I have a 07 JK and I get this feeling that it runs hot even though the gauge shows the needle stright up,but I get that smell outside should put in a differnt thermostat--I have a cold air in-take installed if that makes a difference

 

I wouldn't start replacing parts until you determined what, if anything is wrong. If you are smelling hot engine coolant, but the temp guage reads normal, then I would start by looking for coolant leaks. Small leaks can get on hot parts and give you that "overheated" smell.

Engines that are overheated often start pinging due to the increased cylinder head temps, and typically have less power. A bad thermostat can cause this, but again, I would make sure that the engine is truly overheating before changing parts.

 

I have a 2007 with 22k miles on it.. garaged.. babied.. I smell coolant.. I think it's just a POS chrysler and it's the way it is.

 

I would check coolant levels and proper mixture first.

 

Yea I did that

 

Buy or borrow an infrared temp gun and point it at the thermostat housing when the engine is warmed up. If the temp reads between 190°F and 215°F, it's normal, and the gauge will be straight up.