Decided to try the test I found:

Remove the spring on the front of the clutch fan from the retainer and rotate 90°. If the overheating goes away, replace clutch fan.

Saw someone post that out of the fsm. I'll keep you posted.

 

I think it worked. On the way to the store it was 95° put and the temp was running at and under 210. However on the way back it was running at like 222. The outside temp rose to 97°. I'm wondering if the spring moved some or something during the cooling cycle because I could also tell a difference in how the Jeep sounded and felt with the fan "working like a conventional fan", as the fsm says, on the way there.

Either way, I'll be picking up and installing a new fan clutch tonight when it cools off a bit. I will not be doing the zj or HD one because I'm moving to Oregon soon, and that would be ridiculous lol.

Next up, water pump.

 

it is never a bad Idea to run a heavier fan clutch. I have one from a TJ Wrangler in mine and it works better then the stock one. It is also slightly shorter than the ZJ clutch keeping it in the right area of the shroud. If it is too far forward you could loose some pull of the fan. The ZJ clutch is .25 inches longer than the XJ. The Wrangler clutch is .125 inches longer than the XJ. Make sure get one that has AC it will be the heavier one.

 

Yeah, I guess it's probably a good idea to get the better fan clutch... The one for tjs the pic looks completely different than the xj one. I think I'll go with Napa's HD clutch. On the plus side it's 50 cents cheaper than the standard one lol.

 

I forgot to mention yesterday that the TJ fan clutch would have to be from a 98. It has the same mounting as the XJ. The newer TJ clutches had a left hand thread nut on the back that mounts to the water pump.

 

Napa 272310 is what you want. Watch for radiator clearance.

 

That's what's in it now. Ended up taking about a 1/16 of an inch off the aluminum fins... Then ended up unbolting the radiator Cross member or support or whatever to lean it forward and get the clearance to put it in. Had I known that was so easy I would have started that way lol.

 

Also, it runs cooler. But at 104 today it still gets hot on an extended idle with ac running. Without the ac on the Aux fan kicks on and off, so all is well. Not overly concerned anymore.

 

104* in Monterey? Holy smokes.

 

Lol only if the world was ending. I moved to Phoenix.

 

I was wondering. I used to live in San Jose and frequently went to Monterey for the races.

 

Yeah, beautiful area. Cool stuff all around. Wish I could have afforded to stay there after I left the army.

 

What temp are your jeeps running in 100+ degree weather? I know 220 is ok, but it annoys me that I'm not running at 210 lol.

 

mine runs at around 200-210 at the most. I removed my ac condenser and dont have the trans running in the radiator any more. I also removed my electric fan because it never worked.

 

Summer here can get to 100+ but not often. Usually upper 90s. I've never seen over 215 with a new fan clutch. When I replaced the other parts of my cooling system, 210 is about as high as it will go in traffic, maybe a bit higher. As soon as a start moving, I drop below 210 pretty quick.