All my searches regarding this issue led me to join up here. I searched on NAXJA and googled alot of this site with no clear answer. Hoping I could get some help here.

So I'm looking at picking up an 89 XJ from my buddy for cheap. The reason it's cheap is because it has an overheating issue. He said that at idle, it will overheat in about 10 mins. Driving, it will take about 5 mins he said. He replaced the water pump, multiple thermostats, cap, flushed rad, brand new coolant reservoir tank and a head gasket test. He got the head gasket test, rad flushed and coolant resevoir tank done at a local rad shop and I'm 110% confident they were accurate as I've been dealing with those guys for ever.

I haven't looked under the hood, but I'm guessing the coolant system is a closed system. I've read around here to upgrade to an open one from a '92ish - later year XJ's with an overflow. I've also researched other things like bad fans (I'm not sure what this '89 has - electric, clutch or both). I dont know these things until I'm able to take a good look some time this week.

Basically, I'm wondering if anyone can provide me any insight. He's replaced alot of parts with the overheating to only continue. Does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this over heating?

I've also looked all over this web page:
http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/..._Diagnosis.htm

Basically looking if anyone has experienced the same thing as this truck is or if there's a common problem I'm missing.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Cheers!

 

If all of those parts have been change the only thing would be like you said the fans. It should have both, elect. and mechanical. Either one or both are not working properly. Make sure that the elect. fan is coming on also the fan clutch is more then likely bad. The fan clutch would cause it to overheat at idle.

 

I'm smellin' tuna fish here 'cause it still sounds like a "old" radiator is in use, no? Every rad shop I've dealt with never "flushes" a rad because flushing seldom works when a tube (or tubes) are plugged solid. Real rad shops (not the quickie lubes that do cooling system flushes) separate the tanks from the core......they literally take the rad apart. Then they run a metal rod all the way through each tube in the core to push out any solid blockage that may have collected inside a tube(s). The term real rad shops use when cleaning the rad internals is "rodded out" not "flushed out". "Flushing" ain't going to remove any solid blockage. When the rad shop tests the core for leaks and they find one, they usually just block that tube off, which means there's one (or more) less tube(s) that flows coolant/removes heat. The XJ rad is really dink/small.....it needs all the tubes flowing freely.

 

What I meant to say was that they checked the rad and said it was good to go. I know the guys at the shop personally and they dont half *** anything.

Should I just ditch the clutch fan and go full electric? Get something like a Taurus fan? Or replace the clutch and run both?

Thanks for the input!

 

Personally I like to stick with the fan clutch. One less electrical thing to worry about it. I have never had a over heating problem on my 98 and I live in South Texas where we see ambient temps up to 110-115 during the summer and a few time up to 125. And my XJ is always running between 210 and 215.

 

I would upgrade to open system and new fan clutch I never run over 195 but that's assumeing all other cooling components are functioning properly.

 

What does "checked the rad" mean? The XJ rad can not be viewed internally for blockage unless it is disassembled....both tanks separated from the core. If I'm understanding your OP correctly, the PO or u have not replaced the rad and the fan clutch.....those are the only remaining "old" parts. An open cooling system will not cool any better than a closed cooling system, presuming both r functioning correctly.

 

Old djb383 is off to a busy season this year!!!! LOL.

 

Hey! I resemble that. Let's rock-n-role.....XJs r gettin' older and the owners r gettin' younger (less informed).

 

Yup. RAISE THAT HOOD!!

 

How about........

LOL

 

Raising hood does no good if ya got no idea what your doing ive learned certain people should never look ...lol...

 

Bam!.....2 X 4 right between the eyes, excellent point. But, if one is willing to learn some vehicle maintenance basics, along with some r & r (before they kill their XJ), the XJ is cheap and easy to learn on.

 

Replace the cap on the rezzy with a 703-1396 cap from Napa. Good place to start unless you're considering an open system swap replacing the radiator.

 

That is the very reason I bought an XJ, to learn (well, and to have fun ) I raise the hood nearly everyday.