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88 yj overheating @ idle

Hi

Need some help with fixing " overheating " problems

Have a 88 YJ with 4.2 I6

For a while now I noticed that when we hit triple digits the temp gauge is on 210 while driving and slowly creeps up to the next line (230F ?) while de-celerating and idling @ traffic lights.

I started with a colder t-stat (180) temp dropped to 190 driving and a little past 210 idling

Still to high

Fan clutch showed seepage and a lot of dirt so I replaced it

Still the same

Winter came, life was good :-)

First days of triple digits came and I got sick of it.

Replaced T-Stat for 195 superstat, found a piece of broken cast (?) behind it and pulled waterpump (2years old) off to see if it was damaged and if it was the correct CCW one.All looked OK.

Found radiator had some build-up in it and replaced it.

Car now runs hotter then before with the 180 stat (duh) and I'm back to 210 driving and 230 idling

Several people told me a lower t-stat doesn't work because the coolant will move to fast and doesn't have time to cool of in triple digit weather but its runs hotter then before. I also noticed when idling the coolant almost sits still in the radiator and starts to move a little when revving it up.

So ,what's next, im running out of stuff to try

TIA

JohanB

Reply to
JohanB
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I read somewhere that you could do a pinch test on the hose going to the radiator while the engine is warm. You should be able to feel/hear a woosh when you release it if the water pump is working properly.

Belt tension may not be turning the water pump fast enough also?

Um you said your fan clutch showed seepage? I think it might be yer water pump seeping water out? If so it need to be replaced. I think the fan clutch you have is the coil type? I can't think of how water would seep from this.

I'm chasing down a cooling problem on my cherokee, its acting weird so I've been reading up on cooling issues also.

Troy

Reply to
Troy

I would check the actual temperature of the coolant with a known good temperature guage and see what you get it may be just your temperature guage since you did not say anything about a boil over. Coasty

Reply to
Coasty

Hmmm...

Does your 4.2 have the odd ball setup with a serpentine belt? If not, the waterpump is supposed to spin clockwise on a V-belt engine..... The serpentine belts on the 4.0 use the reverse rotation pumps.

210 to 230 is 'normal' for operating temperature with a 15 lb cap and a 50/50 coolant mix. The 50/50 mix is good up to about 265 deg. 190 while driving is almost too cold, it should be at least 210.

The temperature gauges are 'not' known to be accurate.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >
Reply to
Mike Romain

What Mike said. If you are not boiling over, then you are OK. It is actually better to run hot, so you burn impurities out of your oil. See the "Old Jeep drivers beware!" thread for a discussion of the evils of sludge, and how to avoid them. That old wive's tale about the coolant moving too fast to transfer heat has no basis in physical reality.

Earle

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Reply to
Earle Horton

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