Do all Cherokees run hot?

I just bought a 2000 2dr Sport 4.0l 4x4, and it seems to run a bit hot. It has 46,000 miles on it and cruising down the highway at about 70 mph the gauge stays right on the 210 mark. Outside temps about 40*. I just sold my 99 F250 Power Stroke 4x4 and it always ran cool, even with a lot of mods and 35s. I haven't owned a gas powered vehicle in 5 years, so am I just paranoid or is there a problem with my Cherokee. All the other XJs I looked at seemed to run kinda hot too. Tell me I'm just imagining things. Anyway, great site and thanks for the help.

yes, 210 is normal, in fact it is right on spec. No worries.

Fiveology said:

I just bought a 2000 2dr Sport 4.0l 4x4, and it seems to run a bit hot. It has 46,000 miles on it and cruising down the highway at about 70 mph the gauge stays right on the 210 mark. Outside temps about 40*. ......so am I just paranoid or is there a problem with my Cherokee. All the other XJs I looked at seemed to run kinda hot too. Tell me I'm just imagining things. Anyway, great site and thanks for the help.

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The 4.0 is designed to run between 195*F (t'stat opening temp.) and 220*F (electric fan "on" temp.) so you don't have anything to worry about.
I'd say 210* driving down the highway on a 40* day IS a bit hot though even for an XJ. By the summer when it's 80-90*F it could be running even hotter. I wouldn't expect the radiator on such a low mileage vehicle to be clogged up but it's probably a good idea to completely flush the cooling system and replenish it with fresh coolant. While you're there, replace the radiator cap and the t'stat. Make sure the A/C condenser in front of the radiator isn't clogged up with mud or insects. If it is, spray it liberally from the front with water from a pressure hose.
Your engine should run at no higher than 195* on the highway after you've done all those things.

Mine runs about 200 all the time...summer time electric fan runs for a bit shuts down, runs for a bit shuts down all day long...I don't know if that's normal...Is that normal?

John4wd...

JOHN4WD said:

Mine runs about 200 all the time...summer time electric fan runs for a bit shuts down, runs for a bit shuts down all day long...I don't know if that's normal...Is that normal?

John4wd...

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Yes, that's normal. The electric fan only comes on under two conditions;
1. ANYTIME the A/C compressor is on
2. whenever coolant temp reaches over 215-220 degrees

Once those one of those two conditions does not exist, the fan shuts off.

Sounds like your XJ is running normal to me.

It sounds like you just picked up this XJ by your comment. Do you know what maintenance has been done? Do you know when coolant, hoses, radiator cap and thermostat were changed last?

My guess is all those items are still the ones the vehicle came with when it was sold by Jeep. I have adopted changing heater hoses, fan belt and radiator hoses every 4 years regardless of mileage.

When you are changing you hoses you should do a coolant change, I use distilled water to avoid adding "junk" to the block - calcium, iron, etc.

Since this sounds like it is a used XJ you do not know if the cooling system was over heated. Even one over heat to 225F can damage the thermostat or radiator cap. I had an over heat once on my 88 XJ and changing the thermostat and "cap" were the final solution to get the temp back to what I knew it should be.

I am recommending you doing a 4 year cooling system maintenance. I do the following at the same time to make life easier:
1) Coolant flush with distilled water, then fill with a 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled
2) Change upper & lower radaitor hoses, I use dealer hoses.
3) Change heater hoses and flush out the heater core using the craig H method, do a search on here for it.
4) Install a new dealer thermostat and a new radiator cap
5) Fan belt, I have been using Goodyear. It has cuts to reduce noise.
6) Fan clutch, there no good way to test the fan clutch and over time they fail. Also it much easier to change the fan clutch when the fan belt is removed.

Welcome to being an XJ owner, you get to know your vehicle very well..!!!

My A/C doesn't work...So I never have A/C on...Got a leak on pump...Don't like A/C on my vehicles so that's no biggie...Only like A/C in my house...Mine runs around 200 maybe 210...I wonder if my electric fan relay needs to be replaced? If it's normal I won't mess with it...

I made the switch to the orange dexatron coolant a while ago, and love it. It cools better, lasts longer, and stays clean.

Mine is at 210 ALL the time, at -10F or in the middle of August.

So basically I am just paranoid. I am so used to diesels that have enormous cooling systems and run cool almost all the time. I plan to do a full tune up soon, I just bought it on the 31st, so I really haven't had time yet. I guess doing the coolant and new hoses at the same time wouldn't be a bad idea, at least I'll know it's good. It is totally stock now, and appears to have been well maintained. Thanks for the help guys.

Jackhill442 said:

I made the switch to the orange dexatron coolant a while ago, and love it. It cools better, lasts longer, and stays clean.

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What did you have to do to switch over? I am interested in doing this to mine. The KJ runs off the orange stuff and it would amke it easier to have both Jeeps running off the same coolant. Did you just do a complete flush and refill it with the orange shtuff?

I changed over my 88 XJ to dexcool for the same reason as you. I read up on it and here the Texaco site: http://www.havoline.com/products/na/antifreeze_01.html

Texaco is the primary supplier for GM for Dexcool. They say to get the benefits you need less than 10% other coolant. I did the math and figured out with a 12 quart cooling system and the ability to drain out 8 quarts out of the radiator drain that I needed drain the current coolant then fill and drain 4 times to get down to 2% old stuff.

So i drained and filled with distilled water, ran for 5 minutes, then drained. I found taking out the thermostat made the mixing better since the engine did not have to be at temp to circulate through the radiator.

Make sure you have a legal place to dump all this coolant. I did mine at a garage with a coolant dump tank so I stayed legal.

I changed out heater hoses and radiator hoses when I did mine. I change hoses and belts every 4 years regardless of mileage and dexcool is a 5 year coolant. That way I was set for 4 years. I'd also install a new theromstat and radiator cap while you have it apart and call it complete.

99XJSPORT06 said:

What did you have to do to switch over? I am interested in doing this to mine. The KJ runs off the orange stuff and it would amke it easier to have both Jeeps running off the same coolant. Did you just do a complete flush and refill it with the orange shtuff?

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KJ's use Mopar HOAT coolant, not the same as the orange Dexcool. Prestone has a new coolant that says it can be mixed with any brand or color of coolant. You might try that. I bought some to top off my XJ.

Keith

99XJSPORT06 said:

What did you have to do to switch over? I am interested in doing this to mine. The KJ runs off the orange stuff and it would amke it easier to have both Jeeps running off the same coolant. Did you just do a complete flush and refill it with the orange shtuff?

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you dont have to have anything to switch iot over... but you do need to make sure that the cooling system has been completly flushed out as not to have any green since the 2 dont mix... and something i have learned from working in my shop is that the dex cool is a good coolant but it is more likely to eat away the seals like on the water pump and things of that nature my advice is to go with something "dex cool compatibale" (dex cool was first used in the gm line of cars) os any extended life coolant will work as long as you dont buy anything just like store brand get something like peak global extended life it has an amber color and not so much of an orange and the red coolant is also an extended life coolant as well.