JEEP CHEROKEE: 7 DEADLIEST SINS OF AN OVERHEATING XJ!! 

31 years of auto and diesel. One of the best kept secrets to cleaning radiators is Cascade. Yes, that Cascade. Powder or liquid works. Irrespective of the volume of your radiator and cooling system, a mixture of 1 cup Cascade dissolved into each 1 gallon of water will do the best job. This works wonders on the largest of diesel radiators, as well as any automobile radiator. Fill your coolant system with the mixture, and turn the heater on to ensure your cleaning everything. Start and run the engine to operating temperature. Some prefer to keep the rpm to an elevated level, but if you have time, the engine's normal idle works fine. Allow the engine to run for 45-60 minutes. Drain the cooling system completely. Refill with water and run for 15 minutes. Drain again and flush all water from the cooling system. If you wish to look into the radiator, you're in for a treat. I will be clean as the day it was made. Refill the cooling system with the recommended antifreeze/coolant and water mixture. Not only will you have cleaned and descaled your radiator, but also your entire engine. The mess that you flush out will amaze you. One would be hard pressed to find an auto dealership or diesel shop that does not have random $5 boxes or jugs of Cascade sitting atop tens of thousands of dollars of toolboxes and tools. It's literally the best thing since sliced bread.

Matt's Offroad Recovery channel addresses this....the worst pumps are the supposed hi-performance pumps with the plastic impeller that breaks down.....he went back to the stock one.

Great video! I have to say, nice job dedicateIng each sin. I found it funny.

Great video, and a great channel! I really like your presentational style and I truly appreciate the inside info on the XJ. Sincerely, a new '99 XJ Limited owner

I went with a ZJ fan clutch for about a month. The noise didn't bother me so much as the significant drop in fuel mileage. With the ZJ fan clutch being engaged nearly constantly it produces a significant drag on the engine. Mine dropped my mileage by 2.5 mpg, so I swapped it out for a new XJ fan clutch and it works only when it's supposed to, keeping things at proper temp without the fuel mileage hit.

Great job very informative thank you

10:25 The fan clutch with the threaded end is actually not for the 4.0L ZJ. The "ZJ" fan clutch in your video appears to be for the WJ as the 4.0 on those have threaded shafts. The clutch body is identical, though the 4.0L ZJ fan clutch has the same shaft with the 4 mounting holes as the XJ clutch. I think you had the correct part number, just the wrong fan clutch in the box. As for lower radiator hoses, I just transfer the spring from the old one to the new one.

Thank you very informative

Thank U sir great video very informative and to the point. I hope to see more of your videos .

I think doing the thermostat boiling test is brilliant. Thanks for the tip

Much appreciated, thanks.

Awesome video!

Good sermon

A really informative detailed video, many thanks. Any thoughts on mishimoto fans on the XJ?

Nicely done. I'm trying to chase down an overheating issue in my own 2000 XJ and I don't think it's the cracked head problem but what happens is it'll get up the temperature just fine it will idle just fine but it's like air is continuously getting in the system somehow and it'll be just fine but then after a few days or a few hours or whatever I'll shut it off and then all of a sudden it'll start boiling over. Admittedly I haven't done anything except a garden hose flush but I intend on changing out lots of parts

Very thorough, learned some things. Did not know about the air hole in the T-stat. When you say it should be at 12:00... you are saying to the rear of the rig while you are standing in front? Keep up the good work! Thanks

Do you have part # for lower radiator hose with spring I couldn’t find it on Napa website

Part number for the crown T stat housing ?

Great video again !! I love your caption descriptions of each part that was epic Lol .. How do you like your Mishimoto radiator ? I've been looking into a better radiator to replace the factory style radiator in my 4.0 L TJ . My TJ stays at between 207 to 213 degrees in the summer time ,but when on the trail it will get up to about 215 degrees. Thinking I may add an external electric fan to the front of my radiator controlled by me via a switch to help with the temps while off road . Until next time take care and be safe . P.S . How are you liking our snowy weather ? I actually love it myself Ha Ha .

Where can I get the hi flow Houseing at ??

Where can I get a Mishimoto t-stat with vent?

I anointed my radiator fluid and crammed rosary beads into my airbox, yet still, it runs a little hot.

Hello. you could get the reference the house s-stat air high flow system. thanks

Nice vid!! Been watching it every day for the past week. I’m gonna order a Mishimoto radiator tomorrow, been procrastinating cause I’ve read a few bad reviews (for the price I was expecting nothing but praise). How has it turned out for you??? My xj’s pretty rusted inside the block, plan on putting an inline coolant filter. Hey man, really helpful vid, I was blown away with the lower radiator hose spring deal, I have extreme OCD when it comes to cars and never had it crossed my mind to test the thermostat first, awesome!!

Great video buddy do you have a part number on that thermostat housing?

Mine does not have a cap. It has a tight fitting non pressure release cap.

About carbon build up. I may be wrong, but with some types of antifreeze, like ethylene-glycol one, white stuff inside radiator is actually a properly working thing and it is designed to be that way. Since its one of ways to defend insides of radiator from corrosion, on some types of antifreeze(G12+ specifically) you wont see such a thing, because rust inhibitor is working differently.

How does a thermostat air vent make a difference if the valve opens during operation wouldn't the air ultimately reach the highest point of the cooling system? I would think that in a couple of days the air would finally bubble to the top and get into the resorvoir bottle....

It's not a spring --its a wire spiral reinforcing core and it doesn't actuate anything. It simply reinforces the hose's shape.

Well done. Had to put it on 2x. But thats just me.

I don't know if I would soak any part of my engine components in acetic acid. Acids are great for dissolving metal and calcium, not so good at flushing coolant systems. I guess MAYBE if your system as calcium buildup, but if using DI water and coolant, that shouldn't be the case.

Where can I get the hose with the spring?

What is the brand and part number for the lower radiator hose with the spring? -Thanx

Hi mate , been living in Western Australia where the temperature rises to 40 to 45 degrees Celsius. I had few xj in the past ,still have 2001 one with 200000 km very strong car but its overheating with both fan running going uphill or on the beach where temperature is 30 degrees with ac off. In the past I had 1996 sport xj with 128000 km. Overheating issues same like the one that I have. I changed waterpump, thermostat, radiator hoses ,fan clutch and radiator aluminium one after market that was still overheating. So I did headgasket test ,there was no issues with that aswel. I took to the jeep especiallist they couldn't figure out or what causes overheating problem so I sold it. So my 2001 xj with same problem, but I haven't started spending on the car ,I don't want to spend on the car before I find out what is exactly causing the car to overheat. U have done a good ,went through explaining all the things that causes overheating issues. So what do u suggest for me to start with. I will appreciate ur help. Thanks Amir Australia

Mine took a dump on mountain pass 12 below o blew head gasket

auxiliary fan?????

How long does a water pump last?

Number 4 about the lower radiator hoses needing to have a spring is simply a myth. Some vehicles come with stock lower radiation hoses that have a spring in them because the manufacturer tests the hoses with equipment that creates amounts of vacuum that your car will never experience. The springs are left inside the hoses. It costs them time, effort and, of course money, to remove the springs. A good quality hose installed on a properly tuned cooling system will not collapse.

@Black Ace Gear are you a student of the Word ?

You need to come up with another sin. You didn’t cover the component that fixed my overheating. Over a one year period I systematically checked/replaced every component in your video…. and my 4L still was overheating. It turned out to be my worn out harmonic balancer.

This is 38 minutes I will never get back.

Hey ACE dare to explain how the zj clutch mounts on an XJ what with one being a flat flange and the other being female thred on !

It’s an impeller, NOT a propeller

So in short: maintenance lol

The 4.0 is designed around a 195 Thermostat. Not a 180. Using the 180 is the wrong part, and is stupid.

H2OH?????? H3O?????

Very strange and weird way to try to talk about overheating xj,s but to each thier own

Well I have to think that the 8 deadliest sin is listening to you it's not called a t-stat it's called the thermostat and if you start putting 180° wine and a Grand Cherokee your engine light will come on cuz it has to have a 195 because it doesn't get up to temperature fast enough it's 180 degrees you need to learn to read something a lot of fast food or something back off and pick up a book

Informative Video, Um maybe. Good information, Meh.... To much talking like an amateur. Waste of time.

Propeller hehe.