There shouldn't be any excess "play" in the fan. Cold the fan should spin freely but warm you should feel some drag when you turn it by hand.

 

Are you sure it's not the gauge??

 

There is no "play" in either fan (original or spare). There was very little difference in resistance between when the engine was cold or hot.

The other day when the gauge was showing hot ( 3/4 ) I pulled off the radiator cap and put a thermometer in the radiator. It was reading around 200*. So I know the gauge is working.

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Could you have a leaking freeze plug or cracked head! Take to a Rad. shop and have them run some test to see whats up with it.

QuadZuki,87 spoa,33"wild countrys

 

I'm not losing coolant.

I don't have the $ to spend at a radiator shop, plus I don't know one that I trust.

/wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gifjbird88_5@yahoo.com
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what are they supposed to run at? Mine runs from half to almost 3/4 on a hot day according to the stock gauge.

87 silver sami,30x9.50's, no lift yet, accel 8mm wires, $10 intake, $20 exhaust.

 

Does it run hot when idling or slow driving? highway speeds?

87 Samurai- 5.12's locked up,4340 front,hybrid rear,4.16's,P/S.,Toy. carb.,DT header, 33's, 2" exhaust and Durabak inside and out.
92 Samurai- Its next!!!

Zookin- a family affair

 

Found your previous post. Is this still the original 145,000 mile radiator? I believe in the previous post you said it mainly runs hot at highway speed. I have had several of my hotshot trucks exibit the same symptoms. 9 out of 10 times the radiator needs to be rodded out. The trucks runs fairly normal while idling along and heats up when under a load or at highway speed? Some times a radiator flush will work, but around here I can get it rodded out for 30.00, so I just do that.

87 Samurai- 5.12's locked up,4340 front,hybrid rear,4.16's,P/S.,Toy. carb.,DT header, 33's, 2" exhaust and Durabak inside and out.
92 Samurai- Its next!!!

Zookin- a family affair

 

Make sure your conection to the sender is good. If it is remove the sender. If only a drible of water comes out it's pluged, use a wire to clear the hole.

This worked for a buddy's suk. Crud builds up on the end of the sender and it dosen't read the true water temp. A flush only helped a little for him.

Try this first, it's cheap.

'88 Suk, 1.3L, 2"exhaust,carb mod, 235/75 Buckshot mudders,'87 for parts.

 

If you think it is the fan cluth try puting a peice of wire on the bolt to the clutch and wrap it around one of the blads it is for shure to turn then but don't leave it there long just long anouf to see if that is your problem

 

So what is "rodded"?

I pulled the radiator out last weekend and checked it out. There is no scale build up at all inside. Everything looked good. Is there something special a radiator shop does to it that will make it transfer heat better? Is that what your talking about?

The engine does seem to run hotter under load.

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A radiator shop pulls the rad. apart and cleans the tubes in the radiator using rods.

87 Samurai- 5.12's locked up,4340 front,hybrid rear,4.16's,P/S.,Toy. carb.,DT header, 33's, 2" exhaust and Durabak inside and out.
92 Samurai- Its next!!!

Zookin- a family affair

 

Jbird,

I'm sure you've done this but, might want to check for any vacuum leaks around the carburetor and intake manifold. My rig, with a stock temp gauge, runs NO higher then mid-range and usually a little below.
If you go to replace the fan clutch, they are a little pricy. About $ 70 but, an electric fan with a manual temperature thermostat runs about $ 90. The electric fan will move more air and not be a drain on the engine, except for the electric draw on the charging system.

IMHO, Bobcat.

I Feel more like I do NOW . . . . Then I did awhile AGO! /wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif

 

I can help but need a real temp. value.

 

What do you need to know?

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'Bird,

I had the same thing happen to me a year or so ago - I was about to pull out what was left of my hair, when a buddy at a local shop showed me a trick diagnostic tool. It's a temp sensor that shoots a beam of light onto the object to detect it's temperature - looks like a little gun. I shot my radiator in about a dozen places, and sure enough, the temp's varied by as much as 40 degrees! The coolant wasn't flowing evreywhere despite how clean it looked down the rad. cap neck. I'm sure those gizmo's are expensive, but a good radiator shop should have one handy to test with.

HTH,

OILBURNER tim.justice@ipaper.com 1988.5 Samurai, VW 1.9L Diesel,
GRS II, Toyota Axles w/ locked High-Pinion Diff's w/ 5.29's,
BFG 35's and more....

 

Tool that OILBURNER talks about is a one handy tool if have
one use it to measure maifold temp. for value 160-180 degF

Divide radiator into sectors measure at sector points
horz and vert record data proptional and symmeteric values
should appear point being unequal is suspected blockage.

No laser temp gun use mercury cooking thermometer.

Temp measurements will tell you what going on.

 

Try revving the engine up to 6500 RPM (or very high using the carb) and stick your bare hand in the fan blades, maybe it will stop, maybe it wont.. /wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif

 

Jay,
I have the fan from the 95 Tracker here if you want it. Just send me your address off list and it's yours. That's real smart Anton!
ROB