TJ overheating with winch covered...

Bryan · #11 05-24-2005, 11:58 AM

A few thoughts:
1. I could see where covering your winch will cause you to overheat, especially with A/C and being in Florida.
2. My Jeep runs hot on the highway (60 mph) in the summer with an uncovered winch. I run the heat all summer to help cool it. I also have an RV size tranny cooler in front of the radiator to make things worse.
3. On the trails I am fine, even on the hottest days.
4. An electric fan will not solve your problem, it will make it worse. I tried it and went back to the stock fan in a week.
5. Since my engine/radiator/waterpump/thermostat are all fine on mine, if I want to fix my heat problem I will louvre the hood.

80cj · #12 05-24-2005, 03:28 PM

i have pressure washed the condenser in front of the radiator. the tstat is stock, 195* sounds familiar. but i did not boil it, before putting it in. the fan shroud is still in stock configuration. before the TJ, i had the winch (and cover) on the CJ and had no problems with it (though it didn't have a/c or live in florida) and i recall it running much cooler.

shawn

80cj · #13 05-25-2005, 01:05 PM

sorry, it actually runs at 210* not 220*F...

shawn

wbcarver · #14 05-25-2005, 02:47 PM

Well - I do know a couple other people who have had the same experience with a TJ and the winch cover on.
Can't tell you why, (Coincidence?, Aerodynamics?, the proverbial straw? I dunno) just that I have heard it before.

Interestingly enough. I believe they are both running 9500's.

And as a weird thing. Not really related, but you might see where I am going with this...
I have 2 CJ7s. Both V8s, both with factory radiators. One has been neglected and beaten on. The other has been treated decent and had everything done to it.

CJ #1 - Runs cool even in bad situations. Has great heat, etc.

Cj #2 - Always runs hot (not bad, just higher than it should) and has lousey heat.

CJ #1 is the abused & neglected one.
I have done everything to CJ #2 to get it to behave.

Go figure.

After a lot of years in garages, I am convinced -
Sometimes you just get one that is a little bit of a problem child.

80cj · #15 05-26-2005, 06:53 AM

i was also told that after you overheat one, you should change the temp sending unit also, b/c it may not read accurately anymore. so maybe your jeep #2 isn't running hotter, the sending unit just says it is?

as for TJ's with winch covers? i gotta guess that there are some other people who have experience with this on the board somewhere....

thanks
shawn

DuneCountry · #16 05-27-2005, 09:23 AM

Verify that it is truly overheating, get 'er up to temp and use a meat thermometer in the coolant to compare with. It might be the sender as stated earlier.(be careful when you remove the cap!)

Is the engine still coated with mud? this would act like an insulator.

Red Line makes a coolant additive that really works, makes the water wetter or something like that, we sell it in our shop for the water cooled quads and have verified that they run up to 20% cooler

Do you have a clutch fan? is it working? when the red light is on you should hear the fan

someone one time offered me a penny for my thoughts, and I just offered you my 2 cents.

GeeAea · #17 05-27-2005, 11:37 AM

[ QUOTE ]
sorry, it actually runs at 210* not 220*F...

shawn

[/ QUOTE ]

My wife's did the same when I put her winch on ..covered or uncovered. The Turbo-City (slightly) hollowed out thermostat housing solved it. Brought it right back down to normal 205. 210 is nothing to get too excited about. Notice how quick you warm up? It's allegedly due to having a good amount of the flow bypassing the rad through the heater.

Good luck

CalJeep · #18 03-14-2007, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80cj

When i put the vinyl cover over my warn hs9500, the jeep over heats. its a 00 TJ, 4.0/5spd. I replaced water pump, t-stat, radiator (3-core). So are there any other options besides leaving the cover off?

thanks all
shawn

I just wanted to let you know I have the same problem, the jeep runs fine, I just did about 10k of work with a 4 and 1/2 lift 33's new dana 44 on the front and a warn 8k winch new front and rear bumpers etc.. it ran all winter with the winch covered, last week the first day it hit 80 out side it ran just a but hot a little over 210.. I took off the winch cover a it was all ok. I'm a little worried that when it hits 100+ like it can here in California in the summer I may have a problem...

Does anyone know if an electric fan in addition to the mechanical fan would help or hurt ??

Thanks

Jim_Lou · #19 03-14-2007, 02:48 PM

There should be plenty of excess cooling capacity; in 80* weather it shouldn't overheat with half the radiator covered. I think you have other problems that an electric fan will only hide for a while.

Check the basics first. There are plenty of possibilities; worn & corroded impeller, head gasket leak, cracked head, faulty thermostat, improper timing, clogged block or radiator, soft lower hose, glazed drive belt, and probably a few more.

CalJeep · #20 03-14-2007, 02:49 PM

Just to let you know I have had the same problem.

I just spent about 10k on fixing up a 97 Wrangler,
4 1/2 lift
33's
new heavy duty radiator 3 core
winch warn 8000
front and rear bumpers
new Dana 44 front axle
new gears 4.56
The jeep ran great all winter here in ?Northern California, average temp was 30-60 degrees, the first day it hit 80 the jeep ran hot, approx 215~220 not much more.. I took off the winch cover and it's back to normal.

Did you find out if that was the cause of your problems ?
Would you or anyone on the forum suggest an electric fan to assist the mechanical fan ?? would that help or hurt the problem???

Open to suggestions...