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 Post subject: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 12:41 pm 
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Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 3:22 pm
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Hello everyone,
My name is Joe and I have been lurking around your site for a while now living vicariously through you all. I have an 87 XJ with 200k miles on it and I am finally ready to spend some money so I can join and go on some runs. I guess this question is for XJ owners possibly. Does the XJ handle desert heat well? I bought it over a year ago before the economy fell off the cliff and it has been sitting all this time. I read somewhere that they do not handle desert heat well and I was wondering if I should upgrade my radiator even though it appears to be in good shape. I am the second owner and the first owner took really good care of it. Any help is much appreciated. :D
Joe


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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:41 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2004 9:55 am
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Location: Las Vegas
I think the front half of the xj is the same as a wrangler but I'm sure some xj folks know more about them. They seem to handle the heat just fine.
My TJ is 10yrs old and I trust it in the summer here as a daily driver.
I'm on my second radiator, first one the plastic end tank cracked.
I also added hood vents to help vent the engine compartment, about $250 at Ted Weins, cool but not 100% needed.
My radiator is leaking so will have that fixed before any trips to Death Valley.

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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 2:12 pm 
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Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:45 pm
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Location: Las Vegas
the desert heat messes with every vehicle.

you'll really overheat if you keep the A/C on...so maybe go with the windows down. :-)

otherwise, I've been wheeling in the mad heat and was fine.

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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 3:54 pm 
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Location: Ruth, NV
I haven't seen an XJ overheat yet. Make sure your anti-freeze, hoses and radiator are in good shape. You can always give it a try. If it starts to get too hot, then look for a better radiator.

We will never leave you behind, if something were to happen. I promise. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :mrgreen:

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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 5:07 pm 
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Location: Las Vegas again
you'll want to give it a real good flush, and maybe take it to a shop to be rodded, and fill it with new coolant. then drive it until it leaks, and it will leak. then when it leaks get an upgrade radiator and wheel on. i had a 99 xj and on the real hot days when going slow on the trial i'd do without a/c. you can also look at a flowkooler water pump, i run one on my 94 yj and it helps alot. 8)

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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 6:39 pm 
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Location: Green Valley/Vegas
The ONLY time the xj has gone over 210 was on the downhill after the highest part of Beer Bottle Pass when Phil noticed his had gone up a bit!

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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:34 am 
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Thanks everyone, I really appreciate your input. I am going to do some work on it and slowly put it out there and see how it goes. It will have to be my daily driver also so hopefully before summer gets here I will have the short term things done on it and I can get out on the trail with you all.
Thanks again! :D
Joe


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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:21 am 
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Location: Winnemucca, NV
I'm not an XJ owner, but know several who have them - both stock and modified.

From what I've learned from the modified rig is that you're best leaving the cooling system alone. One guy spent $$$$$$ on several aftermarket radiator / fan setups and eventually went back to the stock cooling system after a couple of years of outright failures or marginal results. Seeing the gauge in the red on a -10 degree day driving 45 mph on a level maintained dirt road isn't any fun. And yes, he took other measures to make sure his guage was correct and it was. And the radiator was new, as well as this huge electric fan powerful enough to create waves on the ocean that surfers would die for ... :lol: The others with modified XJ's did their homework and took the advice to keep their systems stock.

A friend of mine has a 1991 XJ, with over 300,000 miles. It's totally stock. The engine / drivetrain has never been overhauled. A few years ago his XJ started a gradual progression to running warm, then hot. He took it into a LV shop and found that it was a combination of the fan clutch and burned out auxilliary electric fan. Both replaced and his XJ is cool once again.

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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:19 am 
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Location: Henderson, NV
Joe, my XJ is a '95 with 238K on the clock.. System is stock, just make sure the fins in the radiator are not clogged with dirt, and that the main fan clutch and aux electric fan are working ! My aux electric fan kicks in only when the temp gets close to 210... So far, no problems.. It can run over 210 with out damage,, just keep an eye on the temp guage when it gets close to that.. Make sure that the aux fan kicks in... Hope to see you on the trail soon,,, (provided I can afford to go),,, LOL Phil

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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 3:44 pm 
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Thanks a lot! there is so much aftermarket stuff out there. I just want to make sure I make it back out of the desert! Soon I might be asking if anyone wants to go out with me to get a feel for it's limits. I would hate to go out on a run and have it take a crap on us. I'm thinking of taking it out to that dry lake bed in boulder city and give it a push and see if it blows up on me or not. I still have to smog it and register it first. :roll:

thanks again!
Joe


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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:49 pm 
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Location: Las Vegas
We've towed rigs off the trail before or wait for repairs, we leave no one behind in the desert :wink: . Just a reasonable effort beforehand and we are happy to help anyone in need, and it sounds like you're making the effort. Come out soon on an easier trail and you will have more people looking under your hood than you can deal with :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: XJ cooling ability
PostPosted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:55 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2004 9:55 am
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Location: Las Vegas
The only thing that Irked me was someone KNOWING the rig was unsafe to drive and brought the parts along Just In Case causing a 5 hour delay on trail in the rain, the rig was not towable (steering). (not a Backroader or a Backroader run). Ok, it was a drizzle :?

This is also a reason for me to stay off the dirt this month I now have a power steering leak, a radiator leak and some thin tires :oops:
But I did clean the engine and hook up my breather hose, Dave!

yeah TMI

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