My 02 Sport is a frigid old gal-could use some advice!!!

[Dimebag]

Hi guys sorry to say I have some more heating questions!!! I recently replaced the fan realy behind the glovebox and put in a new thermostat-Advance Autos best one, and the damn Jeep still is running cold. I filled the radiator after changing the thermostat (removed the top hose and filled the rad and topped off the block) filled the overflow just in case and since it's gotten really cold outside the block just does not want to warm up while on the highway. Around the city it takes a bit, but will warm up and blow pretty warm inside the cabin, almost get good and hot like the old days when it was new, but if I hit the highway it stays on the cold side of the temp gauge forever and almost never comes to temp....

I have replaced the following:

New aftermarket radiator
New thermostat I believe its a Stant 195
New fan relay
New anti freeze (green old fashioned 50/50 mix)

Also I went to check the overflow this morning after a chilly drive home from work, thinking it might be low and it had no pressure when I opened the cap!! Yes it was secure, yes the motor was finally to operating temp and blowing out hot air in the cabin. But I thought it was odd that it didn't have any pressure when I released the cap.....possible bad rad cap???? Bad thermostat??? I am out of ideas and really fed up with playing with this poorly designed system, and any good ideas would really come in handy!!!! Also no I have never flushed the block, but with swapping the rad and thermostat twice, I have changed out all the anti freeze and it's a nice green color.
Please help tired of freezing my **** off!!!! And thanks!!

 

[chris03kj]

I don't know about the 2002 model year, but in my 03, I was told by my auto store to use dex-cool, not normal fluid...it's reddish/orange, not green...could be a possible reason?


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[tommudd]

WHOA wrong coolant for one get that crap out of there ASAP
now on to heat, did you put the thermostat in the right way, sometimes its easy to flip them the wrong way
Poorly designed system? Works great , no issues when everything is working correctly like any other system

 

[Porkchop]

Tommudd is correct HOAT coolent only. Makes me wonder about the impeller on the water pump now as well as if the thermostat is installed correctly.

 

[Dimebag]

I installed the thermostat correctly and what is the difference between the green traditional antifreeze and the dex-cool?? I honestly thought antifreeze was all the same, but then again my wife didn't marry me for my brains!!!! Do you guys think that just by swapping the antifreeze it could change the characteristics of how the block would heat up??? It does not run hot-ever and I did this a few years ago and have never had any problems, except for the lack of heat now.... Thanks for the good advice and for the inside out thermostat-my buddy did that with his wife's 04 Liberty and said that it would hear up super fast and stay HOT!!! So I don't think that's the issue, but because of the lack of pressure could it possibly be the cap not sealing???

 

[streetglideok]

Hoat coolant is not the same as dexcool. Any parts store that says otherwise should be avoided. Dexcool is an OAT coolant and has different properties and different chemical make up. Its different from green coolant as well. Advance auto parts isnt known for the best quality parts. One area of concern is whether you got all the air out of the system, or does it have an airlock. How much coolant did you add after the thermostat replacement?

 

[twack]

after you get the right kinda coolant why not try the age old trick of blocking off half the radiator with cardboard until spring hits

 

[John3seventeen]

Still sounds like a wide open thermostat? Spring side towards the block right?

 

[Dimebag]

Yep spring side inside the block, there is an air bleed fail-safe bleeder on the thermostat, it was installed in the top. I used 1 gallon of pure anti-freeze and about 1 gallon of water. I'm not sure of the total capacity of the cooling system, but I'm guessing that I got most of it!!! But what concerns me and maybe I'm just obsessing is the lack of compressed pressure that should be happening in the system, like I said earlier I opened the cap while it was at ideal temp, with the motor running and no fireworks, no boil overs, nada!!! Any ideas?? Or am I over concerned with the wrong things???

 

[John3seventeen]

Maybe bad cap - mine has a little pressure after just a few minutes of running. Just replaced my radiator 2 weeks ago.

Doesn't make sense.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

The system should work great. My Jeep has awesome heat, it'll make you sweat in sub zero temps!

 

[tommudd]

How long ago did you install the wrong coolant, if it has been a while then there could be the issue since it could of caused several issues. There is a huge difference in coolants and what each vehicle needs and recommends

 

[dude1116]

I don't know about the 2002 model year, but in my 03, I was told by my auto store to use dex-cool, not normal fluid...it's reddish/orange, not green...could be a possible reason?


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Dexcool isn't HOAT!!

 

[chris03kj]

Well, as of last Friday the dealer replaced my radiator because it had a stress crack in it, so I would assume whatever they filled it with was the right stuff...


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[Marlon_JB2]

I don't have anything to add but your username is hilarious.

That is all.

DEX-COOL is OAT... and is known for eating... well...everything.

 

[twack]

I don't have anything to add but your username is hilarious.

That is all.

DEX-COOL is OAT... and is known for eating... well...everything.

so the guy likes pantera ........:headbang:

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

Not catching the inferences with the username - I'm seriously getting old... :sad72:

Anyway, I can't remember what forum I read it on but a user described his issues with getting decent heat and they were similar to yours. He also used "universal" coolant and was advised to do a complete system flush to purge the crap out of the cooling system. Took it to the dealer and the tech told him he'd never seen so much "goop" come out of a vehicle before. Basically the interaction of the wrong coolant with the components of the engine and cooling system created a thick, gooey substance that was plugging up his system (sounds like what happens to me when I don't get my fiber... :signs16: )

Anyway, after the flush he has his heat back. The tech presumed the 'goop' had plugged his heater core and so the fan was just blowing air across a cold core.

A good, thorough cooling system flush at the dealer may be in order.

Bob

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

The system should work great. My Jeep has awesome heat, it'll make you sweat in sub zero temps!

The KJ heating system was sure nice around here last night and today, HJ. Bet it's coming in real handy in your neck of the woods, right?

Bob

 

[streetglideok]

after you get the right kinda coolant why not try the age old trick of blocking off half the radiator with cardboard until spring hits

Shouldn't have to with modern vehicles, especially with this engine. Doing so is setting yourself up for doom.

 

[streetglideok]

The system should work great. My Jeep has awesome heat, it'll make you sweat in sub zero temps!

You got that right. Mine works like a dream, even with the sub zero temps we just had here. This reminds me of a problem child Dodge Nitro 3.7L at work. The two new guys in the shop, one from florida, and one from Arizona, think the heater is doing all it can with the warm air it is blowing in this "extreme" cold. It has the classic signs of a stopped up heater core, but they think you have to run recirculated air to get heat. Don't know what those boys will do if they ever see 30 below temps!