Overheating 5.2L V8 GC

[DSteveXJ]

*I know this isn't a GC forum but maybe you guys have heard or know of the problem at hand*

Ok so I bought a 1998 ZJ with the 5.2L V8 today I got it for 2K$. It has 203,000 miles on the clock. This rig runs perfect, it idles nice and shifts and accelerates perfectly. No odd sounds coming from the engine IE knocking.

On the way home I got a beeping sound of low coolant level but it wasn't overheating it was just above the 210* mark and it also raised half way but would always lower back down. So I got to an auto parts store 10 miles away and bought some coolant and added it to the tank, the coolant in the tank was just below the add mark so I filled it up to the full mark. Filled with peak 50/50 coolant.

And all the way home about 35 miles away it stayed right at 210* or just above it, a couple times it went halfway between 210 to the turn off your rig mark NOW but went back down. But the last and ONLY hill to get to my home which is probably a 45 - 55 degree hill. Well I was climbing the hill and as soon as I got to the top the "check gauges" light popped on and it was the temp gauge and the temp was all the way to the red mark.

I drove for maybe an eighth of a mile (until I could find a place to stop) then pulled over and shut the jeep off. When I opened up the hood the reservoir tank was bubbling furiously!! And the radiator cap has this foil over the top and was bubbling up and down.

So what should I check for first when I can drive it again after it cools off?? Should I replace the water pump and thermostat first?

What would cause this to happen only on a hill?

 

[DSteveXJ]

Well I went back to my ZJ (it broke down less than a half mile away from my house) and tried to start it and I'm hearing horrible clunking and rattling...

OMFG!!! I had the ZJ less then or just a little more than 2 hours and the engine is completely screwed up!!!

So has anybody else here had this kind of problem??

I'm thinking this is just basically a bad head probably more problems with my luck.

2K$ gone two hours after I bought this dang thing. Aren't there laws pertaining to the fact that you can't buy a used car and have it break down? Kind of like a lemon law sort of thing.

 

[asp]

Is there a big pool of oil under the vehicle? I'd bring it back to where you got it and demand your $ back.

And I'd love to see pics of this 45-55* paved hill...

 

[MoparManiac]

Good job. You shouldn't ever continue driving something when it's overheating that badly. Even going up to "halfway between 210 and the shut your rig off now" mark isn't a good sign. The vehicle should never get past operating temperature during normal driving. It's a sign that something is wrong.

There are a ton of possibilities, with even the simplest being that there was still air trapped in the system that wasn't bled properly.

There are laws pertaining to that yes, but not when you continue driving it and do the damage yourself.

 

[vetteboy]

Filled with peak 50/50 coolant.

:doh: Shoulda used Prestone.

 

[DSteveXJ]

Yeah the hill is probably more close to around 40* - 45* but who cares really its steep.

But yes I know very idiotic of me to keep driving I knew better but hey its an expensive lesson to make and it won't happen again (I hope)

But I took it to a race shop here and we got it started and its a very bad knocking in the top end so basically I'm getting a new engine rebuilt and the 231 swap done for me along with u joint style axles being put on so I don't have to deal with the cv style anymore.

The engine DID NOT like or want to stay running it was on life support, just barely being able to keep itself running it was kinda funny actually lol but it should be done in a week or two I'm not in a big rush to get it back, just told him to take his time and make it perfect.

 

[bails85]

my zj has 205000 well 210 now. and it get hot as well. especially in the summer. and dont u XXXXs tell me something is wrong cuz ill shit. lol. anyway i changed the rad to a 3 row, new w.p., new t stat, and new fan clutch, and i burped the hell out of it every way i could think of. checked the compression all 8 kicked at 120 strongly, leak down test was perfect, and did a head gasket test with the dye stuff. all came back good. now if anybody has a reasonable idea why mine runs the same way the op does then please fill me in. sorry steve but id rather not have to go through what u did. mine doesnt run hot all the time but the guage fluctuates and i don really like it.

 

[bails85]

hi jack over

 

[DSteveXJ]

Hey np if you don't have to have the same problem as me then for god sakes don't lol

People are saying clean your radiator and add an e fan to your GC.

 

[bails85]

ive tried everything. ive even tried the "stupid ideas". ran the water wetter, clean the rad with mur acid. i cant figure it out for the life of me. i posted a thread on another forum about burping the system as well. tried every idea that was posted. even with 210,000 miles the engine tests came back nice and tight so im stumpped as well. electric fan is the only thing i havent tried but everyone ive talked to says that the mechanical fan pulls way more air than an elec one does.

 

[DSteveXJ]

That's why you "add" a fan to work with the mech fan.

You like the water wetter?

 

[bails85]

didnt make a differecne at all 20 bucks down the drain. it does work bitchen in my quads and other vehicles though just not in the zj.

 

[bails85]

oh and how am i supposed to add a fan. new to me.

 

[DieselSJ]

I drove for maybe an eighth of a mile (until I could find a place to stop) then pulled over and shut the jeep off. When I opened up the hood the reservoir tank was bubbling furiously!! And the radiator cap has this foil over the top and was bubbling up and down.

So what should I check for first when I can drive it again after it cools off?? Should I replace the water pump and thermostat first?

What would cause this to happen only on a hill?

I'd say your radiator cap was probably bad. No pressure in the system, and you boil over.

If your engine is making as much noise as you claim, then you drove it a long way while it was overheating.