Engine Temperature?

[AOrangeWIP]

So I did some searching in the forums and found a few threads on engine temperature. I needed to know what the proper running temp should be for an AMC 360. I found one thread where Old Dog had said that the proper temp for the AMC 304 is around 195 degrees.

My engine does not necessarily overheat, but it does get hotter than 195. It was winter when I bought the jeep and it would run all day long at 180 to 195 degrees. Now that we are in the hottest month of the year where I live, the jeep cruises anywhere from 205 to 210. It gets hottest when it is not moving like sitting at a stop light it will reach to a little above 210 degrees. I have checked the coolant flow, and it is good. It has a brand new radiator and I have replaced the t stat just to be on the safe side.

So my question is are these temperatures normal for an AMC 360?

 

[1986cj7]

I not sure but I wouldn't think that a 20 or 30 degree differance would matter to much. Dont know if you have aluminum heads on if even then if it would would matter on a differance of only 30-40 degree.

 

[CJ]

Please explain your current coolant system.

Radiator cores?
Fan shroud?
Type of fan?

If you are not running a shroud then adding one will keep your temps much more constant.

My 390 never got above 195 (with a 195 t-stat) once I added a full fan shroud.

 

[CJim7]

Its really nothing to worry about, its summer, and those temperatures really wont have an effect on engine components or oil breakdown.

My 401 used to run 220-230 before break-in...but these things run hot anyway, especially during break-in. switching to propane dropped my running temp down to 195-205

 

[BusaDave9]

My 390 never got above 195 (with a 195 t-stat) once I added a full fan shroud.

CJ is right. The shroud makes a bigger difference than you'd think.
Without a shroud the fan blows air around the engine compartment.
With a shroud the fan pulls air through the radiator.
People often get rid of the shroud when they do an engine swap or a body lift. Do you have one AOrangeWIP?
It does sound like an issue with air flow.

It gets hottest when it is not moving like sitting at a stop light

 

[Old Dog]

What they said about the shroud ^^^
If it's not getting over 210 or so, and it's not boiling over, I wouldn't worry about it. It has been a HOT summer.

 

[AOrangeWIP]

I don't have a shroud but I do have the large fan. The temp never goes above 212 and has never boiled over no matter how hot it gets. I just didn't know if the temp I was running at was normal or not. Guess its just the outside heat thats making it get a little warmer than 195.

I did come across a new problem today. I put in a new tstat and now it is leaking badly under the housing. When I put in the new one I put the gasket in place and also used permatex. Guess I didn't get it sealed properly. So now I have to go to the auto parts store in the morning and get another gasket and pull it apart again. At least its not hard at all to remove the thermostat.

 

[CJim7]

You need a shroud. There will come a time when you are stuck in town traffic or something on a really hot day.....without the shroud, the fan will not pull air through the radiator properly at a stop. you will overheat

 

[AOrangeWIP]

Where might one purchase one of these shrouds? Is it just a standard fan shroud for a CJ7 ?

 

[BusaDave9]

It's a standard shroud if you have a standard fan and no body lift.
You were saying you had an oversized fan. That may mean a modified shroud.

 

[AOrangeWIP]

I'm pretty sure my fan is the same diameter as a stock CJ fan, it just has more blades from the research that I have done.

 

[CJim7]

Fan shrouds for CJ's are hard to come by and if you are able to find a vendor that sells them, they are going to be very expensive.
I would post a want-add in a large forum like Pirate4x4 to try and locate an used one...just a suggestion.

 

[1986cj7]

I agree with cjim7 I had to fork out $107 for a new fan shroud for my 86cj7 with the overheating problems I'm having. If you can find one used that is I shreached but wasn't able to find one. Good luck hunting.

 

[AOrangeWIP]

I've been looking at fan shrouds, but I just don't know if I really need one. My CJ doesn't run way hotter than it should, just a few degrees here and there. I'm going to redo the gasket on my new tstat so that it doesn't leak then Ill test it out for a few days to see if I really need a fan shroud.