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Cooling the stroker.

CRASH

CRASH

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Foresthill, CA
As I suspected, my old POS GDI 3 row "Heavy Duty" :rolleyes: radiator does not adequately cool my beasty of a stroker. It's fine on the trail in any weather, aux fan is hardwired for full time operation, but at highway speed, uphill, in the summer weather, towing my trailer, it's running up at around 230-240.
Not good.

What's the recommendation? I've heard other stroker-heads mention Modine 2 row? Any other options? I can go high dollar aluminum if it will solve my highway cooling issues.

Specs: 9.3 to 1 Renix stroker, Isky 133125/26 cam, other bling internals.

CRASH
 
Honestly, my 4.6 Accurate power stroker runs on the cool side with an OEM...
 
My brother recently bought dirk at dpg offroads sweet heavy duty radiator and has been running it without a manual override of the electric fan. We live in the hotter than hell part of Texas and he has never needed to even think about running a manual switched electric fan. I believe this will be your best bang for your buck---------Kyle
 
Hadn't seen the DPG one....looks interesting.

With BOTW in Arizona this year.....I need MAX cooling. Last time we were there it was 110, and the loonies that live down there were wearing sweaters and complaining of the cold!

CRASH
 
Mine was running hot, as you remember on Fordyce. I had the 2 core that I had been running for quite a while with no problems, until the stroker. I wish I knew what radiator it was. Mine's an '88 and it was the closed system. After changing the fan clutch, and hard wiring the fan, I stuck in the 3 core that came in my spare XJ, and converted to the open system. Again, I wish I knew what brand radiator it is, but if I had to bet I'd say it was a GDI. Now, with the fan running all the time, and a 180* thermostat, I can't get it up to anywhere close to 200*, it's usually around 160*.

Sorry, I don't know what brand either of my radiators are. It's interesting though, it still seems that heating issues nearly always come down to the radiator.
 
This is probably going to sound too good to be true, but I'm still using my 12-1/2 year old factory 2-row radiator and I don't have any cooling issues with my stroker. If anything the cooling system is working too well at the moment. It's 55*F outside these days and my temp. gauge stays at the 1/4 mark on the highway. Last summer when it was 115*F, the gauge was still below 1/2 way driving on the highway with the A/C running.
I do have other cooling system upgrades though:

Robertshaw 180* t'stat
Dual electric fans
Flowkooler water pump
CTS 4.0Kohm parallel resistor mod (fans on at 210*, off at 185*)

Get a new 2-row Modine radiator like the one from the factory and you'll be happy.
 
Crash, my 3row GDI lasted 5 years before the tubes were nearly all plugged, this is with pretty regular coolant changes and flushing too. I took it in to the local rad shop last sumer for a hot tank and rod job, it was too far gone to save. It worked just fine in the winter months, but got hot on me on long hill pulls in the summer. BTW, it was converted to open style prior as well.
I replaced it with a 2 row Modine and all cooling problems disappeared......hope this helps you keep your cool.
 
Don't think there is any air, but the GDI is 5-6 years old, and that could very well be the problem.

Long uphill pulls seem to be the problem, as it never, ever gets hot on the trail. At first I thought I was running lean, but with the wideband o2 sensor hooked up, I can see that I am running 12.7 to 1 at WOT in 5th. That's plenty safe and a little on the rich side.

I guess I'll call DPG or get a Modine in before AZ.

Thanks for the input, all.

CRASH
 
Goatman said:
Now, with the fan running all the time, and a 180* thermostat, I can't get it up to anywhere close to 200*, it's usually around 160*.
Click to expand...

That may be an issue. Either your thermostat is not doing it's job or your temp. reading is off. Running too cool is not good with computer controlled cars.
 
I have a 3row GDI, 180* t-stat, and Flowcooler waterpump on my stroker.

Only time it really heats up, is in traffic, which it goes up to around 215*.

Once I get moving again, it stays put around 185* year round, even in 100* heat.
 
Understand, but I'm not concerned with it being mostly a trail rig now. When I fix my fender, doors, rework the rear wheel wells, etc, and repaint the whole rig, install some different rock rails, rebuild my t-case skid and traction bar, finish my half doors, build a new front bumper, finish dialing in my rear shocks and bumpstops.....and on and on.....then I'll think about doing something about the aux fan running all the time. :)
 
XJEEPER said:
Crash, my 3row GDI lasted 5 years before the tubes were nearly all plugged, this is with pretty regular coolant changes and flushing too. I took it in to the local rad shop last sumer for a hot tank and rod job, it was too far gone to save. It worked just fine in the winter months, but got hot on me on long hill pulls in the summer. BTW, it was converted to open style prior as well.
I replaced it with a 2 row Modine and all cooling problems disappeared......hope this helps you keep your cool.
Click to expand...


I think if you use deionized water when you changed your coolant this may not have happened. Most of the build up is usually from hard water and cheap antifreeze. It is not the fault of the radiator that deposits build. Just a thought.
 
CRASH said:
Hadn't seen the DPG one....looks interesting.

With BOTW in Arizona this year.....I need MAX cooling. Last time we were there it was 110, and the loonies that live down there were wearing sweaters and complaining of the cold!

CRASH
Click to expand...

I got a DPG from Dirk and it seems to keep everything really cool. My jeep now runs about 185-190 or so with it. I just ran my xj 20 minutes since I swapped it in, so I don't know about the trail temp yet, but it is nice and beefy. A very good radiator for the $, it came to $175 to my door and swapped in easily. You might want to get some aftermarket fan(s) if you don't have them already. Zerco or something like that on ebay seems to be a good 1, used by alot of XJ guys and under $100 or so.
Troy
 
gfi said:
I think if you use deionized water when you changed your coolant this may not have happened. Most of the build up is usually from hard water and cheap antifreeze. It is not the fault of the radiator that deposits build. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

I've always used DI water and GM DexCool anti-freeze (100,000 mile advertised change interval). Cheap radiators plug up, that's all there is to it. The GDI seems especially prone, as numerous people around here have experienced.

CRASH
 
Goatman said:
Understand, but I'm not concerned with it being mostly a trail rig now. When I fix my fender, doors, rework the rear wheel wells, etc, and repaint the whole rig, install some different rock rails, rebuild my t-case skid and traction bar, finish my half doors, build a new front bumper, finish dialing in my rear shocks and bumpstops.....and on and on.....then I'll think about doing something about the aux fan running all the time. :)
Click to expand...

Is that all that's left to do?

I scoff at your short project list.

CRASH
 
Let me know what you figure out. My 4.6 is having the same problem. It'll run cool all day on the trail, but really heats up at highway speeds under load. I put a new GDI in with the stroker so I was initially leaning toward a bad fan clutch, but now I'm not so sure.

-Jon
 
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