Overheating 2003 liberty

[speedgeek]

I just signed up today.
I just bought a Jeep. It has overheating issues. Puttering around the neighborhood it does fine. Only at highway speeds does it happen.There is warm air coming out the heater vents,but it isn't hot. Right before the temp starts climbing cool air is coming out the vents, and the top hose to the radiator is just barely warm after it starts blowing steam.

Here is what I do know. Thermostat is new and good. I tested it even though i just bought it to be sure.
radiator is new, Water pump looks good, It has a metal impeller and everything is rock solid on it.

It had the wrong coolant in it and there is red sludge behind everything I remove. My suspicion is that all the passage ways through the block are clogged. There is a bit of flow so I get a bit of heat and at low speeds it is not a problem. But on the highway the flow is so restricted it can't remove the heat fast enough. That is what i think anyway.

I am going to try a driveway flush and then maybe take it to get a power flush.

Am I on the right track? Has anyone else dealt with this?
Any tips or tricks on a driveway flush?

 

[streetglideok]

Do an engine block test. You don't know how long the problem existed before you bought it. There is a good possibility that the headgaskets could be blown, or a cracked head. Make sure your radiator fan does work, though it won't cause an overheat going down the road(common failure). Also, a handy tip to keep in mind in the future, most respectable repair shops do pre-purchase inspections, and may have been able to alert you of any issues before you bought it. Kinda wish they had that for women someteimes lol

 

[speedgeek]

yep

I am going to pressure test the cooling system tonight. A buddy has the kit.
I am starting to think that the red sludge I found is some BS "engine rebuild in a can" garbage.

 

[streetglideok]

Pressure test isn't the same as a block test. Two different things. Most parts stores sell block testers. They test for the presence of carbon monoxide, a byproduct of combustion in the cooling system.

 

[speedgeek]

Thanks, I didn't know about that. I gotta get one.
Its a must have for used car shopping.

 

[speedgeek]

Well it was the head gasket after all. Root cause was some ******* who was too lazy or cheap to go buy an $8 gasket used a bunch of gasket in a tube. well it splooged out, got shredded in the water pump and sent through the system clogging everything up. This is most likely what caused the head gasket to blow.

I wish I would have seen it before I bought it. When I see this stuff on a car I am thinking of buying I always walk away because it tells me a hack has been working on it.

This is when I first took the water pump off a few weeks ago, there was even more still attached to the pump.

 

[tommudd]

makes you wonder what else they did on " their repairs"
what kind of antifreeze they used,
what kind of spark plugs.....everything p:

 

[speedgeek]

And if you have not seen this, watch it
Rockwelll transmission incabulator - YouTube

 

[Leeann]

Good god. And, last time I checked, water pumps come with gaskets....

 

[yellocoyote]

They still do.

 

[CactusJacked]

Good god. And, last time I checked, water pumps come with gaskets....

They do, but you still want to put a thin coating of RTV on both surfaces just in case there are any irregularities. Not glob it on like that. Daughters boyfriend replaced the water pump on her Jeep (without consulting me). He swears he cleaned the block real well, but put the gasket on dry. Yep, the damn thing weeps a little bit. "Did he use RTV on the gasket" was the first thing I asked after the inspection. Ummmmm....nope. "Damn amateurs", said I.

 

[tjkj2002]

They do, but you still want to put a thin coating of RTV on both surfaces just in case there are any irregularities. Not glob it on like that. Daughters boyfriend replaced the water pump on her Jeep (without consulting me). He swears he cleaned the block real well, but put the gasket on dry. Yep, the damn thing weeps a little bit. "Did he use RTV on the gasket" was the first thing I asked after the inspection. Ummmmm....nope. "Damn amateurs", said I.

The 3.7/4.7/5.7 uses a o-ring style "gasket" for the water pump,no RTV required and should not be used at all since it can deform the o-ring causing leaks.


This the 3.7/4.7 water pump "gasket".

You must be registered for see images

 

[streetglideok]

Yep, with the 3.7/4.7, as long as you clean and prep the mating surface, no RTV is needed. Now if it is pitted or some idiot got stupid with a 3M pad, then that is different.

 

[streetglideok]

Well it was the head gasket after all. Root cause was some ******* who was too lazy or cheap to go buy an $8 gasket used a bunch of gasket in a tube. well it splooged out, got shredded in the water pump and sent through the system clogging everything up. This is most likely what caused the head gasket to blow.

I wish I would have seen it before I bought it. When I see this stuff on a car I am thinking of buying I always walk away because it tells me a hack has been working on it.

This is when I first took the water pump off a few weeks ago, there was even more still attached to the pump.

Remember what I said, pre-purchase inspection....lol

 

[CactusJacked]

Then quit calling it a gasket and trying to throw people off dammit!!! lol
It's an o-ring seal, NOT a gasket. Yes, that's different.

 

[Leeann]

They do, but you still want to put a thin coating of RTV on both surfaces just in case there are any irregularities.

I always put a thin coating on both sides of an actual gasket. I don't on an o-ring

 

[CactusJacked]

I always put a thin coating on both sides of an actual gasket. I don't on an o-ring

Are we still talking about a water pump? :icon_mrgreen:

 

[Leeann]

Are we still talking about a water pump? :icon_mrgreen:

Ummmmmmm…..yeah, that's the ticket :signs8:

 

[speedgeek]

Remember what I said, pre-purchase inspection....lol

I am not sure a prepurchase inspection would have caught it. I drove it twice. once for an hour, second time for about 3 hours. Took it to my buddy's house who is a true gear head/mechanical engineer who has been tearing down engines and rehabbing cars since he was a kid. He is as good or better than any mechanic. I think I just got "lucky" and the crud clogging reached critical mass after the purchase.