Help remind me of stock running temps

[Thayer]

I started to change my cooling system a few years ago and I have totally forgotten how the stock system use to work in terms of temps. I'm thinking of totally overhauling my fan system, but want to benchmark what I have currently before changing stuff. I know the stock (97+) temp gauge is probably not accurate, but I'm hoping it's consistent between vehicles and it's all I have to work with anyways. With these past summer temps in the 100's, can someone tell me where the needle sits (or moves between) in normal traffic with your AC on and off?

Sorry about the bad pic. Ignore the red and green lines. Let me know where your needle sits by pointing out the color of the line. From low to high, they go aqua, yellow, pink, purple. The center number and red zone numbers on the 97+ gauge reads 210 and 260. Thanks for any help.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a115/Thayer00/overcool2-2.jpg

[Saudade]

It's been pretty hot this past week here in SoCal. My '88 stays pretty much a bit south of the purple line. More to the yellow if I run my a/c (due to the elec fan staying on more). Mine's a stock closed system so it may not be a fair comparison.

On a "normal " day (like in the 70's) it hovers right around the 210 mark (without a/c).

[Gnat5680]

mine is usaly in the 210* aqua area but then again it also says purple or above and thenb i turn it off and it is aqua again.


i would say 210* aqua.

[drifto77]

aqua

AC on or off, even with as hot as its been, my 99 runs 210 or just a little below.
some times, but not often, the width of the needle over 210.

[RichP]

My 98 sits a hair above green, almost dead between green and 210. When I climb back up the hill from the valley to the poconos on the turnpike at 75+ it may get up to 210 and cools right down as soon as I go thru the bluemountain tunnel and head downhill..

[Thayer]

Is your setup stock RichP? If not, what mods?

[mrrbby]

Aqua. Ac on or off. The only times it ever went above that is when a radiator hose gave out, and when I towed a parts jeep home. It didn't rise much above the yellow line towing.

[Saudade]

Hmmm... I meant to say the pink and not purple line from above.

S (Barbiephobic)

[Idiot Wind]

My 98 sits a hair above green, almost dead between green and 210. When I climb back up the hill from the valley to the poconos on the turnpike at 75+ it may get up to 210 and cools right down as soon as I go thru the bluemountain tunnel and head downhill..
so does mine. it rarely gets above the 210 mark.

[RichP]

Is your setup stock RichP? If not, what mods?

No mods, original rad with over 300K on it

[POSXJGuy]

well mine is finally about the green line. all i did was clean out the cooling system, make sure i have the right mix of coolant and water and changed the thermostat to a cheapo standt. now even in heat and a/c on its stays at the green line. i should have done it earlier as i was runnin in the yellow constantly.

[Thayer]

Thanks for the info everybody. This pretty much confirms what I was dreading, I have to change my fan setup.

The FAL110 and stock electric actually worked well last summer, like the behavior RichP and Idiot describe. This summer, my temps have been getting high, around the yellow and pink. I just moved and I think it's hotter here and the lady friend always wants the AC on. Damnit.

[RichP]

Thanks for the info everybody. This pretty much confirms what I was dreading, I have to change my fan setup.

The FAL110 and stock electric actually worked well last summer, like the behavior RichP and Idiot describe. This summer, my temps have been getting high, around the yellow and pink. I just moved and I think it's hotter here and the lady friend always wants the AC on. Damnit.

Bunch of people converted to electic, most quietly converted back to mech/electric. Noticed something on a armada out in the lot, has pusher fan down under the rad, don't know if thats condenser or tranny cooler..just noticed it today when I was walking back up from the annex..

[Thayer]

Bunch of people converted to electic, most quietly converted back to mech/electric. Noticed something on a armada out in the lot, has pusher fan down under the rad, don't know if thats condenser or tranny cooler..just noticed it today when I was walking back up from the annex..
Going back to stock in probably the smart thing to do. I'll have to figure something out.

Interesting, I'll have to crawl under one of those Nissans to look. Off topic, but did anybody see the Modern Marvels: Proving Grounds episode. They talked about this military vehicle test where they go WOT on a simulated 60* incline for 6 hours and the coolant temp can't go over 200 or something like that.

[Saudade]

A couple of comments.....

First, you're right. The gauges are not that accurate. IMO, the difference between 210 and 220 is insignificant. Neither indicate an overheat condition.

The efficiency of your cooling system (cooling or heating) is dependent on the difference in temp between the 2 regions (in this case, the radiator and the air flowing through it. On a hot day (100 deg+), all cooling systems struggle. Coolant temps run higher, a/c systems blow warmer air.

Engine temps are also affected by the air circulating around the engine. This is generally not a problem for a straight 6. However, some people have added hood vents.

My '88 still has the stock closed system. As long as I maintain it, it works fine. Temps here in SoCal have topped over 100 in the past week or 2. The temps I reported above are in that environment.

I wish my Apt had A/C.!!!!

[Timber]

aqua

AC on or off, even with as hot as its been, my 99 runs 210 or just a little below.
some times, but not often, the width of the needle over 210.
X2, right down to being a '99.

[RichP]

A couple of comments.....I wish my Apt had A/C.!!!!

Geeze, normally home depot has 5,000btu window units for $69, I picked up a sears 4,000btu unit thats 11" high and fits in the steel frame of my cast in concrete steel frame that my windows normally sit in for keeping the humidity down in my basement and cool the computers that are down there. Last summer I picked up a 9,000btu unit at HD for $169..

[frankenstang57]

Mine rarely gets above the aqua. Usually between the green and aqua. This is off road in 100* heat. I'm running the stock system with the t-stat gutted, AC on but unpluged compressor to keep the fan on, and hood vents. As expected, the thing does run cold when the temps are low. I did this because the thing used to run really hot all the time, then I got smart and replaced the fan clutch. I've just been too lazy to put a new t-stat back in...

[Thayer]

First, you're right. The gauges are not that accurate. IMO, the difference between 210 and 220 is insignificant. Neither indicate an overheat condition.

Thanks everyone for their input.

That's true Saudade. That's exactly the reason why I'm having a hard time deciding whether to make changes or not. I was stuck in city stop and go traffic yesterday in 98 degree weather and I was solidly in the yellow the whole time. The weird thing is that I was even stuck in the yellow when I was on the freeway for about 15 minutes, going a steady 70 mph. This makes me wonder if my radiator is clogged (just flushed it a few weeks ago with the 8 hour Prestone chem flush and replaced the thermostat with a new OEM...the hoses are only 2 years old and the lower one has a spring...waterpump is also only 2 years old). This leaves me with a few options:

(1) do nothing
(2) replace radiator with aluminum unit and keep stock fans
(3) replace fan setup with a more cfm unit
(4) replace radiator and fan setup (ouch...mucho deniro)

[IslanderOffRoad]

I'm around aqua, my a/c doesnt work, I'm in SoCal.

I want it a little bit cooler, getting the rad replaced.

[j99xj]

My 98 sits a hair above green, almost dead between green and 210.

Thats about what mine is. Id say thats about 195 to 200 degrees. Right where it has almost always run at. I've had my Jeep for over 4 years.

[wraithblade]

Sits at around 210 except in traffic, where it will creep up to 230 before the electric fan kicks in and drops it back to 210. This is a 91XJ, 240k, original cooling system (except a couple hoses).

[PETEY]

right at the green. even sitting in traffic in over 100 degree weather. all new fan clutch, thermostat, overflow bottle an cap, radiator rodded out, but all stock

[Saudade]

Thayer,
These frequent temp discussions are always a bit facinating. It seems like some people think these are high precision gauges and some get really wound up if they perceive theirs off by even a few degress. Some people consider my readings too high for their liking.

Did you use a flush kit when you did the Prestone? Did you make sure to flush out the heater core?

Each XJ seems to have it's own "character" when it comes to things like coolant temp, oil pressure, and cranking time to start. If you're confident that there is nothing wrong with any components, then just monitor the variations in temp to see where your "sweet spot" is. Take action when it deviates from it.

In the end, it's your rig.

[Fish'nCarz]

My 2001 is running right below 210 most of the time, maybe a bit over, like 215 last week when the weatherman said the heat index here in West Michigan was around 108 degrees and I was running the a/c all the time.

BUT, today on a road trip I left my teenagers in the car while I ran into the quickie mart for pop, and the thing ran up past your purple line and the "Check Guages" light came on until I had driven a couple of blocks, then it cooled back down to about 215. It was only in the 80's here when this happened. Is this normal? I'm thinking maybe I've got a thermostat going bad.