So at work the other day I walked out and saw a big puddle of water under my XJ. After some crawling around underneath I have found a water trail from the back of the oil pan to the lower weep hole of the water pump. Usually when I have to buy a new part I upgrade if I can. Since looking around, I have learned about the Hesco High Flow Water Pump. Ever since I have had the XJ, I have had over heating problems when Im crawling around in low gears. Even when I let her idle in the parking lot she will slowly overheat. One band-aid solution I have found is to put the car into neutral and rev the engine to get the mechanical fan going faster so I could cool it down. I have a new radiator, thermostat, thermostat housing, a metal over flow tank, and have replaced most of the rubber hoses a year or so ago. My question is would the High Flow pump be a good upgrade for the XJ cooling system? or should I look other places?

IN ADDITION: I tested the mechanical fan clutch by spinning the mechanical fan before the engine was turned on and recording how much resistance there was (with the fan blad at 12:00 and pushing with two fingures, it moved about one blade over). Then I let the truck idle (with the hood down) until it went past 210 degrees according to the stock gauge system. At that point I shut the engine off, popped the hood, and spun the mechanical fan again to see the difference. To my surprise there wasn't any! Does this mean the fan clutch is bad?

Thanks for any ideas you may have!

 

Hesco pump is a good idea.

You could upgrade the mechanical fan clutch to a ZJ fan clutch. It's bigger and it'll pull more air through. You may lose an MPG out of it but it sounds like you need it in your case.

 

Are you talking about the mechanical fan AND the clutch from a Grand Cherokee? Or just the Clutch? I don't see how a bigger clutch would move more air. Also do you think my over heating problems could be because of the clutch, or has the pump been found to be a weak point of the older XJ's?

 

The mechanical fan clutch is what I am referring to (it's what the fan itself is attached to). We aren't talking about 2 different things here.

And the entire cooling system of the XJ is a weak point. Which is why every component of it needs to be in tip top condition.

 

Sorry, not trying to be difficult. I am just confused to how a bigger mechanical fan clutch will move more air since the fan (to my understanding) is the part that moves air.

As far as the cooling system I can see how if everything isn't perfect there are problems. At this point I'm most likely going to get the Hesco high flow pump.

 

Here's a good read for you

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/put...photos-140789/

 

bet when you pull your water pump alot or most of your impeller blades will be worn or gone... thus no water flow to cool your engine at slow speeds , , like when your crawlin, at higher speeds you get more wind past the radiator to cool what water you do push thru the radiator with the worn water pump blades,, alot of people replace everything you did for overheating to find out later the blades were gone on there pump .

 

Interesting, never thought of this. well I get paid soon, so I will be ordering the Hesco high flow pump soon and will see if my pumps impeller blades look shredded soon enough.

 

is your electrical fan working? what theromstat did you install. and high flow water pump might help like stated if the empeler is worn on the old one other wise you might have other things to adress. do you have a trans cooler and ac cooler still blocking the radiator?

sorry for spelling been up awhile.

 

I live in Arizona. Stock replacement pump, new of course, and a new stock fan clutch.

That ZJ fan clutch is LOUD.

 

The electrical fan works sometimes. Ive put a new sensor in the radiator when I replace the radiator. Sometimes it turns on all by itself and sometimes it doesnt. Ive now wired a switch to the relay that controls the electric fan so I can manually turn it on. I installed a SuperStat 195 degree thermostat. It does fine when I drive around. I can see the temp rise and drop right about 195 degrees. Its just low crawling rpms and idling that I have problems. Just ordered the pump this morning so we will see what the old pump looks like.

 

I think i use the 185 in my jeep i ditched the mechanical fan and run to electric fans now. but to be honest it only really ever needs both when im hard core wheelin

 

You shouldnt be needing any upgrade for your fan. If you overheat on slow speed or idle, like you stated, and you have flushed your radiator and sprayed all the bugs and stuff out of it (from the enginebay outwards with pressurised H20)most likely your viscous fan is up for just a replacement.
On testing the 'resistance' of this vicous fan: I have tried to sort this out in the past (look for threads), because there are many many opnions as well as theories on when it should spin 'difficult' and when more ' freely'. Even Hains manual states is should spin freely when cold, which I seriously doubt.
So, fresh coolant, flushed and cleaned radiator and overheating at low speed point towards viscousfan issue. Yes you can do dual fans etc etc, but can just replace with a quality one. Why do difficult if not needed.
Overheating at highway speeds point more towards possible waterpump. Check wheephole, it can give you some clues.
Take it easy, difficult stuff will come later.

 

This^^.

 

Everytime I buy a used car i always clean the radiator off along with the condensonsor. I use Simple Green heavily applyed let soak for an hour. Grab the old garden hose and rinse From the INSIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OUT. Thus cleaning all the old crap off. Keep us posted