Ckee overheat issue

rattlecanpaint

rattlecanpaint

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Location
Winston Salem
My boss called tonight and told me his wife overheated their 96 ckee. She ran it till is quit, but will still turn over. He's pretty sure it didn't blow the head gasket. Oil level seems ok, no chocolate milk. I remember there was a thread here a while ago about how to fix this inherant problem with rerouting coolant lines or something. I can't remember the specifics so if anyone here has done this any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

'96 Cherokee 4.0 auto.
 
rattlecanpaint said:
My boss called tonight and told me his wife overheated their 96 ckee. She ran it till is quit, but will still turn over. He's pretty sure it didn't blow the head gasket. Oil level seems ok, no chocolate milk. I remember there was a thread here a while ago about how to fix this inherant problem with rerouting coolant lines or something. I can't remember the specifics so if anyone here has done this any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
'96 Cherokee 4.0 auto.
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I've got no answers, but I'll be willing to bet that the head gasket is blown. The wife of a good friend of mine did the same thing with her cherokee. Not only was the head gasket blown, but the head was warped as well. Running them til they quit from overheating is BAAAAAADDDDD!!!
 
I agree, it sounds like a head gasket to me also, however, i bet you could get some more info from Naxja.org.

good luck.
 
Yea, your'll find what your lookin for at naxja.org
 
Those 4.0 heads ar notorious for warping if you over heat them. Why did it over heat is the question? I would be trying to figure that out first. Like was the water pump not working ir did the therostat not open or is the radiator clogged. I would figure that out before worrying about the head. otherwise it will repeat itself. My bet is the radiator is clogged. Will it even start now?

Mine was getting hot sitting still a couple weeks ago so I back flushed it and then added fresh water and that cured my problem but his is problem is more serious.
 
family xj said:
Those 4.0 heads ar notorious for warping if you over heat them. Why did it over heat is the question? I would be trying to figure that out first. Like was the water pump not working ir did the therostat not open or is the radiator clogged. I would figure that out before worrying about the head. otherwise it will repeat itself. My bet is the radiator is clogged. Will it even start now?
Mine was getting hot sitting still a couple weeks ago so I back flushed it and then added fresh water and that cured my problem but his is problem is more serious.
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I disagree. The inline six head is much less prone to warping than a cylinder head from something like a small block. The length of the head combined with the large number of head bolts and the material used (cast steel and not aluminum) contributes to how little that head can move when it's torqued to the block.

I did much the same thing to mine, it overheated until it wouldn't run from a blocked radiator more than once. Changed the radiator, hoses, etc. and everything was fine.

It's certainly not something you attempt to do just for fun, but it's by no means an engine killer if you do it once.

If it was an all of the sudden overheating, it's probably the thermostat. If it occurs at high speed, the lower hose is sucking shut. If it's gradual, you have a radiator/water pump problem.
 
Notsure if it was gradual, she was driving and he was riding and when it quit running is when she noticed it was hot. He says the drain plug on the radiator is broke off. When he went to the dealer to see about getting a new one a tech told him to JB Weld the thing back on and stick a bolt in it to close it off. We'll see how it works.
 
First I would try doing a presure check and that will tell if it is a blown head or not.

Good luck
 
Had same thing happen to a 88 i had drove it long enough that the heat was blowning cool air after it over heated and pegged the guage (16 at the time and knew better but was mad enough at time I decided I would driving it till it quit or made it home, needless to say 20 miles later I made it home put a new thermostat in next day and ran another 100,000 and sold it to someone else. That it prob one of the toughest engines out there that I have ever been around.
 
Well, he's waiting on a radiator for the thing that won't be here 'till thurs. We'll see after that.
 
rattlecanpaint said:
Well, he's waiting on a radiator for the thing that won't be here 'till thurs. We'll see after that.
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Hehe, so where'd you get the radiator?
Cheapest I've found is JC whitney, but I can't tell (and they aren't helpful) if it's the right one, or carquest for 155$?
 
Not sure where he's getting it. I think the Stealer.
 
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