He's so hot, he's boiling! Seriously though, help me!

[badkittystt]

So yesterday I'm driving around doing some light errands. Not much traffic, nothing out of the ordinary, and I stop to check my mail. While I'm searching for my mailbox key I hear an odd sound and my steering wheel is vibrating. I turn off the jeep and I get out and pop the hood, and this is what I see.

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Doesn't seem like a good sign, so I get back inside and turn to ignition on so I can get all the lights up and I don't get any engine lights but my temp gauge is maxxed out, an 11 on a scale of 1-10. So I turn it back off, leave the hood up, and continue searching for my mailbox key. I looked at the engine a little bit, didn't see any leaks or hoses dangling, spewing, or acting oddly. I also turned the jeep on for a second and the fan was turning.

After about 10 minutes I look and the reservoir has stopped boiling and it looks like the liquid (pretty ugly color, I'm thinking I might need to get my coolant flushed if that's something that exists) is right around the cool fill line. At that point I start a slow drive home. It's only about 10 minutes and not much uphill so I take it easy and keep an eye on the temp gauge. It starts at the halfway mark and slowly crept it's way up to about 3/4 of the way. At this point I'm almost home and getting tired of driving 30mph so I speed up and fly home at about 40. I realize that's not very fast but if you've ever driven somewhere like St. Thomas, you'll realize I was blazing. At this point the needle goes back down to just over half way and wiggles a little big, I figured from the increased airflow from going faster. When I got home I popped the hood so it could cool faster and didn't leave the house again until this morning.

So this morning I look at the reservoir and I realize that there is so much residue (brownish red color) that I can't see the level. But the boy didn't say anything when he left this morning so I figured it was a freak overheating and everything was fine. As I'm driving into town (all downhill, some traffic) I notice the temp gauge is just barely above half way and I realize I have no idea where it normally is, OOPS! So I don't know if it's overheating, and then the boy calls and says dont' forget to add water. Already been driving 10 minutes, oops again! So when I'm done downtown, about an hour and a half, I buy a gallon of water and add it. I had to go one more place then drive home and the level has been hovering right above halfway and I still can't see into the tank.

So.... after that very detailed and elaborate story, I have a few questions.
1. Where should the temp gauge be normally so I know if it's starting to over heat? I don't have a readout, just the needle.
2. Why is my stuff so dirty? Should I get a coolant flush? I'm thinking of bringing Mr. Darcy to the dealership to get the transmission fluid changed so maybe that would make sense?
3. Why did he overheat? I didn't see any hoses loose when I was waiting for him to cool down so I don't think anything is wrong. The fan was going, everything looked fine. Is this just a fluke? Should I look again for a leak? TELL ME WHAT TO DO!!!

Thanks! Look forward to my flood of responses

 

[badkittystt]

GAH! My youtube link doesn't seem to be working! I embed all the time, I don't know what's happening. If it doesn't start working I'll try again but you should at least be able to follow the link if you want to see it. Sorry!

 

[recoil44]

1) About straight up.
2) Is it oily? If you added a gallon but haven't notice any leaks me thinks head gasket. Are you seeing any white snotty stuff on the engine oil dipstick or the fill cap? White smoke out the exhaust after it's warmed up?
3) Air pocket from being too low and/or hot gasses & oil from a blown head gasket.

My guesses... more knowledgeable people will be along shortly.

 

[tjkj2002]

When was the last time the cooling system was serviced? The coolant from the factory is long life HOAT coolant that claims to be good for 5 years or 150,000 miles but in reality it's more like 3 years or 75,000 miles.If you have added any other coolant besides HOAT coolant that will cause issues in the long run,big one is eating the waterpump impeller as it is plastic.Those "universal" and "all makes/model" coolants are OAT coolants(AKA Dexacool) which will eat that waterpump impeller in about 20,000-30,000 miles(or make it soft where it comes off the shaft).And yes there is a such thing as a coolant flush and most shops have the correct machine but the incorrect coolant.Any Chrysler dealer or Ford dealer can do your coolant flush and it will be the correct HOAT coolant,or if you can find Zerex GO5 coolant(made by Valvoline) down there that is also the correct coolant.


1st I would pressure test the system and cap,if no leaks are found and the cap is good I would then do a block test to check for comustable gasses in the coolant.If it fails the block test it's time to tear the heads off as you have a cracked head or bad head gasket.


The temp gauge in a KJ is a dummy gauge.At the 12 o'clock spot your coolant is between 178 degrees and 229 degrees.At 3/4 spot your coolant is between 230 degrees and 259 degrees,at at the red zone your coolant is over 260 degrees.

 

[badkittystt]

I haven't noticed any more leaks, but I'll check the driveway next time I go outside. If it were the head gasket wouldn't I notice it in the driving? I feel like that's what happend to my Sportage a few years ago (don't bash me for owning a kia, it was the worst mistake I've ever made) and it was immediately undriveable.

Unfortunately since Mr. Darcy was a rental I don't have any maintenance records. I asked when I bought him but the owner said they didn't keep the records, they just fix things if they went wrong.

I think I'll definitely take him into the dealership, it's a Jeep/Chrysler/Kia/Chevy dealership so they should have all the right stuff. I'll have them do a coolant flush and the ****** change. I don't know what the tests you're talking about are, are those things I can easily do at home?

Thanks for the help, all suggestions and input are welcomed!

 

[tjkj2002]

I haven't noticed any more leaks, but I'll check the driveway next time I go outside. If it were the head gasket wouldn't I notice it in the driving? I feel like that's what happend to my Sportage a few years ago (don't bash me for owning a kia, it was the worst mistake I've ever made) and it was immediately undriveable.

Unfortunately since Mr. Darcy was a rental I don't have any maintenance records. I asked when I bought him but the owner said they didn't keep the records, they just fix things if they went wrong.

I think I'll definitely take him into the dealership, it's a Jeep/Chrysler/Kia/Chevy dealership so they should have all the right stuff. I'll have them do a coolant flush and the ****** change. I don't know what the tests you're talking about are, are those things I can easily do at home?

Thanks for the help, all suggestions and input are welcomed!

Taking to a dealer that services different brands make sure they are using the correct fluids,HOAT coolant in the cooling system and ATF+4 in the trans.

You can have a bad headgasket or cracked head and still drive,and sometimes drive real well besides the overheating.Those 2 tests I mentioned are easy to do anywhere if you have the tools.A decent cooling system pressure tester runs about $50-$100 and a block test kit generally runs about $50.Both tests the dealership can do also,though they may use a very expensive gas detector instead of the block test(does the same job).

 

[diyman]

FWIW.....

Before You commit suicide..... check fan relays in the engine's fuse box. I assume Mr.Darcy
has got no fan clutch, so he'll probably rely on just the electric fan.
A friend's WK had a similar issue and it turned out to be a #@~€ing fan's low speed relay...

Hope this is Your case! Anyway follow tjkj's advices and don't gamble with engine temps!

PS: I'll insist over and over again - a scan tool is Your best friend, get one ! -

 

[badkittystt]

I have a scan tool! But there are no engine codes, what will it tell me?

 

[diyman]

It's not about codes, just use the ability to read live data from sensors, i.e. ECT temperature,
that's what You're looking for...
As tjkj said, vehicle's temp gauge isn't all that accurate. By means of my scan tool I was able
to spot friend's WK problem, in fact needle was just above center but real temp was 230...

 

[first&lastKJ]

How many miles are on your Jeep.

 

[badkittystt]

Mr. Darcy is at about 38,000 right now. We drove alright all day today, never went over the half way mark after adding water. I'm hoping to put the reader on but apparently it's been lent out so I have to wait.


---
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[OneOneNiner]

I think Mr. Darcy knows that the only time you post is when he acts up.
Mr. Darcy craves attention.:badger_1:




I miss Tickles.
My daily routine when me and my cousin stayed with his uncle on W.I.
1) Get waisted on "The best house margaritas alive".
2) Ferry back to W.I.
3) Spliff.
4) Grab the gear and snorkel till it got dark. Then go get the dive lights.:ehcapt:

Ahhh....the good ole' days.
http://www.ticklesdocksidepub.com/

 

[LibertyTC]

Since the coolant reservoir is pressurized and your HOAT level mark needs to be seen, it is important to be able to see "clearly" through it. I would recommend that the reservoir be removed & an attempt in cleaning the inside or replace with a new tank/cap.
Definitely a pressure test including cap should be completed before a flush by dealer machine.
My Hoat was 5 years old with only 38k and the dealer flushed the aging dirty coolant!
Based on the clarity of the new Hoat, I agree with Troy flush the coolant every 3 years!