i put a brand new electric fan in mine, so short of a wiring issue i'm sure it works and it has never kicked on. i've done almost no maintanence on the system since i bought the jeep either. never overheats, except maybe a little in stop and go traffic and 90*+ heat

 

didn't you know? his honesty and advice is always causing problems lol lowrange2 needs one of those "you can't handle the truth" smilies lol

 

The "original angry poster" went to dinner, thanks very much. I have owned several 4x4 vehicles, including three Jeeps--a worse-for-wear CJ-5, a Wagoneer and this Cherokee. I like Cherokees, and I like this Cherokee, but I do not like the fact that Jeep deliberately designed it to run so hot.

I once had a long-bed 1966 Dodge Power Wagon 4x4 with a wavy-head 318 engine. The truck was a Forest Service fleet truck and had been run hard for years before I ever bought it. The wavy-head 318 was never intended to be a vehicle engine, I don't think. The USFS used the same engine in generators and large pumps. I always expected it to crap out on me some day, but it never gave me a bit of trouble. I rebuilt the two-barrel Stromberg once, and did a valve job in my driveway in the middle of winter, but other than that, it was practically bulletproof. The engine temp varied very little unless the weather was extremely cold, like the dead of a Washington State winter. It had a block heater, of course. It was extremely dependable, because it was designed to be so. (It got horrible gas mileage, though--about 12 mpg.)

Truth be told, I wish I had never sold it, but when I moved back to Texas I had to. I couldn't afford to haul two trucks to Texas.

I have done everything I can think of to improve the cooling system on my Cherokee. I replaced the thermostat, the water pump, flushed out the block, "burped" the system by elevating the front end six inches, replaced some hoses, disarmed the OEM temp gauge and installed a direct-reading mechanical temp gauge with a brass t-fitting, replaced the heater switch (which was bad and leaking coolant,) replaced the radiator (it didn't look that bad, but I was running out of possible causes,) replaced the electric fan and it's cracked cowling and so on. The damned thing runs at 230 or so, no matter what. On a really hot day (today it was about 100 degrees outside) I have to watch the temp gauge very closely for fear of overheating and tearing something up.

I hear you about "lack of maintenance," but I really don't think that's it. I had a shop check it for carbon monoxide in the cooling system, thinking it might be a hairline crack in the block, or the head, or a faulty head gasket. No such luck.

I read about these guys operating at 196 or 210 and I'm thinking, "I wish." Jeep just made the @$#%^$ radiator too small, that's all. The question is "How do I cool it off better?"

 

what are you rambling about? none of that is even pertains to the jeep lol if you are getting above 195=210, something isn't right, with YOUR system. jeep didn't didnt design it to run so hot or the radiator too small. there are plenty of others driving around 100-120 degree weather and staying around the 195-210. just need to SEARCH!!!!!!!!! there are multiple ways your engine could be running hot, all of which is by lack of maintenance or something broke. stop blaming the system and jeep and start looking for why its so hot. take a search for exhaust leak, improper water pump direction, fan direction, thermostat(dealer one) etc.....

 

I didn't see you mention replacing the mechanical fan clutch?

 

Depending on where you live this may work. Along with the other fellas the quality of maintenance. done on the jeep will def. affect the performance and longevity of the motor. Running it hot is never good as I am sure you already know. I live in Hawaii and its obviously never cold here so what I did along with an AC flush was to take off my thermostat and cut the guts out of it, I then replaced the housing and changed the gasket it cost about 8$s for the Gasket. My jeep runs about 15-20 degrees cooler. Hope this helps.

 

The problem isnt the design. its poor maintenance and misconceptions on cooling efficiency.

1. There was a guy on here a while back in Texas or something complaining about temps and then goes on to say "I was running the 50/50 mixture" ... Let me stop you right there my friend. You're in Texas. You at most need 70/30 Water to anti-freeze. 50/50 means you've given up cooling properties of distilled water in favour of the lower freezing temp of anti-freeze(commonly called prestone). What are you afraid of freezing? 50/50 mixture is good down to -30, when was the last time Texas had -30 weather? +35, all the time. -30, basically never.

2. People tend to forget that their coolant is technically a wear item just the same as your brakes, ujoints, etc. Coolant should be changed every 2 years or 60 000km roughly. I change mine in both my truck and my Jeeps yearly as I work them hard. waiting forever then changing it and saying "well its new coolant" is BS. You've already done the damage, now you need to do a proper flush and id suggest replacing all the parts along with it like thermastat, and waterpump

3. Failing water pumps, clogged, or partially clogged radiators, clogged passages, etc will all effect the cooling but all of which is due to poor maintenance.


So to answer your question.. the only people struggling with cooling are either 1. Not mechanics or 2. Lazy mechanics not willing to do the job properly.

 

So your fan clutch could be replaced and you're good to go.

 

The coolant to water ratio is interesting.

And, what if that thermostat was faulty all this time?

I went through 4 Stant Superstats before I got mad enough to go buy one from the dealer.

My issue was not running too hot, but taking forever to get up to temp. But who says a stat can't fail and give symptoms like the OP is experiencing?

83501426AC stat with gasket at teh dealer for $23.55 retail. Has a bleed hole with a jiggle valve and everything.

 

I have a fan clutch go bad on my Chevy truck... no warning no noises...it would just climb like crazy.... replaced it, and it fixed my overheating. I think the fan clutch is one of the most overlooked parts when it comes to overheating problem. I always start there first! no (&)&^(^&(^& coolant to mess with when you replace them.

Now wouldn't that be the ****s if THAT was the OP's problems.

 

i would like to see where your mechanical temp gauge is, with its brass t fitting. if you have a steam pocket close to your probe, it won't read right.

 

Good regular maintenance. Keep a record of when the maintenance was done.

 

When I first got my current XJ ('91) it didn't over heat but it did run hot. I replaced the thermostat and flushed the system real good. I checked the water pump and it was good so I didn't replace it. I don't use my A/C (and it didn't work anyway) so I removed the A/C condenser so that I'd get more airflow through the radiator. I also did the ZJ fan clutch upgrade as my fan clutch was shot and my electric fan does work. Now, unless it's VERY hot outside and I'm working it very hard, my XJ never goes over 210 degrees. I work out in the woods where it's hot all day long so I never really miss my A/C at all. Going to turn the compressor into an OBA some day.

 

Install a new fan clutch and a factory thermostat and should be good to go. been there done that.....

 

BINGO ^^^^^

Easy to check it, just spin it by hand (with the engine off!) and feel for drag. if you spin the fan it should stop before 1 revolution. also try to wiggle it, push it forward and pull back to see how much play is in it. a bad fan clutch can make your engine run hot, your AC system operate inefficiently and burn up your trans.

then the obvious items like a t stat and coolant flush might be good ideas, if you have not already done so. also if you can see into the radiator check for scale build up on the tubes. this makes the radiator not work as efficiently as it should. Good luck!