More XJ questions

upnover

upnover

Grumpy, decrepit Old Man
Moderator
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Morganton NC
I know some of you may be tired of hearing about my XJ and issues, but, hey, I am a paid member so here goes,...........again!

Been having some cooling issues. SO many things have happened so it's a little difficult to say exactly what my problem is.
To begin with, I blew a hose on the first trip trying to drive it to work. No one had the hose so I had to have a friend come get it with his trailer. I got the hoses, and replaced them all. All heater hoses, and radiator hoses. OK, I hadn't done the bottom radiator yet, but I have it.
I am thinking the clutch fan isn't too good. Seems it wants to run hot on longer runs. I had even run the AC/AUX fan straight to battery for some extra cooling. I was only hooking it when I saw it was getting on the hot side. Today I wired it up to a switch. I took it for a 10 mile test run, and as soon as it was up to operating temp, I turned on the electric fan. And no over heating. SO I am thinking a new clutch fan is needed. I will also add that the top of the fan shroud(on the manual fan side) is gone, broke off. Do you think this would have a lot to do with the over heating? On another note. I did replace the thermostat with a new one of the 195* variety. Filling these things back up is just stupid, in the way they are designed. Steve (89wrangler) told me how to do it, and seemed to work well, but IMO it's not too good of a design at all! I noticed that the water circulates through the reservoir all the time. It's not a constant stead stream, but it kinda puts fluid in and drains out constantly. How much flow should it have? I was kinda wondering if it might also need a water pump too.

Another thing I am curious about, and I had not noticed it before, but when I came home, pulled in turned everything off, including the headlights, but, they didn't go off right away. Is this something it's supposed to do?

Not sure if it's related, but on my console, there is a cup holder. It's not on my parts XJ, so I was thinking it was an add on. It's kinda in the way of the E brake. On the front of the cup holder, there is a switch, not sure for what though. Any ideas? Looks factory.

Also this weekend, I replaced the plugs, rotor button, cap and wires. Seems to run a little smoother.

While out there(all day) I was messing with the radio and speakers. I like to be able to tune in a station once in a while. The factory Jeep cassette deck was dead as far as the display, so you had to kinda guess where you were, or listen for an announcer to say what station. We went to Wally world and picked up some 5.25" replacement speakers. I didn't want to do anything special, just wanted to hear something clear. We put the speakers in the back hatch and doors, and just could seem to find a station to see how it was gonna sound. I remembered the pars XJ had some cassettes in it, so we tried that. Bad idea. The tape wouldn't go in, and then could not get it back to radio, it just kept clicking like it had a tape in it. So, I took the deck out of the parts Jeep and put it in this one. BIG difference! It sounded good, it had a display, and tuned in a lot of stations. So, for now, I am good to go on tunes. But, I won't try a tape in it, for fear it might do the same as the other one.

I also traveled over to benjamin's place and got a drivers door panel, some hatch struts, and a rear wiper that has the washer tube on it. Big thanks to him for that.
 
What type of thermostat did you install? I have been part of an install with a stant with no bleeder hole and it was a pain!! Replaced with a factory syle with a hole and ball and every thing was good!
 
fyi. 6.5" speakers will fit fine as well. Or atleast they did with mine, the only modification being is I had to use some self tap screws for new holes.

Also with the headlights if you turn them off before you turn the car off they will shut right off. But if you wait until after the car is turned off then it takes about thirty seconds.
 
IN2JEEPN said:
What type of thermostat did you install? I have been part of an install with a stant with no bleeder hole and it was a pain!! Replaced with a factory syle with a hole and ball and every thing was good!
Click to expand...

Is this hole you speak of to allow to fill it(the block) from the reservoir? If so that makes sense I guess. I took off the bypass hose and used another piece of hose and a funnel and filled it that way. And yes, I installed a Stant.


ramrock4x4 said:
fyi. 6.5" speakers will fit fine as well. Or atleast they did with mine, the only modification being is I had to use some self tap screws for new holes.

Also with the headlights if you turn them off before you turn the car off they will shut right off. But if you wait until after the car is turned off then it takes about thirty seconds.
Click to expand...

I am assuming you meant for the hatch. I can see where they may fit back there, but not in the doors , at lease not without cutting.

Makes sense about the headlights. Thanks
 
Nope I fit 6.5" in the hatch and in the door with no cutting at all. Theres a huge thread about it on Naxja.
 
Pull the thermostat and drill a 1/8th hole in the 12 o'clock position, then fill the coolant bottle with the temp sensor removed from the back of the cylinder head.
Replace the broken fan shroud and your cooling problems should be fixed on my last 87-90 XJ I replaced the entire cooling system with a open system used on the 91 and later XJ's works alot better.
 
You may look to worn motor mounts for the missing shroud. If the mounts give out, the fan can push into the shroud. It's better to fix it now, than later, it can push into the radiator to.
 
You will definately want a complete shroud. You will also want to replace the radiator with the later model, no bottle system (best mod I ever did on my xj) Fought overheating issues for 6 months til I put a shroud on and replaced the rad.
 
The main clutch fan should have quite a bit of resistance when you spin it. If it free spins, it is shot and you will have overheating issues. If you want to chance trying to find my place again:)lol:) I have a few of them in the shop and one should match.
 
JoshRountree said:
You may look to worn motor mounts for the missing shroud. If the mounts give out, the fan can push into the shroud. It's better to fix it now, than later, it can push into the radiator to.
Click to expand...

hanks for that tip, I will check them out.

90xj said:
You will definately want a complete shroud. You will also want to replace the radiator with the later model, no bottle system (best mod I ever did on my xj) Fought overheating issues for 6 months til I put a shroud on and replaced the rad.
Click to expand...

WOW, kewl to know there is something better out there. So, this type system is one with the fill on the tank, and has a reservoir too for expansion and reserve fluid?

89wrangler said:
The main clutch fan should have quite a bit of resistance when you spin it. If it free spins, it is shot and you will have overheating issues. If you want to chance trying to find my place again:)lol:) I have a few of them in the shop and one should match.
Click to expand...

Thanks Steve, I already bit the bullet and got one at Advance this morning.

Man, taking off the old one wasn't that difficult, since there was no top to the shroud. But, the donor Jeep was intact, and didn't want to come off. Good ol corrosion! But the real pickle was getting the clutch fan back on with the shroud. That is a puzzle and a half. Had to use tools never ever intended for what I used them for. Even had to hold a pry bar with my chin!
But it's on, going to town now to see how the new set up does.
 
Took it for a test drive.
4 miles 40-45mph
6 miles @ 70mph
3 miles @ 40mph
Sitting at the bank drive through, started heating up a little
Left bank to go across town, maybe 3 miles, cooled some with the electric fan. Stopped for 10 mins or so, go back in started heating up again, got in interstate 65-70 moh stayed a little warm, but not over heating. Got back off I-40, 4 mile to home at around 40-45, started climbing again. pulled in yard shot up close to red line. open hood, I had left the cap off the tank! Dangit. Test drive told me nothing.
 
My vote is for adding a second stock XJ electric fan and running them off a adj thermostat control like this
http://www.autozone.com/R,3114671/v...partType,01768/shopping/partProductDetail.htm
I have this exact one on my 1995 C1500 with dual Nissan Sentra fans. It it fully adjustable to whatever temp you want it at. Works great, I used them on a number of vehicles over the years and never had a single problem out of one. Beats the hell out of having to remembering to turn on a switch.
 
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