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[Riobh]

hi,
I got a problem and I’m kind of hoping you can help me out  - hope you don’t mind.
My 1999 Cherokee 2.5TD recently started blowing coolant out the radiator vent cap. I have been told this is because either the vent cap is not working properly or the cylinder head is cracked. I replaced the cap but its still blowing coolant so I figure its probably the cylinder head.
The thing is, the truck is showing none of the classic signs of a cracked cylinder head - no oil in the water, no water in the oil, the oils not foamy, no coolant is getting blown out the exhaust, no coolant smell in the exhaust fumes, no exhaust gases escaping out the radiator (carried out a sort of crude home test on it) etc, etc. Are there any other tell tale signs I should be looking for? Its getting pressure tested on Friday to try to figure it out for sure.
I guess my real question is, if it turns out that its not the cylinder head, what else could be causing the problem? It doesn’t happen all the time, tends to just be after it’s been driven at 70mph or over for 10-15mins or more. The temp gauge is reading normal all the time and never shows any sign of over heating.
Hope someone can help. Thanks

[tim_aka_tim]

Not familiar with the 2.5D, but on the 4l, high pressure is fed back to the header tank with a return pipe. Perhaps your return pipe is blocked and the cap is the only escape?

[Mike Pavelin]

Yup. If it's pressurising the coolant tank and blowing it out of the cap, there's a good chance you have a cracked head. They usually run fine apart from that for a while. If you run it up from cold with the cap off and watch as it warms up, you'll see bubbles of gas start to appear in the coolant tank after a while, a sure sign you have a leak of some kind.

[Riobh]

tim_aka_tim - not that familiar with the 2.5TD myself, I tend to just drive it, break it and hope someone else can fix it!! (shouldn't really be admitting that here  :lol: I will get that checked out though, Thanks!

Mike, tried that this mornin. Ran it from cold up to normal temp, then for another 10-15mins. Didn't get no bubbles. Just a bit of steam and a smooth, calm water surface  :?

[mack]

Any updates on this?

I've had a simialr problem and am considering it could be the water pump..  The heater is cool when idling, but rev to 2000+ rpm + full blast heater..Possible?

It is loosing water too, but with no signs of leakage, water in oil or exhaust smoke etc..

How much for the pump? Easy enough DIY job? And where from? Lighthouse, VM Specialsit...?


Cheers

 :wink:

[Riobh]

Hi, the latest is that the pressure test revealed a leaking cylinder head gasket, with possible crack in the head but won't know for sure till its taken apart. After the test the Jeep just sort of started falling apart at the seams - water every where, warning lights flashing everywhere. Reckon there probably has been a crack in the head and the pressure test has blown it into the Grand Canyon. In short - Me thinks its knackered!!! Jeep is now sitting gathering cobwebs in the drive till I can afford to fix it
Incidentally, it had a new water pump fitted in January and I wondered if this could have contributed to the problem? If the system wasn't bled through properly could an airlock have caused a hot spot in the engine that could then weaken and crack?

Pump cost about £200 (fitted) at the stealership

[mack]

Riobh, as I said on Differs, I have a cracked head too.

I was suspecting water pump, but there is defo exhaust gases in my coolant.

Dunno if the faulty pump could have caused the probs, but mines not been the same since the radiator burst, so overheating seem to be the problem at the root of it all.  

Can any Birty recommend a garage/mechanic near Edinburgh that could fix these for us? It's a times like this I really miss mountainjacks.  

Anyone any idea how much it is for a new gasket and head etc fitted? I've seen prices from VM specialist and Mansfield, for the parts, anywhere else to try?

[skip]

Mack, you could always try Gwyn at Bigrapidsoffroad.  I bought my lift kit from him but it would on the off chance as i'm not sure he deals other things since dissolving mountain jacks.

[mack]

Hi Skip, I don't think he'd be too 'interested' in doing it. Might be wrong though, does he post on here? Hopefully he might see this and help out