Jeep Question

[Kittamaru]

1999 Jeep Cherokee... overheating to the point of burning off coolant from overpressure.

 

I can't feel any heat getting thru the block, and I don't see any coolant on the "outlet" side of the radiator, nor do I see any coolant flow when the cap is off.

 

Possibilities?

 

Air Bubble in system 0 apparently the 99 cherokee's don't have a weep valve... doh.

Bad Water Pump

Blocked radiator

Stuck T-Stat

 

Any suggestions? I'm looking at replacing the T-stat today or tomorrow for him... but if coolant is leaking out the inlet of the radiator I'm worried something may have already been damaged...

[Kittamaru]

C'mon... anyone able to give a certainty on this one before I go ahead and do the T-Stat?

[unccpathfinder]

well if the tstat isnt opening then it wont circulate...start there...esp if there is no "heat"

[Kittamaru]

*nods* That was my thought, just wanted to confirm it with someone more mechanically knowledgeable than myself

 

Once we replace that I'll check back if it doesn't fix the problem - I'd assume then I'm looking at a bubble, blockage, or water pump, right?

[unccpathfinder]

yea...now I just had a thought...I doubt its the water pump...it will turn pretty much no matter what but would be making a lot of noise and leaking through the weep hole unless the belt that drives the WP broke

[Kittamaru]

That's good news - so I'll have to get the t-stat and do that for him today - it shouldn't be difficult... anything out of the ordinary I need to knwo about?

[Precise1]

Not that I know of, but I've never worked on one of those.

 

Just make sure not to put in the T-stat backwards (is possible with some cars) and clean the gasket surfaces well and use a good rtv type sealant.

 

B

[Kittamaru]

Interestingly enough, I chickened out and had a place look at it- they proudly proclaimed cracked radiator and gave us a $500 estimate...

 

I told them to go get touched gently somewhere special and decided to check for air pockets - wouldn't ya know it, when I topped off the radiator directly, air came bubbling out... so far it's run fine all day without overheating...

 

*shakes head at his own stupidity*

[Kittamaru]

Okay, get this - it IS leaking coolant... but only seems to do so after half an hour to 45 minutes of driving... an even then, only when it's at idle...

 

wtf...

 

Meh... strangeness... it's why I love my pathfinder *hugs sheila*

[87pathy]

probably plugged rad, and after getting it warm pressure builds and starts to push coolant out the weekest point

[Kittamaru]

Can't be plugged anymore - the thing stays cool perfectly fine...

 

I don't know what to make of it... I'm thinking air pocket as they were trying to fill it via the reservoir, and I filled it via the radiator cap... which pushed out a LOT of air. It still leaks... but it isn't overheating now and as long as they keep it full of coolant is should be good in the short term till they cna get it fixed, right?