wj cooling issues

[gharris54]

My factory engine fan was blowing relays so I wired it direct to the battery with a switch and relay. It draws about 50 amps at start up and 20 amps continuously. After not driving it for a week I drove it today and it was still getting really hot even with the fan on the whole time. It was about 98 degrees out but thats how it is here in the summer. Basically my cooling system can't keep my engine cool enough in this heat.

Is my problem more likely to be the fan not moving enough air, the radiator, or the water pump? Im figuring the fan but I just want some input

[FearTheDentist]

Do you have an ARB bumper up front? There were some cooling issues with early WJ's w\ an ARB up front blocking the airflow.

Any small pools of coolant under the block after sitting? If so it's probably your water pump. It's a pretty easy replacement (on a 4.7 at least, can't speak for the 4.0)- took me about 1.5 hrs.

If neither of these, I'd say check your radiator. Actually, check your radiator anyway just to be on the safe side (ask me how I know..) Once it's warmed up feel around on the radiator. If it's an even temp all over it's probably OK, but if you feel cooler spots those areas are clogged. If you find any clogged areas I wouldn't mess around, just replace it.

Good luck, if you need a hand I'm not too far up the road.

[gharris54]

Just was messin with it a little. I have the stock bumper btw. I could not even tell that the coolant was circulating first of all. I took off the cap and started it up, the motor got hot but the fluid at the cap never did and neither did the hose at the top of the radiator. The fluid that I saw from the cap appeared to be static but when I squeeze the hose going into the top of the radiator it pushed fluid out the hole for the cap and that fluid appeared to have a white film type substance in it. wtf is that about?

[dp96zj]

what kind of coolant (or water) are you using?

[gharris54]

not sure, Its green and you don't mix it with water

[FearTheDentist]

Maybe someone will correct me on this, but I'm thinking the thermostat must be stuck closed if you're not getting any pressure in the upper hose. Even if the water pump was bad wouldn't you still get steam pressure?

[ajmorell]

I agree with FTD. Replace the thermostat and see where that gets you, it's cheap and easy to do.

[gharris54]

just replaced the thermostat and that appears to have fixed it. Still concerned with the head gasket though because the coolant had a slight white tint to it and I loose coolant very slowly but nothing leaks. I'll have to keep an eye on it

[C.C.Reed]

How hot has it gotten? I never had head gasket problems.

<<<<<<Check the pic.

Have the radiator boiled out. I was having problems. I pulled the radiator and flushed it myself. Put on a new water pump and thermostat. It was a little better but it would still get hot. Pulled the radiator again and took it to a shop. They pulled the tanks and it was NASTY. . .over half the passages were blocked. After they cleaned it, it would idle in the 100 degree heat with the A/C on high and blow 34 degrees out of the vent even with it being black on black.

[311WJ]

does your oil look foamy too? if so then head gasket could be a possibility... if your oil looks completely normal I don't think it would be the gasket..

I had similar problems with the thermostat.. But also a cracked radiator for almost 2 years... (anyone at GSW 10' can be a witness to my leaking in the parking lot in the mornings lol) I since called up a company here in Utah called Rocky Mountain Radiator.. I just got a "Performance" radiator from them for $150 (brand new).. my jeep has been great ever since...

[gharris54]

hmm, what tanks did they pull? I might hace to look into that. I thought that dang thing was good because it idled like 20 mins last night in the driveway with the air blasting and it stayed right under 210. Today I drive it around the beltline and it started getting hot again so I was like wtf? In traffic on the way home it was getting really hot and when I opened the hood I saw this:


the hose going from the radiator to the thermostat was swelled up like a snake that just ate. Is something wrong with my new thermostat? I am 100% sure it is in there correctly.

[FearTheDentist]

That's the return line, isn't it? Radiator clogged? Have you felt the surface of the radiator while it's hot to see if it's evenly hot or if there are cool spots? If you want to eliminate the thermostat as a suspect, just take it out and see how you do.

I also wonder if you might need a new radiator cap? Don't they have a pressure relief valve? I would think that should prevent the kind of pressure that caused that from building up.

Are you running straight water? I probably wouldn't run antifreeze until I was confident that I had the problem fixed (gets $$$ and no matter how neat I try to be I end up getting the stuff all over the place any time I drain the system), but be aware that it does not cool as efficiently and will create more vapor pressure than coolant.

[C.C.Reed]

When I said tanks, I meant the plastic sides of the radiator. You will need to take it to a shop. They will pull the sides off and chemically clean the core then put the sides back on.

It shouldn't cost too much. Call around locally and check prices first.

You're definitely not circulating coolant very well.

[zjeepin]

get that radiator cleaned out or just replace the thing.. looks like quite a bit of mud under your hood so i'd bet the fins on the rad are clogged with mud and possibly obstructed by other debris..

a radiator cap is probably a good idea too, they are cheap and with it over heating it is likely to cause the radiator to rupture.. the cap shouldnt hold enough pressure to swell up a hose like that.

good luck and glad it didn't leave you stranded... yet

[311WJ]

I'd becareful with it building up that much.. They are notorious for cracking the end tanks when under pressure...

[gharris54]

yeah I ordered a new radiator, cap, and hoses. If that dont fix it then I guess the pump is the only thing left. And I think I shorted out my dang fan.

[gharris54]

anybody got a tip on how to fanagel the radiator out of there? Everything is unhooked from it but I can't seem to get the bottom of the radiator at the inlet tube around the steering box. I didn't try last night when I was working on it but now that I think about it, it just may be possible to pull it out the bottom

[indy242003]

On my 2002 WJ I had some dumb idea to run through a dug out mud hole that came half way on the doors and then the same problem started. I'm willing to bet it is your fan. Yes, I know it's spinning, but so was mine. Start it up until the fan runs and use a water hose on the back side of it (strait into the electric fan blades). I'm guessing that the fan motor is full of mud and the fan will slow significantly with the wieght of the water. This same thing happened to me. Replaced water pump, thermostat, hoses, and was getting ready to order a new rad when i discovered this. replaced the motor and all was good. Give it a try. Won't hurt to check it. You did start the tread with fan issues. Cheap check!

[311WJ]

its tricky but you should be able to make it.. I had to pull mine out by lifting one side out a little first, which in turn pulls the bottom of the other side away.. and kinda walk it out..

I'll admit it can be a PITA, but it will come out.. if you can't get it out post a pic so we can see what's going on...

good luck!

[gharris54]

its really looking like I'm gonna have to remove the header panel and upper crossmember to have enough clearance to get this thing out. I can see absolutely no way that the inlet tube hole is going to get around the steering box. There is zero wiggle room on either side and no way to move forward either because the ac condenser is in the way. Couldn't get a good pic but if you have done this then you know what i'm talking about. Keep in mind that the radiator configurations are different between different year model wj's and the v8 and I6

[311WJ]

Ya I have the hydrolic fan and it's has more room to play with... But I also DID remove my crossmember and header panel... Funny story I got a 99' radiator for nearly free and tried to put it in. I found out it's and inch taller than the 01-04's with hydro fan ha ha I had to buy the right one.

With my experiance the header and cross member where really easy and worth removing... Hardest part was the headlights. My friend broke one of the balls on my driver side light...

Good luck man!

[gharris54]

took the cross member and header panel off and the radiator came right out no problem. I'm gonna go ahead and replace the water pump while I got all this junk off of it just for good measure so my entire cooling system will all be new

[311WJ]

Well done! When this is all done your jeep will be cool!

[gharris54]

yepp for sure. Is there any way to replace just the fan motor and not the whole assembly? It looks like its possible but I'm not quite sure how it would come out.

[gharris54]

you can replace just the motor without replacing the whole assembly btw. Its pretty straight forward, take the fan out of the shroud, take off the retaining clip that holds the fan to the motor and unbolt the motor