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94 getting hot when running the AC ya ya I know it's a Cherokee

94cherokee_hee

NAXJA Forum User
Location
CA
So atm my 94 runs about 205 Fahrenheit in the desert days. As soon as the monster ac is engaged she is good untill I see hills which we have plenty out here by the hammers. I have hood louvers and put a zj fan clutch on it which seemed to help a bit. It has the stock radiatior and water pump fully flushed with new 50/50 and a 180 thermostat. I'd like to be able to take the family out wheeling and make drives to and from Barstow with the AC blowing mid summer in 100-115 degree weather without having to turn off the AC.

My question is the "cool air" intake filter I have on to make room for the coilover conversion sucking in hot air gonna help this big old cast iron block to get hotter?
Would exhaust wrapping the pipes by my oil pan gonna help keep the oil cooler in change helping with temps?
Go 3 core radiator to hold more fluid?
Don't be a sissy and run the AC is the problem.
 
First thing would be to get the proper t-stat(195*) and then tell us what's going on.
 
Please enlighten me on changing the thermostat back to 195 would adjust any sort of the over heating problem. All a thermostat does is allow the vehicle to get to operating temp faster and allow for people in severe cold weather conditions to be able to use the heater while staying at operating temp. In a case like mine in California where my winter's only get to about 30 at the lowest why would a thermostat that would be open 90% of the time because normal running temp is 205* and the thermostat is 195* sorry just never understood this argument
 
First it's the temp the engine was designed to operate at, second with the lower temp t-stat it will flow water all the time not giving it a chance to be cooled by the radiator.
 
94Cherokee, I am running a THOR cowl induction intake on my rig, and you can def tell that it is pulling a lot cooler air from the cowl vs previous air in the engine. I am running the cowl induction, because like you, I modded my inner fenders and can not run a stock air box. I put the THOR intake in before my last trip to the Rubicon, and when I was climbing the big hills up to Tahoe it definitely gave me more power vs. the old setup. I can't say that it kept the overall engine cooler, but logically if you are pushing cooler air into the engine, and it is getting more power, then is under less load, it should generate less heat. I can't empirically say it is the case that it makes the engine run cooler, but it does make the engine run more efficiently with the cooler air. The one downside to the cowl intake is that it is louder than the stock or CAI setup.

IMG-0255%201_zpsafhaoqup.jpg
 
Seal the top and sides of radiator from air leakage, pipe insulation foam works well stuff the foam on top of radiator under the cross piece to seal there. on sides shove it between the side tanks and body.

make sure your hood vents are not near the rear of hood, nor act as a scoop, as that can great pressure in engine bay that will reduce flow thru radiator.

consider an over drive water pump pulley

Fan shrouds are critical.

make sure your pressure cap seals well, pressure test it. make sure your thermostate opens correctly, test on stove top.

friend recently had his one year old thermostat fail closed, and his one year old cap was venting at much too low a pressure.

make sure winches, aftermarket bumpers do not block air flow.

go slow on the up hills. get in the VW lane
 
Rcp that is my point is I don't have a problem getting to operating temp with a 180* tstat and even with a 195* tstat the jeeps run in the zone of 205*-220* so the tstat would be open at all times anyways.

Bajabronco yeah I've been looking into that system of an intake just for the reason that my intake is in the open and im worried about water. That was why I asked about cooler intake temps effecting cooling because it def on the buy list
 
Then you need to find the problem and fix that too.
 
Hows your cat? Back when I lived in CA, I had an issue with my 94 XJ overheating on grades. Next time you're going up one, touch the floor behind your passenger seat and see how hot it was. My cat was clogged near shut. Replacing it with a good one fixed my temp issues.
 
My exhaust and tunnel for my transmission is always hot. If I have my phone in the little slot where my ebrake is it'll over heat the phone
 
94Cherokee, I really like my THOR setup, and I have zero concerns now when I do water crossings, vs. when I had the stock setup. Substantially cooler outside air to feed the engine, good for water crossings, works with my modified front fenders, is all goodness for me! I highly recommend it. I do tell people that there is more interior cab noise, but I don't even notice it anymore. I know that Mike over at THOR was having a sale because they just got their CARB certification, so they might have some good pricing on the setup now.
 
What shape is your electric A/C fan in? I've tried several of them over the years and the Chinese cheapo eBay models didn't work as good (or last as long) as the more expensive ones.

I've currently got a Dorman fan on my XJ now and on a recent trip that included a long steep mountain grade the temp never went over 220 even with me going 80mph passing everyone else.
 
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