[Vin]

A friend at work picked up a 2001 TJ. He's had it for maybe a month. He noticed the temp guage goes way up, and he's worried about it. He went back to the dealer he bought it from and they changed out the thermostat, but the temp still climbs way up. Is there a recurring problems that my be ailing his TJ?

[GOLENJEEPTJ]

Your really going to need to elaborate on the problem!

[timberwolf0122]

Yep first define way up, 210, 230, 260?

[Vin]

First a little backround. I live out in the suburbs of Long Island. I've owned a Jeep since '92. Two ther guys at work loved how my YJ looked (doors off, top down, ect) and bought Jeeps, one a TJ one a JK. The TJ guy had his stolen, so he went out and bought a JK. My YJ is was looking a lil ragged, so I bought a JK. So now I have this small Jeep community at work. The friend I'm talking about liked our Jeeps, and found a TJ at a dealership and bought it. he considers me the Jeep guru since I started this lil faction. Now for the most part, they are all city Jeeps. Never seen offroad, mostly loved for getting them around when we have bad snow. OK that's the back story...now to the problem...

The TJ owner is saying that when he turns on his AC, the temperature guage rises above the mark that Jeep has pointing strait up. He said it never it never actually went into the red, but he's worried because it goes that high. I told him Jeeps do run hot and that he has either a 180 or 195 degree thermostat, not never owning a TJ, I have no idea what the range of temperatures TJ run, if they do tend to go above the markings on the temperature guage or for the most part points strait up with the marking on the guage, so I'm here to ask TJ owners how high their temperature guages run on a normal bases. Does he have a problem or is that the way TJs are? Is there a known problem that TJs have that makes them overheat and how is it corrected? I know it could be anything from a bad radiator to a mistimed engine or blown head. I'm just asking if there is a knwn problem that TJs tend to have like YJ have a problem with the Master Slave Cylinder that causes transmission fluis leaks or the YJs weak U joints but with a TJ. What's the normal operating temperature for a TJ?

[desertwndrr]

Mine always runs with the needle pointing into the "0" of the "210" mark. Basically just past straight up. That is the normal temperature of these. I wouldn't worry about it until the needle is heading into the red. By then you will have beeping and dash lights going off.

[m361]

I have a '97 and it the needle is just a tad higher than 210 always. When I ran the a/c (before it crapped out) the needle would tick up a bit at highway speeds, but otherwise it is steady.

[RaggedOleMan]

I'm in the Seattle area with an 05 Tj. Just a tad into the 0 on the 210 mark is pretty much normal for mine, too. But, when outside temps rise to the 80/90° mark & beyond, and I'm running on the freeway uphill, it climbs above the 210 mark to the 225+ range, perhaps more. When it does, I turn the heat on high/defrost and it drops right back down in a minute or two.

I hose down and air out the radiator fins after most trail runs. Flush & fill once a year, and use 50/50. No A/C.

[1jack5]

With most TJ 4.0's, they all run a little different temp wise. Like mine usually runs a hair below the 210 make, but if im in top and go traffic with a/c on its a bit higher, sometimes a bit into the "0" of 210 but thats really rare. and that is during the 105-110 heat index we have hear in Southeast GA.

But as others have stated theirs runs a bit higher, I also know some who say theirs never leaves that middle 210 marker. just showing they are all a little different.

[Vin]

Thanks guys. I'll have to take look and actually see where his is running. He's a car guy, and a used car guy at that. I just want to make sure he doesn't have a lemon that will ruin his Jeep experience. You'd think a dealer would check things out before they sell them.

[RikatyJeep]

A few weeks ago my TJ over heated. I had the AC on, and was idling, temp gauge went into the red. Anyway long story short, I changed my thermostat, coolant, and the other day I took a hose and sprayed it thru the condensing unit and radiator, and the water coming out the other end was brown, this helped alot. Temp runs just to the left side of the "2" on "210" Hope this helps

[NotURMailman]

With him not really knowong the history of the Jeep I would suggest that he rinse the cndensor and radiator finse out really good then flush the cooling system and fill with fresh coolant. The 4.0 has always been finicky with the relatively small radiators (surface area wise) that Jeep uses due the space constraints. Any restriction to air or coolant flow can push the temperature up. Not to mention that the two thing I suggested are just good PM for any liquid cooled engine.