Thanks, guys... Yeah. I've got the floor mats out and am trying to see if the floor will dry out. Does the heat or ac need to be running for the core to leak?
Losing coolant
- Thread starter Tbird Clair
- Start date
The coolant circulates thru the core regardless of any settings so there is always flow thru the core.
Yep, there's always coolant in the heater core, so if it's leaking it will be leaking whether the vehicle is on or off.
Ok, well... I've run the jeep today and there is hardly any moisture left in the rug. I'll keep an eye on everything and hopefully come up with an answer... Water pump?
That sounds like the best plan. It should tell you for sure what the issue is.
Today the floor mat is almost completely dry... but I unhooked the carpet and peeled it back to be sure, and there is still a significant amount of moisture in the padding of the carpet. Also, the round plug for the drain hole is in place. The other area (reap passenger) that was damp is completely dry. Pretty safe guess it's heater core... Can one test that theory without pulling everything apart?
UPJOHN
TJ Enthusiast
If the heater core is leaking there should be moisture around the heater box under the dash. Is the foam seal between the heater box and firewall wet?
If there is an easy way I sure dunno how it'd be done. I guess you could plug the heater hoses temporarily and see if the leaking stops. Like with something like this kit made to do that particular job... http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5337789113&icep_item=301079083678
So... Why would one use this product typically? Would I simply be using this to see if it stops any leak temporarily? Of course... That's exactly what you just said, so the answer is in the question (duh)
UPJOHN
TJ Enthusiast
Newest development... And I'm guessing it's all related to the loss of coolant. Coolant in reservoir is even lower... I don't see evidence of reservoir leak, radiator cap leak, heater core leak, oil
In the coolant, or coolant in the oil... And recently I notice popping sounds during deceleration and most recently loss of power while accelerating (mostly in low gears) it feels like it's going to stall, but then it doesn't. I'm guessing there isn't much more time to mess around guessing what it might be... Should I get her to a shop ASAP? I don't know anyone who can help me other than the shop
In the coolant, or coolant in the oil... And recently I notice popping sounds during deceleration and most recently loss of power while accelerating (mostly in low gears) it feels like it's going to stall, but then it doesn't. I'm guessing there isn't much more time to mess around guessing what it might be... Should I get her to a shop ASAP? I don't know anyone who can help me other than the shop
If you don't have the tools or skills to work on it yourself, then yes, I would definitely get it to a shop ASAP before it leaves you stranded. If you're losing coolant but you're 100% sure it's not leaking under the car or into the car (heater core), than you almost certainly have a blown head gasket which is letting coolant mix into your oil. That's the only plausible explanation, since your coolant has to be going somewhere.
I don't think I can afford to fix that...
This thing has been more trouble in 8 months than my Saturn was in 12 years...
Strange, my TJ has been the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned... Seriously.
A head gasket job on a TJ shouldn't cost all that much in all honestly. I'm thinking it's about 6-10 hours of labor depending on which shop does it.
A head gasket job on a TJ shouldn't cost all that much in all honestly. I'm thinking it's about 6-10 hours of labor depending on which shop does it.
Just for giggles and shitz stop at your local auto parts and see if you can get a coolant pressure tester loaner or rental. It should expose any issues that may exist.
Agreed. I'm not saying it's for sure the head gasket. I'm simply saying that if you've been under the vehicle and you're 100% certain there are no obvious coolant leaks under the vehicle (which shouldn't be hard to spot), and you're also 100% certain it's not the heater core... That really only leaves the head gasket as the only possible way the coolant is disappearing.
On the other hand, if your vehicle is sputtering and backfiring, it should be throwing codes.
On the other hand, if your vehicle is sputtering and backfiring, it should be throwing codes.
I'm taking it to a little country shop with a master mechanic who's been good to me in the past to have the system tested tomorrow... I'm just frustrated. I spent all my money on tires and tie rods last week. I don't know anything about jeep anything so I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed is all. I'll check the codes... I did that once before.
See what he says. Hopefully it's just something simple.
You're having a unique experience. I say that, because assuming you take care of the 4.0 engine in your Jeep, it's honestly one of the most bullet proof and reliable engines out there.
The kicker is that a lot of times the person who owned it before you didn't bother taking care of it, so then you end up being the one who gets to deal with the problems. The good thing though is that the problems aren't going to be huge ones like bad piston rings, crankshaft bearings, etc. (well, it's possible, but very uncommon), it's usually simple things like gaskets, seals, electronics, etc.
You're having a unique experience. I say that, because assuming you take care of the 4.0 engine in your Jeep, it's honestly one of the most bullet proof and reliable engines out there.
The kicker is that a lot of times the person who owned it before you didn't bother taking care of it, so then you end up being the one who gets to deal with the problems. The good thing though is that the problems aren't going to be huge ones like bad piston rings, crankshaft bearings, etc. (well, it's possible, but very uncommon), it's usually simple things like gaskets, seals, electronics, etc.
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