remove condenser to cool better?

[Speed_racer]

I do NOT use my a/c system. If I were to remove my a/c condenser, would it help my XJ cool better?

Ive got a new fan clutch, elec fan, thermo, thermo housing, water pump , rad, and hoses, yet i STILL run hot!! lol

[Rev Den]

Whats hot?

When I removed my condensor in my 90, it ran at the exact same temp as before.....210F

Rev

[yellowta]

You could try some of that "purple ice" stuff thats supposed to cool the antifreeze by 30% or something like that. Or try running without a thermostat... but then your heater would suck. Have you ran water through the block with a hose to check for any trash coming out? Could be some blockage in there. Dump one of the good flush kits in and let it do its thing, then pull the radiator hoses from the engine and run the hose through the thermostat housing with as much water pressure as you have and blast everything out the bottom. My old 94 blew out rust scales for days.

[Fred85]

^coolant additives are just bandaids

what year is your jeep?? i bet you either have air in the system, or clogged water jackets somewhere

[mikeny59]

I was running exactly midpoint at about 95k miles when I did one of Rich P's famous three-month prestone backflushes ha-ha which gacked out toxic waste for Lords' sake. (actually about 1 week).

Did a NAPA w/p, fan clutch, oem t-stat, and Water Wetter at the same time, AND consecutively :woohoo:

W/5yo gdi 3 row, dropped about twelve degrees, even during summer, and I can't say which one did the job, but I'm leanin' towards backflush then fan clutch, then water wetter.

The latter worked on brand new bikes i rode before i learned i was a spaz on 2wheels and sold them, so i'm inclined to think ww helped.

people more knowledgable than i have spoken of grossly inaccurate gauges/senders, maybe they'll chime in.

good luck...

[1985xjlaredo]

Open or closed system?

[Matthew Currie]

If you're running at the "hot" level XJ's normally run at, which is in the 210 degree range, then removing the condenser won't help much, because it's supposed to get that hot. If you want generally better cooling, obviously removing it won't hurt, and it might help if (like some folks here, some even very close to the keyboard on which this is being typed.....) you are driving a clapped-out old beater and you're too cheap to replace things until they blow up.

But do check the accuracy of your gauge. No point in worrying if it's just a bad gauge or sender.

[Jess]

If you don't use the ac, there is no need to have the condenser-so remove it. I have the same problem with my trail rig running hot and have replaced everything and done numerous flushes. I think my next step is to instal a tranny cooler.

[Speed_racer]

88 xj, closed cooling system. everything stated is new. Motor is completely burped. and block has been thoroughly flushed.

[Speed_racer]

hot means 220-230 on this one.

And I could check the accuracy of the gauge. although it seems to be pretty correct.

she cools down slowly when im moving, and if i hold the rpms at 1500 while sitting.

Although the motor/hood never seem SUPER hot when it is in its peak...

[yellowta]

I would start with converting to the open system. I helped a buddy swap his on an 89. He got a 3 core from radiator.com and an overflow bottle kit from auto zone. He ran at about 180 after that.

[Speed_racer]

was thinking of that, and have access to a 3 core rad... just need to find a writeup on the conversion

[Rev Den]

That hot...if it is correct...means you have an issue....find and fix.

Switching to an "open" system is not needed.
Magic cooling additions are not needed.
Bigger radiators are not needed.

Start at square A, go thru the system, find the flaw (it is there), and correct it.

I would double check the gauge.
Still have a fan shroud?
Belts tight?
Block flushed?
System holding pressure?

Rev

[Fred85]

well i think from this point, you should have your cooling system pressure tested................start from the cheapest point and work your way up, imo

does it burn coolant at all?

[langer1]

I would start with converting to the open system. I helped a buddy swap his on an 89. He got a 3 core from radiator.com and an overflow bottle kit from auto zone. He ran at about 180 after that.

Total waist of money, it's not the problem, open or closed the coolings the same.

For 18 years the closed system worked fine, it should work fine now.

What about air flow? Do you have a lift kit? Is the front high or low? Is the condenser full of dirt blocking air flow, last but not least those old gages are know to be wrong.

[Billfaceeee]

My freind owned a 93 GC and it always ran at 210to220 even after having to change the radiator and refill with coolant. My jeep though runs perfectly at 195*, less then 3K mile's ago had to put in a new radiator (leaking, go figure after 145,000 mile's and to discover a MoPar thermostat and the coolant being black[will take pictures to prove it] so considering the condition of the coolant it leads me to belelive that it was all original in the coolant/ing department) So when I changed the radiator, bought new hoses ALL of them, T-stat and cleaned out the overflow tank, heatercore, and block. Warm's up to temp in less then 5 min's and never move's after..guess im a lucky one in this department I usually hear alot of heating issues...remeber too hot would be around 225+ below that is livable considering gas engine's work via vaporizing fluid gas into vapor

[Speed_racer]

Question:

The elec fan is controlled by a sensor, sensors are either going to work, or not.

My elec fan does not kick on when the gauge reads 220-230... although if I sit there idling for 5 minutes it WILL kick on on its own.

Going to install an aftermarket temp gauge this weekend, but what are the chances of the gauge beuing wrong? even tho it stays fine while moving, and goes up while sitting?!?!

BTW, motor never smells of being hot or feels hot when it reads hot

[badron]

The factory stuff is hard to beat for a DD and for most towing or offing, I towed a 2800 LB trailer up some steep long hill with a pure stock coolant system. No problems. It took a 4300 LB trailer 107 DEG. F days in Death Valley before I felt the need to upgrade to a 3 core rad. After the upgrade I could run the AC again that was nice.

[XJ FREAK]

was thinking of that, and have access to a 3 core rad... just need to find a writeup on the conversion

XJ armor has what you need on the web

[montanaman]

what are the chances of the gauge beuing wrong? even tho it stays fine while moving, and goes up while sitting?!?!


Hmmm ... it could be your temp sender unit. There are several threads in here about people getting incorrect high readings after putting in a Niehoff or Napa brand (same thing) temp sender. When they replaced the sender with an OEM unit, gauge went back to normal.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

[1996cc]

hi jack on- could the condensor be used as a tranny cooler?? I don't use mine either.

[hizzo3]

ever thought about installing an an electric fan instead of a clutched fan? i've heard rumors of this working well, esp with a helper fan on the front.... make sure its sealed if its a trail rig

[Rev Den]

hi jack on- could the condensor be used as a tranny cooler?? I don't use mine either.

It "could" be.....but you will never be able to clean it out enough to avoid getting crap from the AC into the tranny.

Rev

[Rev Den]

ever thought about installing an an electric fan instead of a clutched fan? i've heard rumors of this working well, esp with a helper fan on the front.... make sure its sealed if its a trail rig

Why? The stock system will work just fine if everything is up to snuff.

Rev

[hotelfinder]

all jeeps are not the same...so different fixes for some problems

[Blaine B.]

It'll be a better selling point to have AC in there if you eventually sell it. And no, removing it won't help with cooling, unless the clutch on there is screwed and it's locking up and such.