I recently moved to the Phoenix area and my 2001 XJ (183k miles) is running hot with the AC on. It has been hot here (112 or so) and I realize that is a factor. If I'm driving around town (45-50 MPH) with the AC on, the engine temps are around 225 (which aggravates the heat soak problem). I have a new CSF 3 Row, new NAPA water Pump, New 195 Thermostat, Dirtbound triple electric fans, a good 50-50 coolant mix and I flushed the block when I replaced the radiator. If I drive without AC, the engine temps stay pretty steady at 210. What am I missing? Could the AC compressor be fouled up somehow and causing to much drag, thus increasing the heat?

What I've considered doing...
- Having the block flushed at a shop (I'm assuming they can do it much better than I was able to in the driveway 5 months ago).

- High flow water pump & thermostat housing

- Aluminum radiator (last ditch effort...I just bought the 3 row)


Any thoughts would be appreciated. I need to get this thing running correctly.

Thanks in advance.

 

Turn the A/C off haha jk I'm in the same boat man. except Its only like 60-70 where I Live... Goodluck

 

That's what I've been doing...but then I see other XJs roll by and their windows are closed...I start thinking of how nice it would feel to have cold air blowing in my face right now and I start hating a little bit...that's just plain bad juju (hating on other XJs and their owners)...I need to get this fixed!!


Anyone got any ideas??

 

I'm in the same boat (and the same city). I have a '98 4.0 with new aluminum single row though. Newish water pump, new thermostat, new fan clutch, all hoses replaced last year, new belt. Before the temps got above 100, it ran nice and cool, but now it just can't keep up, especially in town.

 

is the electric fan coming on when ac is on

 

yeah the electric fan should be on with ac...does it get hot while driving at constant speed or at idle

 

I don't have the stock fan set up. I removed the clutch fan and stock electric fan and replaced them with the Dirtbound triple electric set up. THe fans are coming on as designed (1st fan comes on at 180 - the 2nd and 3rd fan come on at 205. After that they run continuous while the engine is on.

I'm thinking about removing the thermostat (as a test). I ran a 180 thermo for a while and the engine rarely got up to 210...of course that was in much milder southern california weather. But I think its worth a try.

Any thoughts?

 

maybe that temp is just high because the air temp....i dont know man... how was it running earlier in the year

 

but thats weird its just with the ac...is ur ac blowing cold.... any maintenance done prior to the ac system?

 

It was running excellent, just below 210 on the gauge, with ambient temps around 85-90. Last month, the AC wasn't engaging. It wound up being a relay and the AC was working fine, although it has started occasionally making an awful noise when the compressor engages.

Now, with ambient temps running 105-112, the AC isn't even close to as cold as before. The engine temp gets to 225ish and I have been turning off the AC. I don't need to destroy anything. Once the AC is off, the engine temps come down to 210ish.

It is weird...But, so far every problem I've had with the XJ has been a little weird. I guess its par for course.

 

I have the stock fan setup, and yes, the electric fan comes on when the a/c compressor is engaged. It runs hot while driving (between the 210 line and the next hotter line on the gauge if I'm on the freeway), and hotter while stopped (creeps up past that next line). Once it gets to that stage, it stays that hot, moving or not. It has only been doing this since the outside temps went well over 100 - it runs just under 210 on the way to work when it's around 80 outside. This is my 2nd summer with this jeep - I thought last summer's high running temps were caused by the radiator, which I replaced last november. I had high hopes that this summer I wouldn't have to worry about running temps again. Got to be able to run this thing with a/c during the AZ summer.

 

it sounds like if your ac is not blowing cold that could be your issue...its somehow tied together... on my girl friends wj her ac was not cold so we drained it and charged it back up... but while in the process the jeep got really hot and somehow blew the fan...so if the ac is struggling to do its job then it could be causing things to be hottrr than normal...if your whole system works without the ac then doesnt with the ac....its gotta be the ac... my two cents

 

good luck man

 

OK...I took out the thermostat and did a run test. Ambient temp was 106.5 F. Drove for about 20 minutes with AC blowing COLD. Engine temp was pretty steady at 210-215. I parked and idled for about 5 minutes and engine temp stay rock solid at just over 210.

I'm guessing that the new thermostat was restricting flow? I'm pretty sure I need to get the black flushed professionally. I think JOMPS is on to something with the AC being the root cause...no thermostat is prolly just enough cooling bost to overcome it?

I'll run it like this for a few days and see what happens before I take it to a shop for service.

Thanks for all the input.

 

any update on that?

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