running hot?

[78Chief]

I've got a 78 Cherokee and when just driving around town I notice that it seems to want to run kinda hot. It never actually goes to the hot zone, but especially in stop and go traffic it likes to venture near there. Is this normal? A few friends of mine said they are just warm running vehicles. It has a 401. Do they generally run hotter than 360's?

[MonsterMash]

My 360 runs a bit warm as well (as did my '76) and I've heard many others talk about running warm. My gauge usually reads at 5:30 or 5:45 on a gauge that shows overheating at about 5 o'clock and stone cold at 7. Just to be safe. Is your fan shroud in place? This helps channel the exterior air through the radiator. Is your radiator cap in good condition? Do you have a good mix of coolant and water in your system? Any leaky heater hoses? Do you know what temp. your thermostat is? Is your fan clutch working properly? It should be loose (spin freely) when cool and tighter (harder to spin) when hot.

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" I'm not going to make policy based on guilt."
--Gov. George "Dubya" Bush

"The internal combustion engine is the single greatest threat to life on this planet."
--Vice Pres. Al Gore
(I guess he walks to work?)

'84GW360--"Spinner"
Sir Gary Boyd's Ford truck ignition upgrade
Electric fuel pump
9.50x30x15 Dirt-Diggers
No emmissions crap (musta' been the previous owner, officer)
Missing interior & exterior pieces
Chipped windshield
Otherwise stock
(soon to be 4v--I'll blame that on the previous owner as well)

[78Chief]

The fan shroud is broken, I'll try that. The therm. and radiator cap are new. Thanks.

[bignblue]

I guess I'm an oddball (okay, I KNOW I'm an oddball) because my 78 Chero has never run hot. In fact, since I installed the fan shroud I've never gotten the needle into the center of the gauge! What's probably happened is that I've got a bad temp gauge, but allow me my illusions. I have a new radiator/thermostat (180 I think)/fan shroud/water pump so that may have something to do with it.

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'78 Chero WT
401/4bbl/TH400/BWQT
44s F&R
"Jeep: the toughest 4-letter word on wheels"

[78Chief]

Thanks for the advice. I am going to try some of that stuff cause it gets on my nerves to see it running that hot. By the way how do I get that message at the bottom of my replies like everyone else? The stuff that tells about about your rig and all that?

[MonsterMash]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 78Chief:
By the way how do I get that message at the bottom of my replies like everyone else? The stuff that tells about about your rig and all that?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Go to top of page and click "profile". Fill in the blanks and when you get to the personal info section you can put stuff in the "signature" box.

------------------
" I'm not going to make policy based on guilt."
--Gov. George "Dubya" Bush

"The internal combustion engine is the single greatest threat to life on this planet."
--Vice Pres. Al Gore
(I guess he walks to work?)

'84GW360--"Spinner"
Sir Gary Boyd's Ford truck ignition upgrade
Electric fuel pump
9.50x30x15 Dirt-Diggers
No emmissions crap (musta' been the previous owner, officer)
Missing interior & exterior pieces
Chipped windshield
Otherwise stock
(soon to be 4v--I'll blame that on the previous owner as well)