Hot cj7. Help!!!

[rfonte7]

I am a new owner of a 78 CJ7 . (2 months) It has a SBC conversion in it. When I got it is had a 190 thermostat in it and it ran 220+ all the time and constantly spit out the overflow hose. I put in a 160 stat and replaced top and bottom flex hoses with "normal" hoses. The lower hose had a pretty good size kink in it. It has a flex fan but I haven't measured what size. i THINK the radiator is aftermarket but I'm judging by stock jeep pictures I see online. Mine has a center fill, top outlet is on drivers side, bottom on passenger. It appears to fit really nicely though, so I question that it's aftermarket. Anyway, after the 160 stat install and new coolant, it runs 180 down the road and during normal driving. I did some SLOW driving for the first time in a woods this weekend and it went to 220, but never higher. It was about 90-95 outside. Should I add an electric fan on a switch for when I go in the woods? Also, there is no shroud top or bottom? Would that help? If so, do I just need a stock CJ7 shroud? Thanks in advance

 

[CJKrawler]

Welcome to the site. You will need to get a shroud. That is what helps direct the air flow. With the SBC swap, you will have to buy a new one, there have been many discussions about this on here, so I am sure someone knows where to get one. You can also change to an electric fan, you won't be able to get both in. Either one of those should help keeps your temps in an acceptable range. Once you get that solved, you may want to go back to the 190 thermostat, IMO, 160 is to low.

 

[rfonte7]

Why is 160 too low? I don't have a heater in the jeep YET, not sure how much we will use in the winter as I only have a bikini top. And we are new owners just trying to decide if we will enjoy jeeping as a family. Let me know what you think. Thanks!!

 

[rfonte7]

Another question to you guys. Like I said my radiator lower hose outlet is on the passenger side of jeep. Does anyone know the part number of a lower hose that will fit that is NOT a flew hose? I matched one up at Napa but it's not as perfect as I'd like.

 

[Old Dog]

Sounds like an aftermarket rad. unless someone has changed the inlet and outlet, Stock jeeps have the outlet on the driversside & inlet on the pass. side.
Yes find a shroud it will help. also flex fans arn't to good at cooling change back to a high pitch stock one or if you go elect. get at least a 2100 cfm or higher fan.
As for the lower hose I run a flex as I couldn't find anyother one that fit.

 

[giantsfan]

what is the sbc swap, i have a 79 that runs hot to about 210 220 if im in traffic, gonna get a shroud but was wondering if that sbc swap would help also? thanks for your time.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

small block chevrolet SBC 305, 327, 350 etc, swapping in a diffferent motor.

you can keep the flex fan and add an electric fan which is what i did because i couldn't find a shroud to fit mine. and i'll tell you how, i left my high rpm flex fan, i got a small low profile electric fan and set it up as a pusher and put it in FRONT on the radiator behind the grill. i primarily use the flex fan and it works great as long as i'm running down the road or sit for a short period of time, if it starts getting warm i flip on the elec. fan and she stays nice and cold.
this is the fans i use
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Fans--Flex-Mr--Gasket_5022479-P_N6003A_P|GRP2061A____
and a fan similar to this one but its a imperial brand from advanced and it was quite a bit cheaper
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_12---ELECTRIC-FAN---REVER-Mr--Gasket_22904785-P_N6003_P|GRP2061A____
this setup works for me. one other suggestion is to find you a set of dual contour fans from a 95-2000? v6 ford contour or mercury mystique

 

[giantsfan]

cheepjeep85: thanks alot bro, feel a little stupid sbc....duh, lol. will def look into those fan options guess the georgia sun is a little hotter than up here in jersey, so if it worked for you should work for me.

 

[brian613]

do a search on here for electric fan swaps theres tons of info. i got rid of my stock fan and installed used ford contur fans from the pic-n-pull for $30 and only took about 5 min of work to get the dual electric fans to fit the rad. perfict

theres no reason to keep mechanical and electric IMO. if you take off the mechanical fan you can add a couple horse power to the engine because its not having to run the fan. and the dual fan set up from the ford i run one with normal driving and if im out in the woods creaping along i turn both on and it cools just fine.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

yep i would go with the contour fans to, if i do it over again i will. i use what i got because i had the flex fan before i knew anything about the contour fans, and i only spent $35 on the elec. fan where as picnpulls around here wanted $100 + -

 

[giantsfan]

thanks alot guys, one more question when you said u turn one on at a time i'm assuming that you have them hooked up seperatley? just through toggle switches or something?

 

[brian613]

thanks alot guys, one more question when you said u turn one on at a time i'm assuming that you have them hooked up seperatley? just through toggle switches or something?

yes i wired them in with switches and idiot lights (when there on theres a green light for one and a blue for the other so i know there running)
here is a link to a thread with tons of info on the fan upgrade

mine are wired independently of each other so that if one goed down i still have the other.