tugboat95 Posted November 4, 2020 Share Posted November 4, 2020 The MJ overheated on me today. First time since I've owned it. Drove all thru the summer with no issues. Not today though. 68 degrees and sitting in a Mickey D's drive thru was all it took. Sat for 15 minutes and just watched it climb. At about 250 I finally got out of the line and got on a highway trying to blow air over it but it kept going up. Guess I crossed that critical line. I shut it down at 270. Let it cool down for 20 minutes then Drove 6 miles to my wife's workplace. Limped into her parking lot and swapped trucks. Letting sit til closing time and going back to get my wife and take some coolant with me. Hopefully I'll get it home tonight and didnt cook it. Last time I use it to Door dash with. 89 Comanche Eliminator 2wd 4.0L 5 speed PukeGoat Factory Original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 4, 2020 Share Posted November 4, 2020 dang. hopefully it's ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yxmj Posted November 4, 2020 Share Posted November 4, 2020 Turn your heat to high set it to defrost turn the fan to high and drive with your windows open.....it will help a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJTIM Posted November 4, 2020 Share Posted November 4, 2020 1 hour ago, yxmj said: Turn your heat to high set it to defrost turn the fan to high and drive with your windows open.....it will help a bit Been there... Done that... Don’t need the t-shirt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 well? did it at least get back to the house? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugboat95 Posted November 5, 2020 Author Share Posted November 5, 2020 Turn your heat to high set it to defrost turn the fan to high and drive with your windows open.....it will help a bitYeah, that didn't workTraded vehicles with my wife and Drove home. Got 2 containers of coolant I had at the house, thought it would be enough. Then drove back out there. Put the coolant plus about 2 more gallons of water in it. Started right up and circulated perfectly. Burped it, Drove it home with a perfect temperature. Now it has straight water in it. And it will freeze here soon. So I took it to a local shop and left it. They are going to do a proper radiator flush this time. I did it myself a few months ago. It still spit out some nasty coolant yesterday and I got to buy new coolant anyway. Plus I have about 15 gallons of coolant mix sitting in my garage I can't get rid of (legally). So I'm just gonna pay him to do it and get rid if it. And take him my old coolant. Plus the annual state inspection is due.89 ComancheEliminator2wd4.0L5 speed PukeGoatFactory Original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 well that's... weird. I've never had a truck overheat and then magically not overheat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scguy Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 I would recommend a new thermostat as well. I had problems with a Start thermostat until I went with a Mopar one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yxmj Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 I am confused.....In the first post you do not mention getting to the point of overheating and having fluid run out......then in your recovery post you say you added 4 gallons (2 & 2) of fluid and it ran ok......so you had no fluid to begin with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZJeff Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 1 hour ago, Pete M said: ... I've never had a truck overheat and then magically not overheat. About the only way that situation could exist is if the coolant level was below minimum prior to the overheat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugboat95 Posted November 5, 2020 Author Share Posted November 5, 2020 Sat in traffic not moving. When it let go a lot of the coolant went out thru the pressure bottle. Thus I had to replace it. It has no leaks, Tstat and housing are about 6 months old. Water pump works. Just sat on traffic. Not the first 4.0 to do it.89 ComancheEliminator2wd4.0L5 speed PukeGoatFactory Original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 if the pressure bottle cracked, that could cause the overheating and loss of coolant for sure. no matter what, it sucks. so glad it wasn't terminal do the autozones near you accept used coolant? They do near me, but I imagine that's hardly a universal thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugboat95 Posted November 7, 2020 Author Share Posted November 7, 2020 Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. Upon further inspection, the pressure bottle cracked. Along with 2 of the four brand new hoses I recently installed. Pinholes everywhere. It also looks like the radiator may have a leak around the temp sensor. I've decided to replace everything. My biggest question right now is do I stay closed or convert to an open system? Leaning towards the conversion. If I'm gonna buy all new, I want a better system. Any suggestions on what type, number of rows, etc for a new radiator? Aux fan always on or manual override switch??89 ComancheEliminator2wd4.0L5 speed PukeGoatFactory Original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugboat95 Posted November 7, 2020 Author Share Posted November 7, 2020 do the autozones near you accept used coolant? They do near me, but I imagine that's hardly a universal thing. No local stores takes it. Only a shop. I have a professional and personal relationship with "my guy" so he took it for no charge. He's made enough money off of me over the last 20 years. County has once a year pickup. It was 2 weeks ago while I was in Canada.89 ComancheEliminator2wd4.0L5 speed PukeGoatFactory Original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 I guess if I was starting from scratch I'd probably do an open too. I'd also take the opportunity to eliminate the heater control valve and go the 97+ route with those hoses. making it difficult for people to properly dispose of things practically encourages them to just dump it in the woods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugboat95 Posted November 7, 2020 Author Share Posted November 7, 2020 I guess if I was starting from scratch I'd probably do an open too. I'd also take the opportunity to eliminate the heater control valve and go the 97+ route with those hoses. making it difficult for people to properly dispose of things practically encourages them to just dump it in the woods. Yeah I'm watching some YouTube videos now researching which way I want to go. Probably gonna delete the heater valve. Leaning towards installing a manual switch for the aux fan. See some questions about putting the sensor in a Tstat housing. Not opposed to it but I like the idea flipping a switch and doing away with a problematic sensor. Seeing so many different options for radiators and electric fan setups. Wondering if it's worth it. Or just go basically stock for a 92 or newer setup. Just a daily driver not a rock crawler but it has to be dependable.89 ComancheEliminator2wd4.0L5 speed PukeGoatFactory Original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahooSteeler Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 I battled overheating on my 88 even after new tstat, new pressure bottle w/Volvo cap (although that made HUGE difference), new water pump, and an "always on" electric fan thanks to the PO. OE radiator leak went from a slight drip to steady puddle after every drive. Decided to go open system and looked at all the radiator options and ended up going with a basic dual row Carquest/Spectra unit, plastic tanks etc. Eliminated the heater core valve, put new upper and lower hoses in and it hasn't budged past 210 since, generally running in the @185-190* range and that's even with disconnecting the "always on" electric fan. It's nice to not stress about overheating issues anymore and much simpler to maintain than the closed system IMO. Best single mod/upgrade I've done to my truck by a mile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 can't get much better than a mech fan with a shroud and new clutch. that clutch was what finally cured my Liberty of heating up on hills or pulling a trailer. even with the e-fan on full blast it would creep up higher when the engine was being pushed. not anymore as for the e-fan, if you put it on a switch, just make sure it's got a relay in between. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugboat95 Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 Uh oh....when i drove it to the shop Friday it drove fine. Went to pick it up today, not so much. It's stuttering and shaking at low acceleration in 1, 2, and 3 gear. Fourth and fifth seem to be okay. Only does it on acceleration. Maintaining the speed it seems to do fine. Only drove it 3 miles and temp never got over 100 degrees. What have I done? Head gasket? I hope. Or have I done more? Heads aren't cheap. And I priced rebuilding mine vs new engine if I've messed up the bearings. If it's a new head or machine my current one (I have no idea how much that costs) plus bearings, it's only a few hundred more for a new engine. I see this repair hitting 1000 bucks easy if it's past a head gasket. Remanned Titan engine is 1475. Even found a stroker kit with a block that I bolt together for 1700 bucks. Might look around at junkyard engines, but I don't like unknowns on that course.Last time I did this, it was a Chevy 350. Brand new engine was only $300 more than rebuilding the old one. And I had to pull it out anyway. So I decided to put a new one in.Tomorrow will be spent looking at oil and possibly doing a carbon monoxide test on the coolant if I can find a tester.89 ComancheEliminator2wd4.0L5 speed PukeGoatFactory Original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 start with the basics and see what you're dealing with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugboat95 Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 He just found the leaks and called me to show them to me. I told him to fill her up with water so I could get it to the house and replace everything myself. I couldn't pick it up til today. Now I'm looking at more than the radiator. No doubt i ran it hot. Real hot, off the gauge hot. Trying to get 2 miles to where my wife works. But I got most of tomorrow where I can get under the hood and look a lot more myself.89 ComancheEliminator2wd4.0L5 speed PukeGoatFactory Original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugboat95 Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 Blown head gasket. Shoot it drove fine today once I put some oil in it and it got hot. Checked oil on stick and under valve cover. (Before I added the oil) Looked awesome. No milk or thinned etc. Bought a coolant testing kit. Fluid turned yellow. 3 times. I don't think I hurt the head. I found a good engine locally this morning. It's cheap enough I might go get it tomorrow if nothing else for parts. I'd have a good head if this one proves to be bad. I might get some of that head gasket in a can and try that. That'll be some Roadkill crap.89 ComancheEliminator2wd4.0L5 speed PukeGoatFactory Original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 Just change the head gasket. I've managed to get to it without removing the intake and exhaust manifolds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugboat95 Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 Just change the head gasket. I've managed to get to it without removing the intake and exhaust manifolds. Really? I figured all that had to come off. Think I'm gonna give it a try. I've done marine diesels before so how hard can this be?Question for Pete M. After looking at a YouTube video, my fluid did not turn a bright yellow like the video showed. More like a yellowish green. It did not stay deep blue. Do I have head gasket issue? I'm not seeing any other tattle tell sign. This was the first time I've used a test kit. There is absolutely zero water in the oil, no white smoke out the exhaust, and no oil in coolant (currently just water)89 ComancheEliminator2wd4.0L5 speed PukeGoatFactory Original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 have you run a compression test? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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