1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.2 L Close to overheating and stalling out in very long heavy traffic.

55

Asked by jexee Jul 09, 2012 at 03:20 AM about the 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Hi, I have a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 5.2 liter engine with 203,000 miles which until recently  has been running great. The other day I was in unusually heavy traffic for about 2 hours. The engine was very close to overheating and I had to keep my foot on the brake while giving it some gas to keep it from going into the red on the temp gauge. At the same time the battery voltage went down to 9 volts at times and I even came close to stalling out 3 times because the rpms went down to just about zero. When I finally got to moving at a regular speed, everything went back to normal. I checked the battery and get 12 volts with the engine off and 14 volts with the engines running, so I don't think it is a battery problem. What else can it be? Thanks for your help.

4 Answers

24,495

You will show lower volts on the system when the temp rises. if your above 14 now it should be ok. Your engine was most likely cutting because of the low voltage. Many sensors and PCM's need about 10.8 volts minimum.

1 people found this helpful.
725

regarding you almost overheating ... 1 Your radiator may be marginal ... semi clogged ... they get that way after many years of use ... 2 Your fan clutch may be worn out and not allowing enough air to flow thru radiator when engine is at idle ... 3 Your idle speed is too low and allowing the battery to discharge and engine to overheat. In emergency situations to lessen the chance of overheating you can run your heater to reduce your engine temperature... best to get radiator, idle speed and fan clutch checked.

3 people found this helpful.
55

Thanks for your help guys. I ended up replacing the battery and have had no problems since. Again, thanks for your help.

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