I may try moving the license plate -- now that I look at it, it's a big old air damn right in front of the rad-- it doesn't take a heck of a lot to disrupt airflow. I'd hate to do it, but maybe even the led bar. That bumper was not cheap, I'd hate to have to go with something different.
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anyone install daystar louvers?
- Thread starter jmg222
- Start date
JeepityJeep
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- SoCal
Removing everything in front of your grill would just be a test to narrow down where the trouble lies. 
I completely understand your hesitation on any more front bumper mods, especially with an XJ. I have a really nice HS9500i that I tried to tuck inside my bumper mods and in the end I lost out by 1.5" of clearance issues and had to eat the cost of purchasing a smaller winch just to keep with my original goal of having a hidden winch. What was worst was that when I started on redoing the front bumper the only reason a winch even made it into the build was because I had one sitting on the shelf from when I had '98 TJ.
-t
I completely understand your hesitation on any more front bumper mods, especially with an XJ. I have a really nice HS9500i that I tried to tuck inside my bumper mods and in the end I lost out by 1.5" of clearance issues and had to eat the cost of purchasing a smaller winch just to keep with my original goal of having a hidden winch. What was worst was that when I started on redoing the front bumper the only reason a winch even made it into the build was because I had one sitting on the shelf from when I had '98 TJ.
-t
- Location
- WA state
Have you actually confirmed your coolant temp with an IR gun, or something similar? Not sure if you are using stock gauges, but they are not totally accurate. Are your e-fans on any type of thermal control? Maybe wire in an override switch for the fans.
But, sounds like lack of air flow, possibly air in the system. What temp t-stat are you running?
But, sounds like lack of air flow, possibly air in the system. What temp t-stat are you running?
1) haven't confirmed coolant temp.. but I do have a second gauge (I installed a gauge pod under the front ash tray because, well, why not), and it's at the same temp.
2) yes, they're on a thermal switch, but they're on pretty much all the time in the summer
3) t-stat-- completly forget-- I did this years ago-- based on when the temps start equalizing , I'm assuming around 210? (I could be way off).
I'm starting to believe this really is an airflow issue. when I stop and turn the A/c off, temps immediatly start dropping to around 220 (which is fine). I'm guessing there's some turbulence from all the crap I have sticking out in front.. I'm going to start with the least painful thing to remove -- the license plate -- and see what happens. That thing is sitting directly in front of the intake for the radiator, and unlike the rollers beind it, there's zero airflow through the plate. That could really make a differnece (and so could the LED bar directly above it... but I'd prefer not to remove that. )
IllianaXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Southwest IN
Look at the front of your Jeep with your winch at eye level. I would bet that you can't see much of the grille at all. Putting the winch, license plate and lightbar all in front of the grille is blocking almost all of the airflow to the radiator, which is why you are running hot on the highway.
What I recommend: Move the license plate, remove the lightbar and relocate your winch solenoid box somewhere else to get as much airflow around the winch as you can. The solenoid box probably isn't causing too much of a problem, but the license plate and lightbar are.
What I recommend: Move the license plate, remove the lightbar and relocate your winch solenoid box somewhere else to get as much airflow around the winch as you can. The solenoid box probably isn't causing too much of a problem, but the license plate and lightbar are.
thats exactly what I'm thinking-- I may try just moving the plate, and see what happens. I'd love to keep that lightbar where it is.
Boss Cherokee
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Riverside Calif.
Agreed!! The air flow blockage although not equal to placing a blanket over the front is altering (restricting) your flow. The higher the speed the more it widens the air flow up and over as well as under! The winch I have on my rig is a drum type with the motor on one end, it is in the bumper so while it can restrict flow it does so less than the factory bumper because it has the winch opening and two square cut outs for recovery attachments! The solenoid box is also mounted out side the radiator surface behind the grill!
I would start with removing the winch and check if it improves your radiator surface. As for the 40* Below product, it helped till it boiled out on an overheat episode on the Hammers on a hot spring day!
The ZJ fan clutch is abtainable new from your your local parts house. When compared to the XJ clutch it is heavier bigger in diameter and heavier. You will note the difference in it's physical characteristics and even more when you start the Jeep up! The sound of the air flow is immediately noticeable like comparing a 20" house floor fan to a 36" commercial/garage floor fan. This to me has been the biggest impact to my heat relief!
I would start with removing the winch and check if it improves your radiator surface. As for the 40* Below product, it helped till it boiled out on an overheat episode on the Hammers on a hot spring day!
The ZJ fan clutch is abtainable new from your your local parts house. When compared to the XJ clutch it is heavier bigger in diameter and heavier. You will note the difference in it's physical characteristics and even more when you start the Jeep up! The sound of the air flow is immediately noticeable like comparing a 20" house floor fan to a 36" commercial/garage floor fan. This to me has been the biggest impact to my heat relief!
- Location
- WA state
Forgot to mention, I use a bottle of Water Wetter with coolant changes and have had success with it. How much it actually benefits, not 100% but seems to work well.
thanks, I have 3 e-fans!
Anyway, I'm going to try and leave the winch on, remove the plate see if that increases air flow. If that doesn't work, off with the top leds (I have a pair of leds on the bottom that put out a heck of a lot of light, though I'd hate to lose that top bar)
I've read conflicting things on water wetter -- based on their own website, it works at the advertised "20 degress" only if used with plain water. prob. justgoing to try mobbing the plate and see what happens.
Rod Knee
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Grand Jct., CO
I have never bought into the idea of low temp tstat as a means of keeping coolant temperatures down. The function of a thermostat is to keep the coolant above, not below, a specific temp. Once the coolant is warmer than that specific temp (195 degrees, for example) the tstat has no bearing on cooling efficacy to my understanding. Cooling is the job of the radiator.
exactly. lower t-stat doesn't fix a broken cooling system.
and I ended up installing the louvers, btw.
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1122014
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1122014
JeepityJeep
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- SoCal
Not sure if you've commented on this one, but when was the last time you checked your catalytic converter?
- Location
- WA state
OP has a carb'd SBC in his heep, doubt there is a cat still there..
catalytic converter ???????? oh, they're fine
in all seriousness, despite screams of protest to the contrary from the guys that helped me do the install, I insisted on installing dual cats on the dual exhaust. They're hi-flow something or other, and have less than 5k miles on them (far less), and no rust/holes/etc.
JeepityJeep
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- SoCal
Sounds like you got that covered .
I had one fail ~10k miles behind my 4.0L. It was causing my coolant temps to increase at highway speeds or when the engine was loaded.
. I had one fail ~10k miles behind my 4.0L. It was causing my coolant temps to increase at highway speeds or when the engine was loaded.
