AMC 360 cooling in CJ-7

[GrantWiseman]

Hey guys, the engine swap is done on my jeep, but I'm having issues with the cooling. The gauge goes to its max point very quickly once it has been started, and stays there. It stays there both in traffic and on the interstate. The "new" engine didn't come with a fan, so I used the four blade mechanical fan (not a clutch fan) with it, and that wasn't cutting it so I put on a 7 blade flex fan today, but there is no fan shroud. Really improved the airflow, but the gauge still reads as hot as it will go. I'm running a new 180 degree thermostat, and just replaced the radiator cap just in case. The radiator is only a couple years old, with an aluminum core and plastic tanks, but it was the one I replaced for the straight 6.

All that said, it doesn't boil over, unless I open the cap hot. Even then its brief.

The gauge I have isn't numeric, being the stock CJ gauge, so is there anything I can do short of replacing the radiator? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[gert]

Hey guys, the engine swap is done on my jeep, but I'm having issues with the cooling. The gauge goes to its max point very quickly once it has been started, and stays there. It stays there both in traffic and on the interstate. The "new" engine didn't come with a fan, so I used the four blade mechanical fan (not a clutch fan) with it, and that wasn't cutting it so I put on a 7 blade flex fan today, but there is no fan shroud. Really improved the airflow, but the gauge still reads as hot as it will go. I'm running a new 180 degree thermostat, and just replaced the radiator cap just in case. The radiator is only a couple years old, with an aluminum core and plastic tanks, but it was the one I replaced for the straight 6.

All that said, it doesn't boil over, unless I open the cap hot. Even then its brief.

The gauge I have isn't numeric, being the stock CJ gauge, so is there anything I can do short of replacing the radiator? Thanks in advance for any help!

start by putting a mechanical gauge on it to get a reading from it to verify the accuracy of the stock gauge and go from there, if its not over flowing it might not be that hot, could still be higher than you want tho

I put a Griffen 4 row aluminum on mine because I wanted the max cooling for the hot summer days in Texas

an electric fan from a Ford Taurus is a great upgrade to the mechanical fans as well, it has its own shroud, I am doing that conversion as well

 

[Posi]

All that said, it doesn't boil over, unless I open the cap hot. Even then its brief.

Please, never do this again. Really, you could hurt yourself or others. I've seen a guy get burnt really bad from opening a hot radiator cap.

Flush your block, add a ford contour fan as an option.

This is the one I attached to my radiator.

 

[gert]

Please, never do this again. Really, you could hurt yourself or others. I've seen a guy get burnt really bad from opening a hot radiator cap.

Flush your block, add a ford contour fan as an option.

This is the one I attached to my radiator.

Man I must have got the wrong Taurus fan mine only has 1 big fan on it


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[Posi]

It's a ford contour fan


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[gert]

It's a ford contour fan


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That explains it


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[Lumpy Grits]

Install a shroud ASAP.
I hope you bought a standard t'stat, and not one of those fancy safety type.
X2 on a mechanical temp and oil pressure gauge.
HINT: When adding water to your Jeep. Use distilled ONLY.
IF you go ele fan-1, they are NOISY. 2, you will need a higher output altenator, as they suck the amps up.
LG

 

[mtnwhlr]

So as stated above I don't think it is over heating or it would be boiling over but it would be nice to see what it is running. When you did the swap was it a AMC 304 to the 360 and what sender did you use?

 

[PistolDave]

Don't know if you have resolved this issue, but as LG said, get a shroud on that thing.

I am running a 401 in my CJ7 with the HD inline six radiator and a 180 tstat. I used a 19" seven blade fan from an early 70's Cadillac and a heavy duty fan clutch with a tightly fitted shroud. So far the highest temp I have seen is 200-205 including operation in temps exceeding 100F. Low speed crawling, 60+mph highway, etc. it has been working fine. In my opinion a big mechanical fan, well fitted shroud, and aggressive fan clutch are the way to go. I am also running a bottle of "water wetter" in my coolant on the suggestion of a friend, don't know how much difference if any that is making. The fan is a little noisy (like an overloaded Beech King-Air on a short field takeoff) but it moves a tremendous amount of air. I would bet it moves more air at idle than the biggest electric fan setup I have ever seen.

For what it is worth.
Dave