Show Printable Version Show Printable Version | Email this Page Email this Page | Subscription Subscribe to this Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 09-11-2010, 06:40 PM   #1
wkumale
AF Newbie
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: clarksville, Tennessee
Posts: 54
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

my 99 jeep has the 4.0 and is 4wd....If that matters. I bought it and hadto replace both radiator hoses die to small pin size holes. I installed myself and though ok its fixed. I bough a cheap flush kit from walmart and flushed it forward and backwards. It had a rusty color to it. I filled it back up with water from my faucet and drove it for about 3 months. I just learned i should had used distilled water. Ok i got home and i smelled something burning. I popped the hood and the valve cover had oil coming out the side and i heard a bioling sound???? I never had a valve cover leak before. I turned the key back on to check the temp and it was at the mark right passed the 220. I just recently got an ac leak and so the ac has not been running. I was told this may have something to do with it runnign hot... Anyways. I went to flush it agian and noticed that the splice in the heater hose (where you flush it from) was bone dry???? I then flushed the system to cool it down. The boiling sound was coming from around the thermostat. After i got it cool. I filled up with water and tried to turn the heat on the see if the water was going into the hose that was dry earlier. the heater was not blowing out hot air. It was like outside air. So i called a buddy he said the thermostat was stuck closed???? i never ehard of that but i trust his judgement so i repleaced the thermostat for 7 bucks and its still getting hot.??????? I am not worried about the vavle cover gasket that much i just want to get this cooled off so i can drive it... ANY suggestions would be great. I am a novice mechanic so tlak to me as if you were explaning it to your 12 year old son.... haha kidding. Anyways Could this be a heater core problem? I flushed it also and it seemed fine? Could i have air in the system from not flushing it right or somehting? if so would air do this? Could this be water pump issues?? These are probably stupid questions but i am trying to figure this out... please help.....
I love my jeep!!!!!!!!!
__________________
TJ
1994 Ford Ranger 4x4 4.0
wkumale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2010, 08:13 PM   #2
fredjacksonsan
Caution: Monkeys bite!
 
fredjacksonsan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: near Denver, Colorado
Posts: 10,109
Thanks: 14
Thanked 67 Times in 62 Posts
Send a message via AIM to fredjacksonsan
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

First, "normal" water won't hurt anything in the short run. Distilled is best, but if you have a water softener or municipal system that's softened, it's pretty close. Where you run into trouble are with waters having a high mineral content.

How many miles? and are you using any coolant? If so, how much and how often?

The reason I ask [and from your description] is that the '99 model 4.0 used an inferior head casting, which cracks at about the 90k mark, if not before. This head (the part just under the valve cover) is labeled "0331" on the driver's side of the engine, behind all the intake and exhaust.

If you have the 0331 head, and are above 90k, are losing coolant and can't find the leak, you've probably got the hairline cracks that allow coolant to escape when it gets hot. The head will need to be replaced; I'd also change your oil every 2k until you get the new head, as coolant in your oil will wear the engine much faster.
__________________
Ours: 2020 Jeep Wrangler 2.0, 53k
2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 84k
Kids: 2005 Honda CRV, 228k
fredjacksonsan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2010, 08:29 PM   #3
wkumale
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: clarksville, Tennessee
Posts: 54
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

First of all THANKS For replying. It has about 150,000 miles on it. I don't think i am loosing any coolant and I believe the head is fine. It had smoke coming from the valve cover, I believe the head to be ok. Again i am not a professional mechanic. I have been running straight water until i get the heating issue resolved. I was going to put antifreeze in it when the temp drops but its still 95-100 here so i wasn't going to put it in yet. I just went out side a few min ago and its about 70 degrees and the jeep will idle fine. the temp get a little over the 210 marker but it does not overheat. I ran it with the rad cap off b/c i heard this would burp the system if there were any air in it. Then i filled it back up with water because some came out..... I still have no heat though. I am not sure if the heat worked before all started or not. But i think it has something to do with it. What do you think? whats my next step?
__________________
TJ
1994 Ford Ranger 4x4 4.0
wkumale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2010, 08:58 PM   #4
wkumale
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: clarksville, Tennessee
Posts: 54
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

ok today i tried to do a test drive after i installed a new thermost. It overheated, light came on and everything. It was just runnign a little hot then teh guage all of a sudden went completely over to the red. I turned the motor off and parked it. While i inspected it i notice as i was under the hood facing the motor that the right side of the radiator (by the cap) was just warm NOT hot as well as the lower radiator hose on that same side. HOWEVER the other side (left as facing it) was VERY HOT!!!!!! as well as the heater lines on that side. Does this mean water pump??? I was thinking water pump or blockage? But i just flushed it? The water pump does NOT leak and it does not have any wiggle in it... Can a pump go bad and not leak?? PLEASE ADVISE???????

If I am going to replace the water pump i will go with a high flow one? Any suggestions of a good one?????????
THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!!!!
TJ
__________________
TJ
1994 Ford Ranger 4x4 4.0
wkumale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2010, 09:29 PM   #5
fredjacksonsan
Caution: Monkeys bite!
 
fredjacksonsan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: near Denver, Colorado
Posts: 10,109
Thanks: 14
Thanked 67 Times in 62 Posts
Send a message via AIM to fredjacksonsan
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

No or low flow would indicate either water pump or radiator, or both. If your radiator has some buildup, it could restrict flow enough to cause overheating (I've seen numerous posts here exactly like that). Water pump failure would do it also.
__________________
Ours: 2020 Jeep Wrangler 2.0, 53k
2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 84k
Kids: 2005 Honda CRV, 228k
fredjacksonsan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2010, 10:10 PM   #6
wkumale
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: clarksville, Tennessee
Posts: 54
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

ok, well i think the radiator is flowing well so i will try a new water pump? Do you suggest a high flow water pump or OEM????
__________________
TJ
1994 Ford Ranger 4x4 4.0
wkumale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2010, 06:42 AM   #7
fredjacksonsan
Caution: Monkeys bite!
 
fredjacksonsan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: near Denver, Colorado
Posts: 10,109
Thanks: 14
Thanked 67 Times in 62 Posts
Send a message via AIM to fredjacksonsan
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

Quote:
Originally Posted by wkumale View Post
ok, well i think the radiator is flowing well so i will try a new water pump? Do you suggest a high flow water pump or OEM????


I'm thinking that at 10 years old, with 150K on it, your radiator has got enough stuff built up inside to reduce flow and cause overheating. You said the water was rusty colored, so that would indicate to me a dirty system. In your case, I'd replace the radiator first. If the rest of your cooling system is in good shape, then an OEM pump should be fine; and if the system is flowing the water pump is working anyway.

The smoke you saw coming from the valve cover is more worrying... I forget, does your model have a PCV valve on top of the valve cover? What part of the valve cover was smoke coming out of? If it was from under the edge, you may need a new valve cover gasket when all is said and done.
__________________
Ours: 2020 Jeep Wrangler 2.0, 53k
2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 84k
Kids: 2005 Honda CRV, 228k
fredjacksonsan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2010, 08:31 AM   #8
wkumale
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: clarksville, Tennessee
Posts: 54
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

I only saw the wmoke once and it came from the middle right side, as your looking at it under the hood. I am pretty sure it is just a gasket.

As for the radiator, I have flushed it about 5 times now and it seemed to flow pretty well. I am getting a water pump and will put it on thursday and i should be able to tell quickly if it heats up again. If i need to I can put a radiator on. The radiator is about 100 bucks so its not bad. Anyways hey thanks for helping me. I will update you thursday night or friday morning.

TJ
__________________
TJ
1994 Ford Ranger 4x4 4.0
wkumale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2010, 08:44 AM   #9
fredjacksonsan
Caution: Monkeys bite!
 
fredjacksonsan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: near Denver, Colorado
Posts: 10,109
Thanks: 14
Thanked 67 Times in 62 Posts
Send a message via AIM to fredjacksonsan
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

Quote:
Originally Posted by wkumale View Post
I only saw the wmoke once and it came from the middle right side, as your looking at it under the hood. I am pretty sure it is just a gasket.

As for the radiator, I have flushed it about 5 times now and it seemed to flow pretty well. I am getting a water pump and will put it on thursday and i should be able to tell quickly if it heats up again. If i need to I can put a radiator on. The radiator is about 100 bucks so its not bad. Anyways hey thanks for helping me. I will update you thursday night or friday morning.

TJ
Yeah, 1-time smoke is likely a gasket.

Reason I said radiator is that there's been several people on here with cooling issues, everything else was fine but their radiator, though flowing, didn't have enough cooling capacity to do the job in the summer (they were fine in winter).

Be interested to see the results with the new water pump though.
__________________
Ours: 2020 Jeep Wrangler 2.0, 53k
2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 84k
Kids: 2005 Honda CRV, 228k
fredjacksonsan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2010, 10:11 PM   #10
wkumale
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: clarksville, Tennessee
Posts: 54
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

I think I found my problem!!!!!!! Look at this water pump.. The fins are gone??? What could have happened? They are sharp as a knife.. Seriously... You see pic on the far right ITS A NEW PUMP? It has fins that scoop the water and move it.. Mine doesnt have them.. I dont know what happened.....

I am pretty sure this will fix my problem.... BUT what caused it? Thats what i am more worried about now.

Anways, I am installing it thursday and i will report back to let you know if this totally fixed it.. Although i am sure it will.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Waterpump Old.JPG (82.8 KB, 10 views)
File Type: jpg Waterpump Old2.JPG (90.4 KB, 8 views)
File Type: jpg Waterpump NEW.jpg (27.9 KB, 5 views)
__________________
TJ
1994 Ford Ranger 4x4 4.0
wkumale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2010, 07:38 AM   #11
wrightz28
is bring'n sexy back
 
wrightz28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Crookfield, Illinois
Posts: 7,986
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

Wow, that's wild.
wrightz28 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2010, 09:05 AM   #12
fredjacksonsan
Caution: Monkeys bite!
 
fredjacksonsan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: near Denver, Colorado
Posts: 10,109
Thanks: 14
Thanked 67 Times in 62 Posts
Send a message via AIM to fredjacksonsan
Re: 1999 cherokee 4.0 running hot....sorta

Holy crapski!! I haven't seen a water pump that badly corroded ever. Make sure when you refill the system that you use antifreeze at 50/50 and distilled water. And you might want to consider replacing the radiator also -- it's been circulating the same water your pump has.
__________________
Ours: 2020 Jeep Wrangler 2.0, 53k
2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 84k
Kids: 2005 Honda CRV, 228k
fredjacksonsan is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD


Tags
hot , overheating , radiator , thermostat , water
Go Back   Automotive Forums .com Car Chat > Jeep > Cherokee

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:46 AM.

Community Participation Guidelines | How to use your User Control Panel

Powered by: vBulletin | Copyright Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
 
 
no new posts