Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: SMT on June 08, 2009, 04:28:41 PM

Title: Overheating engine and brakes
Post by: SMT on June 08, 2009, 04:28:41 PM

Hi,

I'm new here, so hello!

I'm new to Jeep ownership and after a fairly long run yesterday on twisty roads, so alot of accelerating and then braking, when I finally stopped the brakes were smoking a bit! Is this normal?

Also when I switched the engine off there was a small amount of coolant leaking from somewhere. I started the engine again and the fan came on and cooled things down, but as soon as I stopped the engine again the cooling fan failed to run with the engine off and it started to get hot again. Is it normal for the cooling fan not to come on when your have switched the engine off?

Thanks - Simon.

Title: Re: Overheating engine and brakes
Post by: Tank on June 08, 2009, 05:06:43 PM

After a lot of braking the brakes can get very hot,but you may have a caliper starting to stick too as this is a common fault.The fluid could be from the air con breather pipe,this is natural,or maybe a bit of excess from the coolant bottle as you ran it so hot.The fan is electric and will work off a thermostatic sensor so may not always come on immediately.Not 100% sure on the XJ but some fans will run on for a while after engine is switched off but some wont,so i would only worry if it fails to switch on when you are running the engine at above temperature.Im sure i will be corrected as to the XJ specifics but hope this helps anyway

Title: Re: Overheating engine and brakes
Post by: tim_aka_tim on June 08, 2009, 05:22:58 PM

My XJ never ran the fan with the ignition off when hot.

As for the coolant, check it's not just condensation from the aircon. If it is coolant,
then the most sensible place to start looking is the water pump, then rad.

Title: Re: Overheating engine and brakes
Post by: Dave69 on June 08, 2009, 06:00:39 PM

if your running around then you will heat the brakes big time. the smoking is from the pads themselves and the dust generated from the worn pads. feel the wheels to see if one side is hotter than the other. be wary as one side could sieze and will need a rebuild (£30 approx for a rebuild kit forboth calipers). The xj's fan doesnt run on after shut down like with other cars. the best way to cool the jeep down is to let it idle with the fan running until the temp drops to below 100

Title: Re: Overheating engine and brakes
Post by: SMT on June 09, 2009, 10:36:07 AM

Thanks for the replies.

The water is not from condensation caused by the Air-con, it's definetely a leak somewhere in the cooling system as I had to top up the expansion bottle yesterday. I guess there is a leak somewhere, possibly either the water pump or rad as tim has suggested. I'll have to have a look.

Thanks again...

Title: Re: Overheating engine and brakes
Post by: captain cavalier on June 09, 2009, 02:01:06 PM

one of my facelift fans runs when the engine ignition is turned off

this fan is one on the os and is for the aircon and gearbox cooling on the auto

Title: Re: Overheating engine and brakes
Post by: SMT on July 22, 2009, 11:32:44 AM

It was the water pump which finally gave up the ghost last week. New one fitted yesterday.