Need Cooling System Wisdom before I lose it

[brent]

110 degree days. Normal. So what. Running WAY too hot and it's effecting performance. When I mean hot, I mean creeping to the red zone.
Why?
*Radiator about 4 yrs old. Well-flushed.
*Running 50/50.
*New 195 'stat, seated well.
*New 20lb cap.
*Hoses fine.
*Fan blades wide, metal, new, set perfect: half out of shroud, half in.
*Shroud looks fine.
*Water pump stock, but stable. No goo coming out of weep hole.
*Piece of crap 12V aux fan mounted to outside of rad, temp actually rises when the dang thing is on.
*Have no fan clutch, but there was one at one time, cause there's a "shim" between fan and motor.
The only thing I haven't troubleshooted is the water pump pressure and I don't own a guage that'll do that.
WHAT AM I MISSING?
Thanks and HELP----Brent

[JW]

Brent,
Are you sure the 'stat is functioning properly? I've had brand new ones fail right out of the box. You might try running a 180 stat to, just to see if it helps. You can check to see if the water pump & stat are functioning by letting it idle with the rad cap off until it is hot and looking in the radiator to see if coolant is flowing or not. You also my check your sending unit for your temp gauge.
Good luck,
Jon

[brent]

It was a new out-of-the-box el cheapo Stant thermo. Break my heart to think that was it. Will try your test in the AM.
BUT, if I see no flow in the rad is it:
1) Bad thermo?
2) Weak/bad water pump?
3) Or both?
How do I check my sending unit. W/ohmeter?
Thx.

[brent]

It was a new out-of-the-box el cheapo Stant thermo. Break my heart to think that was it. Will try your test in the AM.
BUT, if I see no flow in the rad is it:
1) Bad thermo?
2) Weak/bad water pump?
3) Or both?
How do I check my sending unit. W/ohmeter?
Thx.

[U.P.'er J-20]

i had the same thing happen with my j-20, replaced the coolant and thermo. took it for a ride and the dang thing started over heating, it would get so hot that my tranny started to overheat and pump tranny fluid out of the pump. for some reason these engines call for a 195 degree thermo. which i think is way to hot, so all i did is drilled 4 1/8" holes in the thermo. and that did it

[Wesdog]

Is there any chance one of your hoses is collasping at higher rpms?. The spring in the lower hose is supposed to prevent this, is it there? Are you running lean? Is you timing retarded?

A brass Hi-Flow thermostat might help. You can get them at a speed shop or through SummitRacing. Cost is around $9:

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Misc-Pictures/TStats.jpg

Also, the Milodon Hi volume aluminum waterpump PN MIL-16271 will increase coolant flow through the system and doesn't have a weep hole to allow air to be sucked into the cooling system, cost is around $90:

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Misc-Pictures/Waterpump1.JPG

[ June 21, 2003, 07:57 AM: Message edited by: Wesdog ]

[Smooshy]

Your motor being out of tune can cause over heating in a very fast way. Timing and mixture can make even the best cooling systems fall short.

[mandoneer]

A friend of mine had a prob similer and it started when he put the pusher on he spent days and days trying to figger it out then asked me to look at it -- he had the fan wired as a puller so I reversed the blades and polarity and bingo no more prob -- I had a prob also once it was a freeze plug .
Hope ya get it fixed befor ya blow a head gasket!

[Kaiserjeeps]

If you want to check your coolant temp, go buy a candy thermometer. Pull your rad cap before it gets warm and put it in the coolant stream. It will also tell you what temp the thermostat opens at. Just don't try to remove the cap hot under pressure. Without an accurate dash guage, this is a good way to see what the temp really is...Kaiserjeeps....(Al)...

[Don S]

..
brent...
... This link might give you a few more ideas about how to lower the operating temperature.
link> OVERHEATING & AIRFLOW 101 (http://groups.msn.com/ATexasOklahomaJeepClub/ouraycotopic.msnw)

Good Luck.. http://www.boylover.net/ubb/graemlins/cool_shades.gifand CUL.. Don S..