Coolant temperature gauge needle buried after one mile

JFUNDRAISER

MEMBER
2005 JEEP WRANGLER TJ
4.0L
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
175,000 MILES

Radiator/water pump/serpentine replaced this past summer. I can drive her about a mile and then I hear a rattling/tapping sound, check gauges light comes on and the needle for the coolant temperature gauge buries instantly and I need to pull over to and pop the hood to get her to cool down for five minutes before I can go another mile or so and only in lower speeds thirty to thirty five mph. Heater buys me another minute or two but she is sizzling from just behind radiator. Almost like nothing is cooling the engines. Jeep-experienced (Mopar engine) responses.

2 Replies

HARRY P

MECHANIC
2,292 POSTS

Replace the thermostat. It sounds like it is stuck shut, or installed backwards. If you have already replaced it over the summer, do it again. After market thermostats do fail sometimes.

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Tuesday, November 21st, 2017 AT 7:21 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,740 POSTS

Also, you could try this. When the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap and make sure it is full of coolant. Start the vehicle and let it warm up. Once it reaches normal operating temperature, you should see the coolant flowing in the radiator. If it does not and the vehicle overheats, as aforementioned, the thermostat is most likely bad. I have also seen the lower radiator hose collapse on these vehicles.