Overheating after replacing parts

anthonyrlocke

anthonyrlocke

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My Jeep does the same thing. Heats up to 3/4 on slow speeds and drops to 50% on highway or sitting still. Replaced the thermostat. Ordered a burping kit from Amazon. Will raise the front and burp it when I get the kit and post the results. And yes it gurgles a water sound in the dash with heat on. No hot air. Also, once when I was watching the system the radiator hose coming back to the radiator was collapsed and flat. Really weird.

2014 Jeep Wrangler Sahara.jpg


2014 Jeep Wrangler Sahara.jpg
 
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anthonyrlocke said:
My Jeep does the same thing. Heats up to 3/4 on slow speeds and drops to 50% on highway or sitting still. Replaced the thermostat. Ordered a burping kit from Amazon. Will raise the front and burp it when I get the kit and post the results. And yes it gurgles a water sound in the dash with heat on. No hot air. Also, once when I was watching the system the radiator hose coming back to the radiator was collapsed and flat. Really weird.

View attachment 123725

View attachment 123726
Click to expand...

First thing just raise the front up with the engine idling and cap off.
 
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What is said above.

What year and milage? Was the coolant level okay before you replaced the t-stat? What is the coolant level in the reservoir?
 
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These funnels and stuff.... ugh... they just take money from people.

Okay, first things first.
1. With a cold engine, have someone start the Jeep while you wrap your hand around the upper radiator hose. If you immediately feel coolant flow thru the upper hose upon start, your t-stat is stuck open and needs to be replaced.
2. If you do not feel coolant flow, wait until you do feel it and note where the temp gauge is when it begins flowing.
3. After the engine cools, lift the front end 4-6" higher than the rear and remove the radiator cap. Cold start the engine and begin adding coolant a little bit at a time, taking a few minutes between to allow the system to burp the air out the radiator top.
4. Once the air is burped out the coolant level needs to be just below the cap. Put the cap back on and fill the coolant reservoir to the appropriate level.

What you should see if this works is a steady temp gauge.
 
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Hey guys. I promised to give an update as it rewards the good ideas of people who helped me figure out my JK.

I used the funnel kit from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I40ZQWE/?tag=jkforum-20
I put the front end about 12 inches high with a floor jack. I ran it and watched it. Did nothing for the first ten minutes or so. I went inside for a snack. Came out and the fluid in the funnel was boiling. Jumping. Was all over the front of the car. It was crazy. I added fluid and it calmed down. Maybe made the thermostat close? Then I turned the car off. Immediately the fluid drained into the radiator. All of it. Fast. So I went and grabbed another gallon and started pouring. Poured in a whole gallon.

Then I waited about an hour and tried it again. Same thing. Not much until the thermostat opened then the fluid went crazy. Lots of air. Lots. So I was ready. Poured fluid into the funnel. Everything calmed down and the fluid had a very occasional bubble. Then when the thermostat opened it went like lava from a volcano. So I turned the car off. Poured extra fluid in the funnel and sucked in about half of the extra.

So then I had a funnel with hot fluid and had to take it off. Went everywhere. My wife helped me try and get it into a container. Total disaster. Hilarious.

Then I took the car for a drive. The gurgling in the dash was gone. The thermostat never went over straight up. Heat was working again.

And the strangest thing, the fifth cylinder stopped backfiring. I wasn't able to get emissions on the car and renew the tag since the engine light was on with the back fire. Now it runs great. My son returned our family suburban and he took the Jeep back to college.

So, what in the hell is going on?

My best guess: there is a head leak from cylinder 5 into the radiator fluid and somehow these things are all related. I am not a mechanic. Not even a weekend warrior mechanic. I was an Army Chaplain for the 187ORD Battalion at Fort Jackson where real mechanics learned their trade. I never picked up a wrench to fake that we had something in common. Would love to know your opinion.

Anyone have an idea?
 
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That funnel is a little different than the one I use, but it works great for me. No mess and allows the coolant to go up and down some if needed.
 
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