have a jeep wrangler with a sbc 350 and the temp keeps climbing once i get stuck in traffic. it has a new 3 row copper brass radiator new water pump and a 3300cfm zirgo electric fan the temputure reaches 210 when i am stuck in traffic and it keeps climbing from there.. please any suggestions would help it has a 180 thermostat also i live in az
2006-08-28 12:27:37 · 5 answers · asked by alex v 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
HUh, not very good with cars.
2006-08-28 12:29:49 · answer #1 · answered by You're My Wonderwall 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you're only overheating when stuck in traffic, that suggests your cooling fan may be the problem. First, are you sure it's coming on when it should? Is it wired to run continuously, or is it wired to a temperature sensor? If the latter, try wiring up the fan to run constantly, and see if the behavior in traffic is improved.
You can also remove the thermostat completely, at least until it gets cold enough for you to want to use your heater (if that ever happens where you are in Arizona.) If your thermostat were stuck shut, however, you would overheat even sooner when running down the road rather than stopped. It's one less variable to contend with in finding the cause of the problem, though, and easy to remove.
Overheating can also be caused by clogged water passages in the block; when the engine is at idle the water pump is usually spinning pretty slowly and isn't pushing the coolant through as quickly / at as high a pressure as it is when moving down the road. You might want to consider a cooling system flush to try to clear any of that out.
2006-08-28 13:04:30 · answer #2 · answered by RickB 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well in that it seems to be evidencing this only when you are sitting in traffic I would look to the fan again and make sure it is coming on when it should. If it is I would also look to see that it is turning in the right direction. If you have reversed the poles on the wiring it could be operating backward and instead of drawing cool air in through the radiator it could be picking up hot engine compartment air and blowing it forward which would severely compromise the radiator's ability to cool.
You can easily check this by lighting up a cigarette or cigar and blowing smoke toward the radiator when the fan is running. If it comes back toward you, the fan is turning in the wrong direction. If it is sucked through the radiator, then you must look to other causes.
2006-08-28 14:42:21 · answer #3 · answered by anonymourati 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm assuming that the fan is also new. if it wasn't a direct fit with the correct plugs to hook up the electrical, you or who installed it may have the fan running the wrong direction. pulling air instead of pushing air...it's an easy mistake to make...good luck
2006-08-28 13:37:56 · answer #4 · answered by blueman2 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The problem may be the thermostat.
2006-08-28 12:33:51 · answer #5 · answered by Teacher 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋