99 Wrangler Overheating

[BLAZERBOY69]

I HAVE A 99 WRANGLER WITH THE 4.0 INLINE 6 ENGINE. I LOVE MY JEEP, BUT IF THE OUTSIDE TEMP IS EVER ABOVE 60 DEGREES, IT STARTS TO OVER HEAT. I HAVE REPLACED THE TSTAT, PUT A NEW SERPENTINGE BELT ON, MY NEXT STEP IS EITHER THE WATER PUMP OR THE RADIATOR. COOLANT IS A LOVELY LIME GREEN, NO DIRT SPECKS OR CLUMPS, AND I JUST HAD IT FLUSHED LAST MONTH. ON THE RADIATOR, THE DRAIN SPIGOT IS PARTIALLY OPEN, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PLASTIC @#$! BLEW OUT LAST YEAR AND IT BROKE WHEN I WENT TO GO PUT IT BACK IN.ANY HELP YOU GUYS COULD GIVE WOULD BE HELPFUL. i want to go jeeping this year, but i can't with this cooling prob

[tomvid]

How hot are we talking?

[gtmud]

Over heating? First to rule out your W/pump, look from the bottom of the engine at the w.pump pulley. Do you see traces of fluid leaking from the pump area down the lower hose? If not then your W/pump is good. CHeck you radiator, if its the aluminum style with the crimp tanks, check for leakage. IF your T-stat is god and there is no leakage from the W/pump, I would have to say you probably have a restricted Rad. If so upgrade to the heavy duty cooling, if offered, I did to my 4 cyl. wrangler and no problems!

[BLAZERBOY69]

Originally Posted by tomvid

How hot are we talking?

GETS UP TO NORMAL OPERATING TEMP, THEN KEEPS GOING. AS STATED IN MY PREVIOUS POST, I HAVE BLOWN THE DRAIN COCK OUT ONCE

[gtmud]

Sounds like your not getting all the air out. Pull your upper hose and your heater hose off the T-stat housing. Pour your antifreeze and water mix in to the upper rad hose till you see fluid coming out of the by pass fitting on the T-stat housing. Reconnect your hoses and replace you rad cap, it should release at 13-15 psi.

[gtmud]

If your drain cock blew out, and there is no way to stop it from leaking then I would say o replace your rad and bleed out the air and you should be ok.Not to sound dumb, but when you installed the t-stat, the pointy end was facing out towards the radiator right?

[BLAZERBOY69]

Originally Posted by gtmud

If your drain cock blew out, and there is no way to stop it from leaking then I would say o replace your rad and bleed out the air and you should be ok.Not to sound dumb, but when you installed the t-stat, the pointy end was facing out towards the radiator right?

IT MADE IT THROUGH THE WHOLE(I HOPE) WINTER WITHOUT AN OVERHEAT, AND I'VE WORKED ON CARS SINCE I WAS THIRTEEN, SO I KNOW HOW TO REPLACE A TSTAT. I'M GOING TO REPLACE THE RAD, BUT LACK THE FUNDS AT THIS TIME FOR IT. I WILL TRY YOUR RAD HOSE TRICK TO SEE IF THAT GETS TH BUBBLE OUT. AND THE DRAINCOCK DID BLOW OUT, BUT AS I WAS PUTTING IT BACK IN, THE FERSHLUGGIN PLASTIC PIECE OF POOP BOKE ON ME AT THE HALF WAY POINT. I PUT SOME SEALANT ON IT (INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH SEALANT, NORMALLY USED ON PIZZA OVENS) AND IT DOESNT SEEM TO BE HELPING. I WILL SAVE UP FOR THE RAD AND REPLACE.

[memory1988]

i have a 97 wrangler and had the same kind of prob. i replaced the water pump, thermastat, an the rad. it stoped the prob. i think the water pump was the prob. i always had to much pressure and it ended up blowing the plactic cap on my rad. i got a new all metal one for about $150 from a place i found in a phonebook that sells to dealers. i think there out of ca.

[DAB77]

You dont need to replace the radiator because of a busted draincock. Draincocks thread into a plastic nut that snaps into the radiator tank. Remove the radiator from the wrangler, use needle nose pliers or a couple of small screwdrivers to pop out the plastic nut. The new draincock comes with the nut attached. Leave the nut on the dc and snap into the radiator.
If you are building so much pressure that the dc blows out I would be looking at the pressure cap and cooling fans.

[DAB77]

A little hint on cooling system problems. If the vehicle cools down at highway speed then heats up when you come to a stop it is an air flow problem. If it is cool at low speeds and at stops but heats up on the highway it is a coolant flow problem.

[BLAZERBOY69]

Replaced The Rad, (it Needed It) And Got A Facefull Of Leaves When I Pulled It Out Too!! Serves Me Right For Lying Under The Jeep, Using My Fingers To Plug The Trans Cooler Lines.

Got The New Rad In (all Aluminum) And Cleaned Out All The Debris Stuck Between The Two Rads, And Now Drives Like A Beaut!! Now All I Gotta Do Is Worry About The Darn Death Wobble, But I Think If I Repack The Wheel Bearings It Should Be Ok. Noe Of The Ball Joints Are Bad, And There Is No Side To Side Play When The Car Is Jacked Up, So .... Any Ideas???