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Summer running temps. am I o.k.

B

bl87xj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
So Cal
Alright, I just got this '88 4.0 Auto.

One of the things I had the shop do when I got it was change all the hoses, flush out the coolant, check the t-state and water pump. Everything got the A-O.K.

I am planning on turning this thing over to my kid later this year, so I have been driving it to work out the bugs.

Running temps are just about a needle width higher than the 210 mark. Hot day, stop and go it starts to edge up, but never gets more than 1/2 way to the next white mark. Temps drop fairly quickly once it gets moving, or even at idle, which I figure is a good sign.

I would love to see the thing running to the left of 210.

So which is it:
1) perfectly normal for a 19 year old 4.0 jeep
2)O.K., just keep an eye on the temps as you drive.
3) Something needs attention soon
4) Take it back in and replace _____________.
 
I think that 210 is around the usual running temp of the 4.0l engine in summer heat, even though it seems a little high compared to some other engines on the market. Mine runs at around the same temp as yours in 110 degree heat climbing hills and that, but seems to cool as soon as you get moving again, so I'm not worried about it.
 
They should have replaced the T-stat...its like a 5-10 dollar part....not sure how you "check" it other than stick it in the oven with a temp gauge to see when it opens....

If you want your temps a little lower, check out Royal Purple's "Purple Ice"...believe you put the whole bottle in, so you might have to suck out some antifreeze...but its not a big bottle, maybe 12 ounces. that should help your temps a few degrees....maybe 8 to 10 if you are lucky.
 
i'd say its normal. Mine runs a hair over 210 if i'm sitting in traffic w/o the a/c on. Cruising it runs just a hair below 210 (even when it's pushing 100* outside). All i've done was drain and refill the coolant....still got the same hoses and the same tstat in....and I did the drain and refill last summer.

You said it starts to creep up in traffic, but then comes back down. When it starts creeping up, you should hear the electric fan kick on.....and it sounds like both it and the mechanical fan are doing their jobs.

I wouldn't be worried about it :)
 
sounds pretty normal to me
 
you can also get a 180* thermostat that costs like $11 that gets your temp down around 180 Jeep has them run at 210 to try to make them less poluting even my 04 TJ runs at 210
 
Thanks for the replies. Good to know I am O.K. Especially since it is just an around towner.

This is my first XJ, and my only other "not new" car is an Air cooled VW...no overheating worries there.

Been a while since I had a car I had to keep an eye on guages.

When do you guys start to get worried? I figure as long as it is recovering and not hitting the next white line up from 210 I should be O.K.
 
when you notice the needle not returning to 210....especially when you are driving at highway speeds....

Just out of curiosity, when they drained your antifreeze, did they do a "flush" - like that Prestone super flush...?
 
Yeah they did a flush, as explained to me they flush it out until everything is flowing through clean. I think they do a pressure test of some sort as well.
 
KMJXJ said:
you can also get a 180* thermostat that costs like $11 that gets your temp down around 180 Jeep has them run at 210 to try to make them less poluting even my 04 TJ runs at 210
Click to expand...

It doesn't get your temp down to 180. It just opens the thermostat at 180 degrees, so it opens earlier. it really doesn't make a cooling difference because the Jeep can still get as hot as it was getting before.
 
bl87xj said:
Alright, I just got this '88 4.0 Auto.

One of the things I had the shop do when I got it was change all the hoses, flush out the coolant, check the t-state and water pump. Everything got the A-O.K.

I am planning on turning this thing over to my kid later this year, so I have been driving it to work out the bugs.

Running temps are just about a needle width higher than the 210 mark. Hot day, stop and go it starts to edge up, but never gets more than 1/2 way to the next white mark. Temps drop fairly quickly once it gets moving, or even at idle, which I figure is a good sign.

I would love to see the thing running to the left of 210.

So which is it:
1) perfectly normal for a 19 year old 4.0 jeep
2)O.K., just keep an eye on the temps as you drive.
3) Something needs attention soon
4) Take it back in and replace _____________.
Click to expand...

mainly 1, and partly 2 (only in hot weather). But I would say that you do not have any remotely serious problems.

A coolant flush might keeps your temps a little lower. You could also check the operation of your auxilary fan (it pulls the temp down when it gets to about 215-220.)

DO NOT take the stupid advice and make major mods to your cooling system - the engine was DESIGNED for most efficient operation at 210.
 
He has the closed system with a 1988. Maybe it has some air left?

If that's the case you can speed up the bleeding process by removing the rear gauge sender or just letting it take it's course! Eventually it'll burp itself completely.
 
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