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anyone install daystar louvers?

J

jmg222

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
US
Just picked up a set :
http://www.daystarweb.com/productdetail.php?productID=1472


As usuall, I bought really before doing a ton of research. I like the way these look, but after mocking them up, using the stock template, they sit pretty much over mid point on the hood, over the valve covers.


I'm a little concerned that they should be lower down for effective heat evacuation. MY '88 is running a touch hot at highway speed with the A/C on (230 ish), which is to be expected I guess given that I have a 350 under the hood.


anwyway, has anyone installed these? before I start cutting, have they done anything for temps, or should I install them lower down on the hood, closer to the radiator?
 
I have done louvers on two different XJs. Lumina Z34 louvers towards the outside of the hood on my 01 and universal louvers towards the middle rear on my 95. In my experience they really only help with heat when slow crawling on the trail. Something else is not sized properly or working right to make your coolant temp that high.

2001:

HPIM1371.jpg


1995:

B4AB4BD5-AE52-47CB-819E-2C7CDC65089C_zpsxnjvecnl.jpg
 
IllianaXJ said:
. Something else is not sized properly or working right to make your coolant temp that high.
Click to expand...

Yeah, a 350 sb chevy motor :)

Thanks, that's helpful... did you see any actual coolant temp drop with the loovers? I know they work great at dropping underhood temps, but have read so-so reviews on coolant drop.
 
Right, I got the part about the 350. Did you reuse the stock radiator or did you upgrade the cooling system to handle the 350?

I didn't see any coolant temp drop, but I also don't have any issues running hot and it seems the e-fan doesn't come on as much when slow crawling. On the highway it runs at 210 as designed.
 
I used LeBaron vents on mine and, like Byron, didn't really notice any lower temps on mine. I run at 210* constantly. I know it is dispelling a lot of heat as I can see the "wavy air" coming out of them at stop lights. I put them basically where Byron put his on the '95, but much closer to center because they are considerably larger.
 
My DIY hood vents haven't noticeably lowered coolant temps, either. At least not when observing the stock temp gauge on the dash. I have the stock 4.0L engine (168k ODO). Running the A/C unit on the MAX setting often times lowers coolant temps, as that's when the aux fan turns on. Louvers do help with under the hood temps. Like others, the normal coolant temp is right around 210*, but under extreme conditions I've seen >230*. I've seen many desert XJ's with the back of the hood spaced up a few inches. I think it would be neat if someone made a product that could automatically raise the back of the hook when temps increase above normal.

XJ1.jpg


Here's my motivation for cutting vents in the hood:
XJ3.jpg

-t
 
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I placed my Napiers toward the rear and sides of my hood. Placement toward the sides was done to avoid having them directly over sensors. I have noticed an improvement in that my temps don't spike into the red anymore. With that said I have to wonder how much of that improvement is simply due to having removed the insulting pad from the bottom side of the hood.
 
IllianaXJ said:
Something else is not sized properly or working right to make your coolant temp that high
Click to expand...

I did a 5.0L swap in my '87 Ranger and it runs all day in traffic with the AC on at 205* max with a single e-fan; never budged over that. Something in the cooling system isn't sized right or working properly. Check for kinks or if the hoses collapse and restrict flow. What did you do for that 350? Upgraded radiator? Bigger e-fans?
 
Rod Knee said:
I placed my Napiers toward the rear and sides of my hood. Placement toward the sides was done to avoid having them directly over sensors. I have noticed an improvement in that my temps don't spike into the red anymore. With that said I have to wonder how much of that improvement is simply due to having removed the insulting pad from the bottom side of the hood.
Click to expand...

I've heard that concern before, and had it myself, until I was parked in the rain for 4 days in Kentucky at the Cherokee Crawl - hard rain at times - and had no ill effects. I'm not worried about it anymore.

77CC565F-0D74-4A2D-9D40-1CFB7A96556A_zpss7qrpquq.jpg


IMG_0728_zpsfbf70891.jpg
 
IllianaXJ said:
Right, I got the part about the 350. Did you reuse the stock radiator or did you upgrade the cooling system to handle the 350?

I didn't see any coolant temp drop, but I also don't have any issues running hot and it seems the e-fan doesn't come on as much when slow crawling. On the highway it runs at 210 as designed.
Click to expand...

Brand new cooling system, novack kryocool aluminum radiator.
 
CarbonXJ said:
I did a 5.0L swap in my '87 Ranger and it runs all day in traffic with the AC on at 205* max with a single e-fan; never budged over that. Something in the cooling system isn't sized right or working properly. Check for kinks or if the hoses collapse and restrict flow. What did you do for that 350? Upgraded radiator? Bigger e-fans?
Click to expand...

this is what I'm using -- with 3 efans, and novack constructed an integrated shroud:

http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/cooling/radiators/xj/k-xj11h.htm

only thing I can think of is that maybe my winch is interfereing with airflow? there's no obstructions, no air pockets, all efans are turning on on queue, and none of the coolant lines are collapsed.
 
http://www.crawlerz.com/XJ3.jpg
I did the exact same set up on my 95 XJ w/4.0 about 4 years ago. I used a Chrysler turbo coupe car? It's a single vent and put the trans cooler as you did! I tried setting the fan up to blow in and then suck out the air but it still ran pretty hot! I put the Grand Cherokee fan clutch in and all my hot issues stopped!
Now as to a V/8 under the hood! I tried everything with my 85 XJ Boss 289! I tried going mechanical fan, pusher electric fan, puller electric, both mechanical and electric together, nothing worked right! The mechanical gave me good temps at freeway speeds the electric gave me good temps slow crawl! It did not help that the 289 was bored 60 over! I will resurrect it with a stock bore 302 eventually. There was nothing available after market when I built my 85! No triple fan radiators, no aluminum ones, all there was was additives like Below 40* and electric fans.
IMO I would start with the ZJ fan clutch and throw in the vents only for off road wheeling reasons. Having dealt with 4.0 and V8 heat issues, I do not think the size of those vents will make any difference at highway speeds, IMO! You'd be better off increasing radiator capacity combined with a 190* thermostat provided you have enough water capacity to allow ample cooling time! Water pump speeds also can hurt or help! There is so much in the cooling of an engine that most are unaware of!
 
I added the trans cooler the weekend after my trans temp hit 250. The trans cooler works very well.

Can you tell us more about your Grand Cherokee fan clutch install? I'm sure everyone would like to keep engine temps 210 or below under all conditions and it seems like you have tried and true methods on how to achieve just that :)

-t
 
Boss Cherokee said:
http://www.crawlerz.com/XJ3.jpg
I did the exact same set up on my 95 XJ w/4.0 about 4 years ago. I used a Chrysler turbo coupe car? It's a single vent and put the trans cooler as you did! I tried setting the fan up to blow in and then suck out the air but it still ran pretty hot! I put the Grand Cherokee fan clutch in and all my hot issues stopped!
Now as to a V/8 under the hood! I tried everything with my 85 XJ Boss 289! I tried going mechanical fan, pusher electric fan, puller electric, both mechanical and electric together, nothing worked right! The mechanical gave me good temps at freeway speeds the electric gave me good temps slow crawl! It did not help that the 289 was bored 60 over! I will resurrect it with a stock bore 302 eventually. There was nothing available after market when I built my 85! No triple fan radiators, no aluminum ones, all there was was additives like Below 40* and electric fans.
IMO I would start with the ZJ fan clutch and throw in the vents only for off road wheeling reasons. Having dealt with 4.0 and V8 heat issues, I do not think the size of those vents will make any difference at highway speeds, IMO! You'd be better off increasing radiator capacity combined with a 190* thermostat provided you have enough water capacity to allow ample cooling time! Water pump speeds also can hurt or help! There is so much in the cooling of an engine that most are unaware of!
Click to expand...

thanks.. does that 40 below stuff actually work? I'm just using a straight 50-50 mix right now with no other additives.

I'm more concerned with off road slow speeds anyway -- at highway speeds, turning off the a/c definitly helps the temp go back under 220. I'm takjing the rig out off road for the first time at rausche in a few weeks, and want to make sure I'm not going to see overheating issues.
 
What does the front of your jeep look like?

If you're having troubles with coolant temps at highway speeds, you'll likely have those issues offroad, too. You seem concerned about how you've mounted your winch? I was concerned with blocking air flow to the radiator, as well.

So, I mounted my winch inside the front bumper.

XJ5.jpg
 
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here's a pic of the front
20fesdt.jpg

2ds25qb.jpg
 
ehall said:
Maybe put a couple of holes in the inner fenders and let air flow through those.
Click to expand...

maybe a set of gills like from my 'vette...:)
 
Very impressive V8 install in your XJ. Looks like it would be fairly easy to unbolt your winch, etc. to test if the air flow is in fact being obstructed.

-t
 
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