4 wheel drive problems

Do you have any idea what would cause the coolant tubes to flatten themselves. When I open the radiator the tubes go back to their original size.

Hi, I understand clear. I first read your post that you mentioned about vacuum into the engine. I 've been seen it before. Suggest you to replace radiator cap because the relief valve in radiator cap is shut closed or stucked that prevent to suck some coolant from the reservior to enter the coolant system. Before you replace a new radiator cap, open radiator (easy with hot cap), and start the engine and runs, turn heater to hotter tempurature. Observe the coolant level in the radiator neck, fill more coolant if necessary. I can raise the engine speed to about 1,500 RPM with my hand on throttle lever and fill coolant into radiator till full then put a cap on the radiator with my another hand then release throttle lever to idle speed. Be careful. I'm afraid you get burn or hurt.
The collapsed hose like flat hose is the water pump's impeller to draw more coolant to flow (recircling)into the jackets as the engine pick up more speed.
 
I just googled heater core. Wow that is a lot of work. Next time I go driving in it I will turn the heater on and see what happens.
Yes. Pain in the ass. Lot of works. My deaf tech at another station, told me about it. I think I did to the evaporator housing in another GC to replaced blend door shaft or something I cant recall.
 
Yeah, a leak causing a vacuum in the coolant system.

If its not around the motor, try turning on the heater and see if it blows steam/sweet smell... then the heater core is bad. (cheap-ish fix but lots of labor)

Just need to find where it is leaking. But the good thing it is not leaking into the motor.

one thing is bad relief valve in a radiator cap can play game with you if you cant find coolant leak, you see the flatted hose when the engine is cold and then hose become normal when warm up the engine. It acts like shocks.
 
Hi, I understand clear. I first read your post that you mentioned about vacuum into the engine. I 've been seen it before. Suggest you to replace radiator cap because the relief valve in radiator cap is shut closed or stucked that prevent to suck some coolant from the reservior to enter the coolant system. Before you replace a new radiator cap, open radiator (easy with hot cap), and start the engine and runs, turn heater to hotter tempurature. Observe the coolant level in the radiator neck, fill more coolant if necessary. I can raise the engine speed to about 1,500 RPM with my hand on throttle lever and fill coolant into radiator till full then put a cap on the radiator with my another hand then release throttle lever to idle speed. Be careful. I'm afraid you get burn or hurt.
The collapsed hose like flat hose is the water pump's impeller to draw more coolant to flow (recircling)into the jackets as the engine pick up more speed.


Well that looks like a cheap fix. I will try that in when the auto store opens in the morning.
 
Umm.. Most Grand Cherokees are L5.2 V8 engine and most wranglers are L4.0 I6 engine. How to be same? I never heard of Wrangler have V8 engine from factory.

Grand Cherokees are reliable? Go research again, I seem they have many problems like water pump, cv joint, axle, fuel injector, fuel pump, etc and it was only 70k miles on (98 I think.) from real world.

I smogged Jeeps for years. Here is I see Jeep GC use L6 4.0L and V8 5.2L/5.9L engines, Wranglers use L4 2.5Lor L6 4.0L engines but newer Jeeps use V6 or V8 like 3.7L/4.7L.
Try Land Rover. I pick Jeeps over any SUVs. I didnt own any Jeeps:(
 
Looks like alot confusion here. Cherokee (XJ) AND Grand Cherokee (ZJ) are NOT the same vehicle. Cherokee is far more reliable than Grand Cherokee. I wish that I would be wrong on this one. SMH, Yes, Wrangler and Cherokee shares same motor while Grand Cherokee has bigger motor ( believe 4 different size motors for Grand Cherokee, while Cherokee/Wrangler(TJ, not JK) uses two different motors)

If you still think Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are same thing, get yourself a pair of glasses and check these pictures.

Cherokee (XJ)
Cl_Jeep_Cherokee_01.jpg


Grand Cherokee (ZJ)
09-_1998_Jeep_600p.jpg


Both Jeeps in picture are same year, the Cherokee (Purple) is what I have and it was darn reliable. Friend of mine had Grand Cherokee and it was 2002 and it got full of problems and has not hit 100K miles. He told me Cherokee that he used to own is far better than Grand Cherokee.

AMC* 4.0L is the best engine Detroit ever built, the problem is emission control, it ranked the worst. No wonder why there is so much power in 4.0L HO.

*AMC as American Motor Corporation, bankrupt back in 1979, sold Jeep division to Chrysler around 1980's

To be honest - I have to disagree with many of the things I am reading in this thread.

Grand Cherokees are reliable... They have the same motor the wranglers/cherokees do, so all this talk isn't making sense to me.

So, Andy - if the coolant is in the motor and you're willing to salvage it for cheap, I'll take it off your hands.

One question though, when you check the oil, what color is it? black, brown, normal oil color, or chocolate milk?

Exhaust having some WHITE smoke? Blue smoke?
 
Well that looks like a cheap fix. I will try that in when the auto store opens in the morning.

I forget to tell you, make sure the overfill tube is free of debris or sign of restrict in the reservior. You can blow the end of the overflow tube (disconnect from radiator neck) to see if there is not restrict. Hope it will help.
PS I believe someone in this thread, say same thing.
 
If I were you, I would wait few more years to see how Chrysler makes out. I am very disappointed with Chrysler right now. They are heading the wrong direction. The last AMC designed Jeep is 2006 Wrangler with 4.0L, while 2007 and later Jeep wrangler is 100% Chrysler.

Same thing, Cherokee was orignated by AMC, while Chrysler designed from stratch on Grand Cherokee (AMC never design Grand Cherokee), yet kept Cherokee in production for another several years until 2001.

I am in "Pre-marketing" for next vehicle. Hopefully will buy brand new (I know you would say Im nuts). I am watching Jeep and Ford, and I was impressed with Ford (F-250 powerstroke) when I drove it. I personally prefers Diesel over gasoline.

I smogged Jeeps for years. Here is I see Jeep GC use L6 4.0L and V8 5.2L/5.9L engines, Wranglers use L4 2.5Lor L6 4.0L engines but newer Jeeps use V6 or V8 like 3.7L/4.7L.
Try Land Rover. I pick Jeeps over any SUVs. I didnt own any Jeeps:(
 
Looks like alot confusion here. Cherokee (XJ) AND Grand Cherokee (ZJ) are NOT the same vehicle. Cherokee is far more reliable than Grand Cherokee. I wish that I would be wrong on this one. SMH, Yes, Wrangler and Cherokee shares same motor while Grand Cherokee has bigger motor ( believe 4 different size motors for Grand Cherokee, while Cherokee/Wrangler(TJ, not JK) uses two different motors)

If you still think Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are same thing, get yourself a pair of glasses and check these pictures.

Cherokee (XJ)
Cl_Jeep_Cherokee_01.jpg


Grand Cherokee (ZJ)
09-_1998_Jeep_600p.jpg


Both Jeeps in picture are same year, the Cherokee (Purple) is what I have and it was darn reliable. Friend of mine had Grand Cherokee and it was 2002 and it got full of problems and has not hit 100K miles. He told me Cherokee that he used to own is far better than Grand Cherokee.

AMC 4.0L is the best engine Detroit ever built, the problem is emission control, it ranked the worst. No wonder why there is so much power in 4.0L HO.

yeah, the 4.0L engines are known for high NOX emissions even replaced new cat converters or O2 sensors, everything that you can throw new parts on it that cant fix the high NOX. Many emission diagnositicans like me, says cause too lean condition on the older model.
 
Yeah, I was aware of emission issues on 4.0L. I love its power but the gas consumption, sheesh!

yeah, the 4.0L engines are known for high NOX emissions even replaced new cat converters or O2 sensors, everything that you can throw new parts on it that cant fix the high NOX. Many emission diagnositicans like me, says cause too lean condition on the older model.
 
Sounds right, Cherokee standard gas tank capacity is 19 gallons. So meaning about 30 gallons.

Ya if I fix it up and keep it when I move out there it will prolly be more than 2 whole tanks to get there cause I will have my boat on top and a small trailer hitched to the back. Not looking forward to that one. I'm use to 4 banger sports car mpg for cruising the highway.
 
Approx 470 miles (From Daytona, Ohio to Rochester, NY), a full tank and half is about right. I had Cherokee gone just over 400 miles on just a tank, and that was rare. Most of the time about 325 miles on a tank.

Ya if I fix it up and keep it when I move out there it will prolly be more than 2 whole tanks to get there cause I will have my boat on top and a small trailer hitched to the back. Not looking forward to that one. I'm use to 4 banger sports car mpg for cruising the highway.
 
I think I found the leak. First off the radiator cap is bad and I have a replacement for it. I noticed some wet metal around the thermostat housing and replaced the thermostat and gasket cause why not if I take it off. Well when I put it back on and started the car coolant started spraying everywere. When I took the cover off a chunk fell off the bottom. I don't know if I screwed something up or if it was already cracked.
 
Did you scrap off the old gasket and replace with new gasket? Or you used gasket sealant with old gasket when reinstall them?

failure to do that will surely cause more leaks. Always replace gasket with fresh one every time the thermostat housing is removed. Do not use gasket sealant with new gaskets.

I think I found the leak. First off the radiator cap is bad and I have a replacement for it. I noticed some wet metal around the thermostat housing and replaced the thermostat and gasket cause why not if I take it off. Well when I put it back on and started the car coolant started spraying everywere. When I took the cover off a chunk fell off the bottom. I don't know if I screwed something up or if it was already cracked.
 
Did you scrap off the old gasket and replace with new gasket? Or you used gasket sealant with old gasket when reinstall them?

failure to do that will surely cause more leaks. Always replace gasket with fresh one every time the thermostat housing is removed. Do not use gasket sealant with new gaskets.

I used a new gasket but the housing somehow broke when I started the jeep up. Maybe it had a crack in it and taking it off made it worse.
 
Im glad you got to find the leak and it was not something too major. And yep the heater core was one of the last places I wanted it to be.
 
Looks like alot confusion here. Cherokee (XJ) AND Grand Cherokee (ZJ) are NOT the same vehicle. Cherokee is far more reliable than Grand Cherokee. I wish that I would be wrong on this one. SMH, Yes, Wrangler and Cherokee shares same motor while Grand Cherokee has bigger motor ( believe 4 different size motors for Grand Cherokee, while Cherokee/Wrangler(TJ, not JK) uses two different motors)

If you still think Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are same thing, get yourself a pair of glasses and check these pictures.


Both Jeeps in picture are same year, the Cherokee (Purple) is what I have and it was darn reliable. Friend of mine had Grand Cherokee and it was 2002 and it got full of problems and has not hit 100K miles. He told me Cherokee that he used to own is far better than Grand Cherokee.

AMC* 4.0L is the best engine Detroit ever built, the problem is emission control, it ranked the worst. No wonder why there is so much power in 4.0L HO.

*AMC as American Motor Corporation, bankrupt back in 1979, sold Jeep division to Chrysler around 1980's

I am not going to discuss this with you any further. All I have to say is I know what I know....
 
OP? I just want to help him and I want him to be understand what's different between AWD and 4x4 since he think he have AWD and 2x2.
Some Jeeps have AWD and part time 4x4 both. He could very well have both AWD and 4x4.
 
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