Overheating... where to start?

My Jeep is starting to overheat a lot lately and I do not know where to start. I have never done any sort of work with the cooling system on a car before. I searched the threads but would like some specific advice. My jeep started overheating on 4th of July weekend. The exhaust shop caught my jeep on fire early that weekend by hitting a fuel line with the torch (long story) and patched up my fuel lines and I left for Silver Lake Sand Dunes. I was pretty hard on the jeep at the dunes and this is when it first overheated. Coolant poured out of the overflow bottle a couple times at the dunes. For about a week after then it was fine but now its running hot every time I drive it. Also, the power steering fluid is shooting out of the cap due to overheating (is this related?). I need to know where to start diagnosing this problem and what parts I need to replace. I have only owned the jeep for about a month and a half so I do not know what has been replaced or how old anything is so I think I should assume the worst. The jeep has 190,000 miles on it. Thanks for your help.

I would start by flushing the cooling system and chaging the T-stat as long as the radiator looks good. You might also need new radiator and overflow caps. The important thing here is that if it the engine is getting hot enough to make the powersteering fluid blow out...DON"T DRIVE IT!!!!!! You will ruin your engine.

Agreed. If you know the history of the vehicle and the engine is otherwise good, replace the stat and I'd get a new (Modine) radiator just on principle if you know the Jeeps history and it is the original radiator.

I'd just R&R the whole cooling system, start with a 7 hour prestone flush if you drive it w/o overheating. Then drain it, replace the upper and lower hoses, heater hoses, t-stat, pressure cap. Fire could have also damamged the serpentine belt so look at that closely. Refill with prestone coolant and distilled water. Make sure the new lower hose has the spring in it. I would get all the parts at the dealer which is where I get them for all 3 of ours [xj and 2 TJ's].
If it still overheats then I'd consider a new radiator unless you want to do that while you have the rest of the system apart. Also from the fire check all the wiring, temp sensors wires are around that fuel rail.
I'd be really pissed at the body shop for the fire thats for sure.

What year is your Jeep?

I rebuilt the entire cooling system on mine chasing a small leak which turned out to be the waterpump. I too had never done any work to the cooling system, but I didn't run into any difficulties.

Like everyone suggested: Try the real cheap and easy stuff first. Hoses, rad. cap (if you have one) or pressure bottle and cap. I'd deft. change the belt.

When does it overheat? At speed? Idle? Both?

It overheats constantly. I do not know what temperature it reaches as I have no temp guage. I can sure feel the heat inside the jeep though. It is impossible to ride in without sweating profusely. What would you guys reccommend for a guage if I were to put one in? How hard are they to install? How do I flush the radiator myself (or do I need to go to a shop)? Also, if I were to replace the radiator (which I may just do) is there a specific kind to buy that will offer better cooling than an oem radiator? Thanks for all of your help guys. I really appreciate it as I am just beginning to work on my own stuff. From what I have read so far this is what I need to replace right? Correct me if I am wrong.

Belt (from the fire)
Hoses
Tstat
Rad Cap

My jeep is a 95 with the Inline Six so everyone knows. As for the fire.... I am extremely pissed. I was up until 5 in the morning the night before finishing up my full traction long arm kit and some other stuff only to have all of the powdercoating ruined when I went to the exhaust shop at 9. I missed the silver lake fireworks display and a whole day at the dunes. Luckily nobody got hurt. The shop is repowdercoating everything.... I just gotta take the parts to them.

Is your electric fan commin on?

Traverse said:

Is your electric fan commin on?Also, the power steering fluid is shooting out of the cap due to overheating (is this related?).

Click to expand...

Sounds like the fire got some wires to the electric fan.
Are you sure they didn't get some water in the power steering?

I dont think the electric fan is coming on now that I think about it. Where do the wires run for it?

2 wires that come out of the top of the fan a little driverside, there is a little connecter about a foot down on the wires you can disconnect, then just run jumpers to the battery terminals to test the fan. if the fan works then the relay has probably gone bad.