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coolant temps

N

nates94xj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
WA
I installed a 2 row CSF all metal radiator from Radiator Barn. I have also replaced the water pump, thermostat, and fan clutch. I was hoping that I would be good to go for summer road trips and offroading in the the desert. This weekend, however, I was driving up a steep mountain pass and it was only about 60' or so, and my coolant temps were up to about 220. I have a roof tent, winch, and a lot of camping gear, etc. I'm thinking I might be in trouble if I stick with this system as it is for my hot summer trip? Is there anything I should try, or replace, before I drop $200 on an Alumacore radiator?
 
should have bought a 3 core. anyways whats your tire size and gearing? you could be overtaxing you motor with all that weight if your not geared right for your tire size. and if your winch is blocking even a portion of your raidiator it will get hot. but i think your biggest problem was replacing you old radiator with another 2 core.
 
propbly just the radiator then. if you dont use your a/c then remove your condensor, made all the difference on mine, i can ide in traffic and the temp doesnt budge.
 
I have an aluminum 2 core, which actually does as good as my old three core did. But not all that much better than a stock 2 core to be realistic.
I've found keeping the RPM's up (down shifting) helps keep the temp. down some when I'm towing a trailer.
An external oil cooler for the tranny helped a little also.
If I lived in a hot climate, I'd vent the hood, before I dropped a bunch of cash on another row for my radiator. I shimmed the rear hood for a few days, just to see what would happen, it did help. IMO more air flow is the most bang for the buck.
I have a fan clutch in mine now that is almost a direct drive, it's really stiff. It seems to help a lot when slow speed wheeling.
I've run a 180 thermostat in the summer, that seemed to postpone the inevitable temperature climb somewhat, when towing up a hill.
IMO the design for the 4.0 cooling system was marginal from the get go (space limitations for the radiator). And a little tweaking, while helpful, will likely never cure the problem completely.
 
i run an aluminum 2 core with 3 electric fans 2 on pushing 1 pulling runs really cool with just 1 until i start beating her up then i turn on the other 2 dont have to use them often probly turned them on for 5 min total on the rubicon =]
anyway it was a pain to find the 2 push fans that would fit. so i can get the part number for u they fit perfectly between the grill and the rad
 
I got dizzy reading that last post...punctuation is everyone's friend....

Make sure your system is properly "burped"
 
JNickel101 said:
I got dizzy reading that last post...punctuation is everyone's friend....

Make sure your system is properly "burped"
Click to expand...


:puke:

Do you have to on the HO motors or is that the renix. I did drill the hole in my thermostat like 5-90 suggested. Sorry to hi-jack.
 
idk much mut i was overheating and you already said you replaced the fluid and the thermostat but i also got my electric fan working again that helps alot might want to think about that
 
yep, air can still get trapped in the open cooling system....I think its easier for it to get out though vs a closed system.

Nate, did you replace your radiator cap when you got your new radiator? If not, get yourself a new cap!
 
JNickel101 said:
Nate, did you replace your radiator cap when you got your new radiator? If not, get yourself a new cap!
Click to expand...

X2 on the cap. New, 16 lb. cap.. I've heard that the lever type cap does not work right, mine does, no problem. Mine is a 90 converted to open system.

Does your electric fan come on and work properly? I do get warm (220+) pulling a grade in summer (especially when towing or loaded down, seems normal) but never really "overheats". My hood is vented, my electric fan on a switch. When I turn my fan switch on it cools right down.

Do you have a heater valve? If so is it leaky at all?

IMHO keep the 195* t-stat. 5-90 says so, good enough for me!!
 
Thanks for the replies. The electric fan comes on at 220. How do you burp the system on an HO engine? I'll get a new cap, and I think I might try a Mopar 195* thermostat. I put Shuck's "best" in there right now, so maybe it's not opening all the way.

I just replaced the fan clutch. How do you test it?
 
If the vehicle is cold, the fan should spin almost freely. Once warmed up, the clutch should be stiff - turn it off to check, please . . .

Open or closed, all the air in the system still needs to get out. I live in on a hill, so either way, I could park to put the cap at the top of the system when burping, and still have to.

The flip lever cap didn't work well for me. My previous boss (at O'Reilly) mentioned it was not real good at sucking coolant back into the system. Mine didn't. I changed back to the regular kind. With the safety notching, it really doesn't make a difference - IF THE SYSTEM IS HOT - DON'T OPEN IT. You just create another air bubble to burp out, and how much do we have to mess with it anyway? Just watch the overflow tank for the proper level when you check the oils and brake fluids.
 
Well, my newish CSF radiator leaks in the same spot as my old OEM radiator; between the tank and the tubes on the passenger side. My heater control valve also leaks at the shaft, sigh. Seems like there's lots of crappy parts out there.
 
I can tell you that you can get rid of the heater valve altogether. Just run the hoses straight to and out of the heater core. Many guys have done that. I'm waiting for my valve to blow before I do that.

As far as the CSF radiator, can't help you there. Mine has a lifetime guarantee, I'd look into that.
 
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