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

24,775

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.

Your Answer:

Grand Cherokee

Looking for a Used Grand Cherokee in your area?

CarGurus has 3,136 nationwide Grand Cherokee listings starting at $3,995.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Hornet_2497
    Reputation
    8,970
  • #2
    Gene Arnett
    Reputation
    7,010
  • #3
    thejeepdoctor
    Reputation
    6,590
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Jeep Wrangler
139 Great Deals out of 4,992 listings starting at $4,500
Used Jeep Cherokee
101 Great Deals out of 1,589 listings starting at $4,999
Used Ford F-150
309 Great Deals out of 13,933 listings starting at $1,712
Used Ford Explorer
75 Great Deals out of 2,091 listings starting at $3,995
Used Toyota 4Runner
19 Great Deals out of 300 listings starting at $10,800
Used Chevrolet Tahoe
14 Great Deals out of 896 listings starting at $12,900
Used Chevrolet Camaro
20 Great Deals out of 281 listings starting at $7,995

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.