2005 Jeep Cherokee overheating when stopped or idle

[Colby Nicholas]

Hey guys I'm having a tough time figuring out what exactly is going on. I have a warranty on my Jeep still but they will charge me if it is not actually something that my warranty covers. So i was hoping you guys could help me isolate the problem. When im driving on the freeway or nething maintaining a constant speed my temp seems fine but when i stop at a light or ne thing my temp gauge just shoots up so quickly i don't have time to pull over or ne thing. I looked under the hood and it seems that my water pump is seeping out fluid. Is that a clear cut indication that it has gone bad? also when i took my oil cap off there was some orange rustic looking slim on the bottom of my cap. Is my jeep done for? should i just trade it in? any help with this would be most appreciated.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Welcome to Jeepz.com Colby. Just wish I were welcoming you under more fortunate circumstance . you had better get the engine compression checked , it sounds like the head gasket is blown.
Your post headlines a 2005 jeep cherokee ? I think you mean Grand Cherokee ? The cherokee XJ ended in 2001 and is just making a comeback this year . We will need you to update your jeep info for easier research. So it's an '05 ? Is that a V6 3.7 ? Then that's one of two head gaskets to worry about . If under warranty , this will most certainly be a battle with the dealer you purchased it from . You may wind up trying to trade it in , but no doubt at some kind of loss.
This is your first course of action . But it really looks like either a head gasket or maybe only an intake gasket let go . Are you loosing power ? If not , the seepage of coolant into your oil may be just starting but will worsen . But while under warranty , you must get it in to the dealer and must not take apart nothing or warranty gets voided if they see any tell tale markings disturbed .
All an owner can do is check fluids and such as the owners manual advises. Hoping your service record is up to date , they will check that thoroughly. I wish you luck and am hoping it isn't too serious. Best of luck to you . Greg

 

[eric m]

The rust/mud substance could be from a poorly maintained cooling system as well, also overheating at idle or stopped I would look at the fan clutch (if equipped with a mechanical fan) if electric make sure the fan is actually engaging. As to the water pump seeping I'd replace that and thoroughly flush the system. In terms of a head gasket what does your oil look like when you pull the dipstick? If it looks like a chocolate milk shake that would be an indication of a bad gasket. But honestly I would start with the cooling system/compression test first before I jumped all the way to head gasket, engine rebuild.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

The rust/mud substance could be from a poorly maintained cooling system as well, also overheating at idle or stopped I would look at the fan clutch (if equipped with a mechanical fan) if electric make sure the fan is actually engaging. As to the water pump seeping I'd replace that and thoroughly flush the system. In terms of a head gasket what does your oil look like when you pull the dipstick? If it looks like a chocolate milk shake that would be an indication of a bad gasket. But honestly I would start with the cooling system/compression test first before I jumped all the way to head gasket, engine rebuild.

So true Eric , this engine may be the victim of that so called " lifetime coolant " . Water pump will no doubt have to be swapped and yes , a fan clutch too . Let us hope this engine still has strong compression . What a shame , it's a young engine.

 

[Colby Nicholas]

Hey guys I'm having a tough time figuring out what exactly is going on. I have a warranty on my Jeep still but they will charge me if it is not actually something that my warranty covers. So i was hoping you guys could help me isolate the problem. When im driving on the freeway or nething maintaining a constant speed my temp seems fine but when i stop at a light or ne thing my temp gauge just shoots up so quickly i don't have time to pull over or ne thing. I looked under the hood and it seems that my water pump is seeping out fluid. Is that a clear cut indication that it has gone bad? also when i took my oil cap off there was some orange rustic looking slim on the bottom of my cap. Is my jeep done for? should i just trade it in? any help with this would be most appreciated.

hey guys just wanted to thank you for getting back to me so fast. I hope my head gasket isn't blown i just checked my oil and it looks good no milkshake looking oil or anything like that. It has been staying cool while driving but when i stop at a light it is still getting hot. I am going to take it to the dealership tomorrow and see what they say. sorry for not posting all my information i have a 2005 jeep grand Cherokee it is this 4.7L V8 limited version. I had my step dad take a look at it he just went to school for semi truck mechanics and he took of my radiator cap and said it looked like someone put stop leak in the radiator previously so seems like this was happening before i bought the car last year. So hopefully they wont give me any problems with the warranty. I called the warranty provider that i have and they said there is also a recall on this model something about the computer system update so i doubt it will have any affect with my problem but at least gives them a reason to look at it for me and hopefully they will be able to determine that the water pump is bad. the water pump is covered under my warranty though so if the see how it has been seeping they should honor the warranty and replace it for me right. I honestly don't know to much about cars which is part of my frustration but just wanted to make sure they don't pull a fast one on me. any advice on how i should go about telling the dealership about my problems?

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Hey Colby , thanks for that info . I think between you and your step dad , you'll be fine . He won't let the dealer get over on you and he'll be more than happy to get you up to speed on automotive repair. The 4.7 is a fairly stealthy engine but they must be maintained to last as my brother bought one and swapped out the bottom end bearings ( main and connecting rod ) because its previous owner was one of those folks who believed that jeeps are rigs that don't need to be maintained . In fact , it's just the opposite. They always need work. Especially newer , more electronic ones . That spells more money. Get the dealer to do everything it needs while in warranty . Look for any and all recall notices and search common problems found with jeeps around your year and of your build for things that you may find to be of concern for future reference and repair. But once running well and reliable , you'll love that jeep and the 4.7 is high in torque as you know , which makes up for the fuel mileage.
Like eric m said , it will need a good flush and a water pump , maybe a clutch fan. We hope to hear good news of a clean bill of health for your jeep , I.E. , pass with flying colors on the compression test. Wishing you the best and will be looking for your posts when you can . Greg