The 1996 FSM says the auxiliary fan kicks on at 219 degrees but that never happens. Other than when the AC is on (not now that I lost refrigerant charge), it doesn't come on until it hits the first dash line after the 210 mark, which looks like 235, right before the high side red mark.

This happened last Sunday in the heat wave. 94 degrees outside, I was stuck in highway traffic, slow stop and go, in the sun, no A/C (girlfriend not happy). The gauge steadily climbed until it hit the 235 mark and then started to drop. I assume this is when the fan kicked on because nothing else happened to alleviate the heat.

I am using a NAPA cooling sensor at the front the engine. Is there another sensor that would make the fan come on at a lower temperature?

 

I think the 96 still had two temp sensors, one at the thermostat housing and one at the rear of the head.

 

That's correct and the thermostat housing one is supposed to control the auxiliary fan. I have double checked the temps with a temp gun and they both read close to each other.

I see other threads of people complaining about this. I wonder of the factory setting and the FSM are different.

 

I think only the RENIX engines have 2 temp sensors. The HOs only have one. I would say your Jeep aux fan is doing its job. You didn't overheat.

 

they had two sensors up to either 95 or 96 then they switched to one

 

As we all know the 96 model was a bastard yr for a lot of different things as far as changes, but sounds like it was working.

 

My '96 has both sensors. I also never notice the electric fan kick on at a set temperature when the AC is off. With the AC on, it cycles on and off continuously, cold weather or hot.