Cruzberg61
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Sacramento
Hi All,
I've got a 97 4x4 with about 180k on it. Bought in in Feb 2021 mostly stock, and have since slapped on a 3" lift and 33s. Never wheeled it very hard. Never had over heating issues (in fact it ran on the cool side) until the last trip, where it was running around 225 on highway on a 100+ degree day. On the way out it overheated (needle pinned and "Check Gauges" light came on) going up a grade. Immediately pulled over and let it cool down. Made it home without it overheating again but it's been running hot ever since (220 - 230).
Flushed the system with Prestone system flush, replaced fan clutch (shroud is still intact), t-stat, t-sensor and water pump, and confirmed e-fan kicks on when its supposed to. It stayed around 210 when I burped it and on surface streets but jumped up to 230 on highway. Replaced radiator and added a trans cooler. While I was burping it this time, and it was just sitting in my driveway with the hood open, temp climbed up to 225, worse than before. When I shut it off after 45 mins coolant boiled over. I used concentrate coolant and kind of eye-balled the ratios.
There's no smoke coming out the exhaust, no oil in coolant and no coolant in oil, so don't think the head gasket is toast. The only thing that started happening around the same time was a chattering somewhere in the muffler or maybe in the cat, but it's getting a little rusty so thought something might have come loose and is rattling around in there. Don't know if that could be a sign of anything.
Buddy thinks the head warped when it overheated. Before I tear the engine apart, wanted to pick your brains to see if there was anything else to try before heading down that route? Thanks!
I've got a 97 4x4 with about 180k on it. Bought in in Feb 2021 mostly stock, and have since slapped on a 3" lift and 33s. Never wheeled it very hard. Never had over heating issues (in fact it ran on the cool side) until the last trip, where it was running around 225 on highway on a 100+ degree day. On the way out it overheated (needle pinned and "Check Gauges" light came on) going up a grade. Immediately pulled over and let it cool down. Made it home without it overheating again but it's been running hot ever since (220 - 230).
Flushed the system with Prestone system flush, replaced fan clutch (shroud is still intact), t-stat, t-sensor and water pump, and confirmed e-fan kicks on when its supposed to. It stayed around 210 when I burped it and on surface streets but jumped up to 230 on highway. Replaced radiator and added a trans cooler. While I was burping it this time, and it was just sitting in my driveway with the hood open, temp climbed up to 225, worse than before. When I shut it off after 45 mins coolant boiled over. I used concentrate coolant and kind of eye-balled the ratios.
There's no smoke coming out the exhaust, no oil in coolant and no coolant in oil, so don't think the head gasket is toast. The only thing that started happening around the same time was a chattering somewhere in the muffler or maybe in the cat, but it's getting a little rusty so thought something might have come loose and is rattling around in there. Don't know if that could be a sign of anything.
Buddy thinks the head warped when it overheated. Before I tear the engine apart, wanted to pick your brains to see if there was anything else to try before heading down that route? Thanks!