Pardon my jumping in;
Gatech04; Just watched the video. Is this with the thermostat in, or out? I believe that this engine has a clutch fan as well as an auxillary electric fan for the A/C operation? At temperature, the clutch fan should be 'locked up' and not freewheeling as you stated. I also saw air bubbles coming out of the radiator, indicating either air is still in the system from lack of 'bleeding' or is being put into the system from a head gasket leak which will cause overheating. With the type of 'neck' on the radiator, you may not be able to see if it is flowing coolant unless you lower the coolant level down to where you can see the cores, if at all. As Sidom stated, running it without a thermostat will cause overheating problems, so you don't want to do that, but it is a good test for checking flow. The thermostat is there for a couple of reasons. It keeps the engine at a specified temp (195F-210F is normal) and allows time for the water in the radiator to cool down before re-entering the engine when the stat opens.

The video was with the thermostat out. I havent noticed anything odd with the oil to indicate a leak into a head gasket - but I'll double check both the dipstick and oil fill area.

My comments on the fan were with the Jeep off. The larger of the two fans - the clutch fan? - was not freewheeling, but the smaller one in between that one and the radiator would freewheel.

I was planning on changing out the water pump on Mon/Tue (I wont have time to work on it till then) and at the same time I would be draining the coolant and re-inserting the thermostat. Does this sound like my next step? or are there other things I should try before doing this.



I would take on the heater hoses off close to the water pump & see if the there is good flow off the pump



Im not real sure what this means. Should I take the hose that goes from the thermostat housing to the heater core off, then turn on the engine (without the thermostat in) and see if coolant is being pumped through the hose (to the heater core). If not, that would indicate a bad impeller. Since the 2 hoses going to/from the heater core remained cool to the touch, and since the heater doesnt work now - that would be the indication right?

Sorry that Im not too familiar with these types of things, I am enjoying learning though!

Thank you!

Im not real sure what this means. Should I take the hose that goes from the thermostat housing to the heater core off, then turn on the engine (without the thermostat in) and see if coolant is being pumped through the hose (to the heater core). If not, that would indicate a bad impeller.



Yes, you're just looking to see if the pump is capable of genrating some good flow. Im memory serves me correct (which ½ the time is don't) there is a steel tube coming off the pump for the heater hose, you could use that line, or Loren's suggestion of the upper hose, either will work & either will make a heck of mess if the pump is good, so prepare accordingly. Impellers problems are definately the less common ones and I wouldn't change the pump "just because" but if you aren't getting any flow off the pump, that's problem.... The a boroscope would be nice, but I don't imagine you have on of those.....

Loren has given some real good steps to find the prob...... I would probably follow those 1st.........

Well I finally had time to work on it again Tuesday night. Turns out the plastic impeller had broken loose from the shaft. I got it fixed and put back together, added a new serp. belt and flushed the radiator. Everything is working great now!

Thanks for all the help!

GT

Gatech; How did your cooling system look before you drained and filled? Was it very rusty? Not that it matters much, now, but I'm thinking of the water pump impeller as Sidom had mentioned. If the system was very rusty, it is possible that the impeller has rusted away enough to affect flow. It is very rare, but I've also seen the impeller come loose from the hub. (originally, pressed on) Another thing is a plugged radiator. For the following tests, drain and save your anti-freeze so you can re-use it. Fill the radiator with water. Remove the lower radiator hose. The water should gush out. Using a garden hose, you shouldn't be able to keep up with the water flowing out of the bottom of the radiator. Another test, although may be hard to do, at normal operating temperature, feel the radiator with your hand. The temperature should be equal, throughout. If you feel a spot that is cool, then it is plugged. With the thermostat still out and the engine idling and cold, remove the upper radiator hose. Careful that you don't get a bath. It should shoot water out like a firehose. Of course, only run it for a few seconds to watch the flow from the water pump. If you didn't know, cold water from the radiator goes into the water pump, then throughout the engine, then back into the radiator through the upper radiator hose past the thermostat when it opens. So, it's normal for the lower hose to be cool and the upper hose to be hot.
Now, back to the head gasket issue. Head gaskets generally will blow into an exhaust port, rather than into the crankcase. So, pretty common to see a blown head gasket with no water in the oil. This is an easy test. Either with a chemical, available from most parts stores, or with an exhaust gas analyzer which any shop that does emission repairs, will have. That's actually where I'd start, first. Eliminating, or confirming, the head gasket.

Looks like I forgot to log in (came here via link in update email) but that last reply was me!

I think this will be my tentative process from here:

1) Check exhaust
2) Drain Radiator
3) Fill with water
4) Perform flow test at bottom rad hose
5) Perform flow test at upper rad hose
6) Remove water pump and inspect for damaged impeller
7) .... Fix it!

Thank you for the reply!

I actually havent drained the system yet. I lost some coolant each of the 2 times I overheated on the road due to the hot coolant overfilling the resevoir and spilling out the overflow until everything cooled down.

When I changed the thermostat and subsequently removed it again, I just let the coolant/water fall as I was on the side of the road (I know - bad).

I'll be sure to do the radiator tests you mentioned on monday when I drain the radiator. I'll probably pick up the exhaust test tomorrow though to clear that issue.

I'll try to take pictures and videos throughout the processes so those smarter than I in these areas can keep me on track!

Thanks again for all the help!

On that problem I would probably be looking for a flow problem. With no t stat you should have circulation right away. I would take on the heater hoses off close to the water pump & see if the there is good flow off the pump. If you aren't getting a good stream, I would inspect the impeller on the water pump.

update:
someone posted a comment on the youtube vid saying check fuel pump so i educated my self as much as i could on the fuel pump and i went out to find it in the jeep and i found a fuse box, Ive included pictures of that also. so i open it up and locate the fuel pump fuse, and in the link i included above "pictures of engine" click on that and i added more pictures of the fuse box and fuel pump fuse.

so i really hope someone can respond to my post soon because fixing this jeep is urgent.

Did you charge the battery or just use a jumper box? Bet by looks of battery that it's junk and should have a date on it. If over 3-4 years just going dead can kill them and if it starts will choke out the jumper box and strain the alternator.

Charge the battery with a charger out of the vehicle. Then have it tested. If still ok then clean the thing up and the connections.

If the vehicle has some funky alarm system a dead battery would possibly disable it till reset,

T

I used a jumper box. it is an old car and it still has its factory battery on it. but on the youtube video someone mentioned fuel pump

With any diagnosis, you always, always make sure your battery is good before running ANY tests.

Pull the battery, take it down to a shop or parts house and have it tested. Most will do this for free on loose batteries...

Update:

my dad and i were taking it down to the west side to get it fixed and (i drove in a car behind him just in case it would break down in the middle of the road) stoped to get gas and we he started it again he said that he didnt have to put his foot on the gas while starting it. so it was fixed. he tryed again and it was just fine. so now its back in the garage all fine. BUT we do need to replace some old parts.

Thanks guys!!

The pic showed INTERSTATE as the brand of battery and not used as OE for Jeeps. Lead/Acid car batteries don't last 15 years no matter what you do.

What is probably happening is the battery croaked AND makes no decent connection to the cables. The jumper box didn't charge the battery but rather was connected to the cables directly and perhaps not any charge got to the Jeep's own battery. When that dead just removing the jumper box the Jeep would just stall out - no spark, no fuel delivered and a very dead battery won't even let the alternator keep it going alone.

Need to know battery is good and fully charged with good connections as said or this thing isn't going anywhere,

T