My Jeep is making a horrible knocking noise.

CBOISVERT

MEMBER
2003 JEEP LIBERTY
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
156,000 MILES

Okay so I had a friend change my thermostats and when he was finished my jeep was leaking antifreeze. He then told me he didn't know if he had put it in there right or if he had tightened the radiator house all the way. He then went to try and fix it again and broke a bolt where the thermostats would go. He told me it wouldn't be a problem and he would fix it the next day. I drove it to work the following day and the temperature gage went all the way to high. When I went to leave work my jeep started making this horrible knocking noise and I could feel it in the gas pedal. Then once again my temperature gage went all the way up. I pulled over and had it towed to my home. Any idea what is wrong with it please help! Thank you!

2 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

If there's no actual leak at the Stat housing or somewhere -maybe all you need is to bleed the air out-try this 1st

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Thursday, December 5th, 2013 AT 2:40 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,870 POSTS

Can't blame this one on your friend. There's a fix for a leak and there's a solution for a broken bolt. There isn't a solution for driving the vehicle with a coolant leak and expecting the engine to not overheat. At this point you'll want a professional to listen to it and give his opinion but if a connecting rod is knocking, at a minimum you'll need a new crankshaft, main bearings, and connecting rod bearings. With the labor involved, a good used engine may be a less-expensive alternative.

There are other, less serious things that can cause knocking but they aren't related to overheating. It would be nice if it's not due to internal engine damage, but that would be quite the coincidence.