Why is my 2014 Jeep Wrangler JK overheating?

U

upsidedownthinker

New Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2023
Messages
13
Location
North Carolina
Mystery overheating….
2014 JKU sport 180k
I am currently dealing with overheating every 2-3 days. I use orange dexcool, always have.

Monday the radiator is full. Orange dexcool. Operating temps 212-222 in city/highway. Thermostat opens at 208 every time. Fans come on at 222 and drop to 215. Reservoir is at MIN line.

Wednesday temps are 229-239 in city/highway driving both. Fans come on 222 and stay on and are in high gear by 230. Fans cool but can’t keep it cool.
Reservoir is full to the top with orange dexcool.
The coolant never returns to radiator.
Usually this is when I manually return coolant from reservoir and start the process all over.
Thursday same as Monday til Saturday when reservoir is full again and temps are climbing.

This Saturday I raised the front passenger side. Removed radiator cap and started engine.
Slowly poured in ORANGE coolant until full. This is when I thought I would see air bubbles come up and the coolant go down in radiator so I can add more. NOT THE CASE.
Within 30 seconds of slowly adding coolant, it rises to top and starts slowly overflowing. Does this for a couple minutes and then it’s low and I can add more. Slowly. Then it rises and overflows and then goes down and I add more. Then it rises and overflows… you get the picture. I don’t feel like I’m actually adding anything bc it pushes it back out.
Thermostat opens at 208. Upper hose is hot.
Heater on but no heat on driver side. Temp gets to 220 and it stops going down. But bubbles are coming out. They appear to be “boiling bubbles” not air pocket bubbles. And at 223 I shut it off bc it was boiling and coolant was spitting out of radiator. I let it cool for a few minutes and the without engine running was able to add coolant til it was full. Put cap on and drove for 30 minutes. Highest temp was 224, at a stop light. But held 212-219 mostly. No coolant went into reservoir.

I pointed out that I use ORANGE dexcool bc I removed the upper hose from the radiator and inside I found YELLOW coolant and jelly. I have not put anything but ORANGE in my system.
I took it to mechanic a few weeks ago and they changed

- thermostat
- cooling fan
- engine temp sensor

Obviously that did not help.
In 3 days time it was doing it again.
I think they just added coolant and that started me back on the 3 day shuffle.

In the past year I have changed

- all 12 rockers and lifters 10/2022
- thermostat (#1) 11/2022
- water pump 4/2023
- thermostat (#2) 4/2023
- radiator cap 10/2023
- thermostat (#3) 11/2023
- radiator cooling fan 11/2023
- coolant temp. sensor 11/2023

Seems to me the coolant I’m adding goes straight to the reservoir and never returns.
I’m at a loss here. Thank you all for taking the time to read and help if possible. We hope to add a second car seat in February. Not a second car payment while this one sits in the yard!!
Thank you.
 
Last edited:
upsidedownthinker said:
Oops.. yes, I put a new OEM 18psi cap on 10/2023
Click to expand...

It's real easy to burp the air out, just raise the front of the Jeep up at least 6" either with a jack or parked on a hill. With the engine cold remove the radiator cap and let it idle and watch for the coolant to drop then add as needed.
 
Yep. I have done and been doing that. This morning I burped and that’s when I added coolant and it pushes it back up and out. Then at 222degrees it was boiling and spitting coolant out of the radiator. First time it’s done that. How can orange coolant go in the radiator and over to reservoir but not be in upper hose, And reservoir over 2-3 days always fills up and overflows, it cools but stays in reservoir to the brim.
I don’t feel like I’m burping anything when it’s just flowing out of the radiator.
 
upsidedownthinker said:
Yep. I have done and been doing that. This morning I burped and that’s when I added coolant and it pushes it back up and out. Then at 222degrees it was boiling and spitting coolant out of the radiator. First time it’s done that. How can orange coolant go in the radiator and over to reservoir but not be in upper hose, And reservoir over 2-3 days always fills up and overflows, it cools but stays in reservoir to the brim.
I don’t feel like I’m burping anything when it’s just flowing out of the radiator.
Click to expand...

You can buy a test kit to check for combustion gases in the coolant, that way you could rule out a bad head gasket hopefully.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tJKrider
this is the steady flow overboard. Cold start immediately this happens. Goes down in a few minutes and I put a little coolant in and it comes right back out.
I’ll try the combustion test this week. Hopefully not a BHG. I’ll have to learn how to do that too. Dang jeeps gonna make a mechanic out of me yet!

IMG_7846.png
 
Coolant doesn’t look clean to me. Have you checked the oil? If so is it clean or milky? Might need to flush the system.
 
Danarch said:
Coolant doesn’t look clean to me. Have you checked the oil? If so is it clean or milky? Might need to flush the system.
Click to expand...
Yeah it’s not clean which is odd bc I literally poured coolant in 30 seconds before this pic. The oil is good. I have to add oil before the next oil change , about a quart, each time. But it’s clean.
 
Looks like combustion gas communication to me. Hopefully I'm wrong and it's something decidedly more simple. I think the coolant test is the logical next step...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Danarch
upsidedownthinker said:
I pointed out that I use ORANGE dexcool bc I removed the upper hose from the radiator and inside I found YELLOW coolant and jelly. I have not put anything but ORANGE in my system.
I took it to mechanic a few weeks ago and they changed

- thermostat
- cooling fan
- engine temp sensor
Click to expand...

Take it to a reputable and HONEST shop to have the entire system chemically flushed. It's plugged up bad because someone mixed the coolants.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAL07
What made you use orange dexcool? Aren't these years supposed to have the pink/purple coolant?
 
JeepJeezy said:
What made you use orange dexcool? Aren't these years supposed to have the pink/purple coolant?
Click to expand...
I should clarify - it’s orange (dexcool compatible) ethylene glycol. It’s honestly just what I’ve always used. No particular reason behind it. I’ve never seen purple coolant! Or pink! My daughter would love that!!

So the last few days the Jeep has run fine. No overflow into reservoir, highest temp 224, t-stat and fans work at right temp points.
I was going to try to burp more as BLACKJKU recommended, and put it in the curb, pop open the cap and it’s full. Start the engine and it didn’t go down. About a minute later it rises and trickles overboard. Continuously. Never could get it to go down to add any or see any air come out. So I put the cap back on. Made sure the t-stat opens at 208-210, fan on at 222 and shut it off. Wife ran it all day in town and said 224 was max. I’m letting it idle right now. 35 minutes so far and it’s at 212. Goes up to 222, fan comes on and goes back down to 212. It “appears “ to be ok. But I know better. I can’t add coolant now and it’s just off somehow. But I’ll that the W for the day. Gonna do a complete flush this weekend and I’ll start over. Can you recommend a purple or pink coolant!??
 
upsidedownthinker said:
I should clarify - it’s orange (dexcool compatible) ethylene glycol. It’s honestly just what I’ve always used. No particular reason behind it. I’ve never seen purple coolant! Or pink! My daughter would love that!!

So the last few days the Jeep has run fine. No overflow into reservoir, highest temp 224, t-stat and fans work at right temp points.
I was going to try to burp more as BLACKJKU recommended, and put it in the curb, pop open the cap and it’s full. Start the engine and it didn’t go down. About a minute later it rises and trickles overboard. Continuously. Never could get it to go down to add any or see any air come out. So I put the cap back on. Made sure the t-stat opens at 208-210, fan on at 222 and shut it off. Wife ran it all day in town and said 224 was max. I’m letting it idle right now. 35 minutes so far and it’s at 212. Goes up to 222, fan comes on and goes back down to 212. It “appears “ to be ok. But I know better. I can’t add coolant now and it’s just off somehow. But I’ll that the W for the day. Gonna do a complete flush this weekend and I’ll start over. Can you recommend a purple or pink coolant!??
Click to expand...


As long as you can get all of the old coolant out you can put in whatever color you want.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAL07 and Danarch
Well, my 2014 Jeep hasn’t been overheating since I burped system a few times last week. But wife drives 65mph max on the highway. I drove it for about 200 miles last Friday and when I would get up to 80mph + it would start to overheat. It hung out at 230 with the needle just over the mid line until I push 80. Then it creeps up to 238. When I slow down it cools down. There is now consistency in the color of coolant in upper hose, radiator and overflow. Still need to do test for HG.
 
upsidedownthinker said:
Well, my 2014 Jeep hasn’t been overheating since I burped system a few times last week. But wife drives 65mph max on the highway. I drove it for about 200 miles last Friday and when I would get up to 80mph + it would start to overheat. It hung out at 230 with the needle just over the mid line until I push 80. Then it creeps up to 238. When I slow down it cools down. There is now consistency in the color of coolant in upper hose, radiator and overflow. Still need to do test for HG.
Click to expand...

Does your jeep still have the stock size tires on it?
 
  • Like
Reactions: JeepJeezy
upsidedownthinker said:
No. But it will overheat sitting in park also. Sometimes. RPMs too high? I’ve had these tires on it since 2020. I’m just assuming that’s where you’re going with this.
Click to expand...


Yes, some will put bigger tires on and not reset there speedometer and it could cause those issues at higher speeds.

Also there was some threads where there was a problem with the torque converter staying in lockup to long and causing the engine to get hotter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAL07
upsidedownthinker said:
Mystery overheating….
2014 JKU sport 180k
I am currently dealing with overheating every 2-3 days. I use orange dexcool, always have.

Monday the radiator is full. Orange dexcool. Operating temps 212-222 in city/highway. Thermostat opens at 208 every time. Fans come on at 222 and drop to 215. Reservoir is at MIN line.

Wednesday temps are 229-239 in city/highway driving both. Fans come on 222 and stay on and are in high gear by 230. Fans cool but can’t keep it cool.
Reservoir is full to the top with orange dexcool.
The coolant never returns to radiator.
Usually this is when I manually return coolant from reservoir and start the process all over.
Thursday same as Monday til Saturday when reservoir is full again and temps are climbing.

This Saturday I raised the front passenger side. Removed radiator cap and started engine.
Slowly poured in ORANGE coolant until full. This is when I thought I would see air bubbles come up and the coolant go down in radiator so I can add more. NOT THE CASE.
Within 30 seconds of slowly adding coolant, it rises to top and starts slowly overflowing. Does this for a couple minutes and then it’s low and I can add more. Slowly. Then it rises and overflows and then goes down and I add more. Then it rises and overflows… you get the picture. I don’t feel like I’m actually adding anything bc it pushes it back out.
Thermostat opens at 208. Upper hose is hot.
Heater on but no heat on driver side. Temp gets to 220 and it stops going down. But bubbles are coming out. They appear to be “boiling bubbles” not air pocket bubbles. And at 223 I shut it off bc it was boiling and coolant was spitting out of radiator. I let it cool for a few minutes and the without engine running was able to add coolant til it was full. Put cap on and drove for 30 minutes. Highest temp was 224, at a stop light. But held 212-219 mostly. No coolant went into reservoir.

I pointed out that I use ORANGE dexcool bc I removed the upper hose from the radiator and inside I found YELLOW coolant and jelly. I have not put anything but ORANGE in my system.
I took it to mechanic a few weeks ago and they changed

- thermostat
- cooling fan
- engine temp sensor

Obviously that did not help.
In 3 days time it was doing it again.
I think they just added coolant and that started me back on the 3 day shuffle.

In the past year I have changed

- all 12 rockers and lifters 10/2022
- thermostat (#1) 11/2022
- water pump 4/2023
- thermostat (#2) 4/2023
- radiator cap 10/2023
- thermostat (#3) 11/2023
- radiator cooling fan 11/2023
- coolant temp. sensor 11/2023

Seems to me the coolant I’m adding goes straight to the reservoir and never returns.
I’m at a loss here. Thank you all for taking the time to read and help if possible. We hope to add a second car seat in February. Not a second car payment while this one sits in the yard!!
Thank you.
Click to expand...
I had the same issue on my JK, turns out it was my oil cooler, had it replaced and no overheating but before that I replaced the radiator, water pump, the Thermostat 3x.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tJKrider
Top Bottom