Too Cold!

Hi Everybody!
I’ve had this cooling problem since I bought this jeep…takes forever to warm up to operating temp. If it’s nice and sunny, 75* I’ll be warm in 6-7 minutes but that only happens 3-4 months a year around here and never when I go to work at 0700.
This morning, approximately 42*, warmed up for 10 minutes in the driveway, needle still sitting on the pin, ~1.25 miles to work (never over 45 mph) and we got to ~150.
On the way home, it was 50 ish degrees (with a 25mph northwest headwind), warmed up for 5 mins, made a couple of stops on the way, the needle never came off or the pin.
I am thinking about putting a clutch on my fan.
Anybody done this?
I see this ebay listing for a 225,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254895624526
and this from way back, but no follow up,
http://mail.earlycj5.com/xf_cj5/index.php?threads/60682/
You guys are the smartest people I know, what do you think?
Edit…
I know the thermostat works, when I can get it up to temp, I can watch it open on the temp gauge.

 

I don't think you are going far enough.

10miles should be warm. 1.5mi is not far enough for my jeep or my daily driver. Our Turbocharged 3.5l with the grill louvers and all will be warm in 1.5 mi but that's after sitting aggressively getting to 40mph.

 

I've heard it said the fan does very little cooling compared to the natural airflow, at road speeds. That's why fan clutches are used to improve gas milage. I doubt you'd see any change in the temperature readings.

If you really need a rapid warm-up, a grill cover would do it - but poses a whole new set of potential problems.

 

I think I temporally would try another direct gauge just to see if there is any difference. It might be warmer than you think. Can you feel any heat from your heater at all when the gauge still reads cold on the peg?

 

Mine is also cold blooded like that. I suspect it gets plenty of cooling from the bypass hose. Ten or so miles without warming
enough to open the thermostat. I am using the stock and a mechanical gauge.

 

A quick fix/process elimination is a piece of cardboard on the radiator. About 50-75% coverage worked for me in the winter when my jeep was a daily driver. Just remember to take it off when the weather warms up.

Angry rebuttals begin here.

 

Is there any good way to test water pump flow?
How clean is the antifreeze?
Also consider a 120v block heater. If you have the cord well secured to the frame and your extension cord is well secured it won't be a big deal every time you forget to un-plug it.

Added bonus if you put the plug in front of your driver mirror you can park in the EV spot while it warms up.

 

this is exactly what I do.

 

This is probably correct, but I sure am not going to ask for a longer commute!

This is my real concern, although the block is getting warmer as I go, I would like to be vaporizing my fuel more efficiently (EFI is a long way down the list…)

Without going that far to prove it, I think the gauge is reasonably accurate, 180* thermostat and at about 190 on the gauge I can see it open. No heater but I can feel a draft of warm air coming through the hole in the firewall.

 

I might have to give this a shot this weekend.

Coolant is clean and relatively fresh.
I don’t think it’s quite cold enough around here to justify a block heater, but the EV parking remark just may be worth it!
I often have a Tesla following me out of the neighborhood, it makes me smile to think of the exhaust he’s sniffing back there

 

Never saw the word "efficiently" applied to a Jeep before....

 

A block heater generally is used to get the engine warm enough to start. But they will heat it up and shutoff when they reach a higher temp, I don't remember if it's 120 or 150 but it's below 165. So a heater on the bypass hose will get it warmed up without as much engine time.

And... you can put a wifi outlet on the cord to start heating whenever you tap the phone or set the time or set an outside temp to trip it.

I need to hurry up and rebuild that heater I bought from you and add the recirculating baffle.

 

also a good way to push the core into the fan at speed...btdt

 

Or boil over when the weather improves. Or you forget to open the cover.

Or damage the core trying to attach the cover.

DAMHIK

 

New upgrade, that possibly nobody ever wanted! | ECJ5 (earlycj5.com) Some info on the fan clutch. Some dont have any room for one. The rad is closer on the early ones I think?

 

I think something is not right here. I live at 6500', can be very cold for 7 months of the year, and I have not experienced this with my 4 V6 jeeps. Recently I wetted down the '65 tux, after the engine work, it was probably 30 in the garage, started it, idled for 10 minutes, watched the tstat open at 180*. It has a big aluminum radiator, flex fan, and shroud. No issues trying to get it, or the other jeeps up to temperature. Same with my M37. The Army had grill covers for cold weather, but I have run that truck at 0* and it had no problem staying at 180 with no cover.

 

Well if you put the thermostat in upside down it will push it open and take forever to heat up.

 

It sure sounds to me like your commute just isn't long enough to warm the engine. My Dauntless doesn't usually register on the temp senser until a few miles down the road in the winter.
I'm not sure if blocking the radiator or having a fan clutch is going to change that situation. If the coolant isn't generally flowing through the radiator anyway I don't see how a baffle will change the temp of the water inside the block.
I agree a block heater would help somewhat but I think I'm your use case it's probably not worth the effort.

I think the biggest thing for you is to make sure you drive it once a week or so enough to get it fully warmed up, maybe 10+ miles. This will get the oil fully warmed to help get rid of the unburned fuel that gets in there from running cold. Remember even if your temp gauge shows the coolant is up to temp it takes longer for the oil to fully warm.

 

My first thought is you have a T stat that isn't closing all the way. While cold outside temps will chill the block, the heat generated by the combustion engine should start heating it up as soon as it starts. This temp will continue to rise till the T stat opens. If the t tat isn't closing all the way, coolant will flow through the radiator and not allow the engine to warm up fast enough/at all.
Also, Blasting the heater during warm up will cause cold outside air to cool the coolant in the heater core, which can keep engine temps down.

Block/coolant heaters are a norm for super cold climbs and diesel engines. They provide a number of positives like easier start ups, quicker warm ups, and the ability to help keep the windshield clear on frosty mornings. This will not help an engine that won't get to operating temps because it will only warm the block/coolant.

This is a common fix for cold weather. You used to be able to purchase a snap on shroud, usually made of the same material as your roof. These have (to my knowledge) been discontinued for our application. They keep ice cold air from blasting through the radiator and across the block. While not much of an aid at idle, they will really help keep up the temps at road speeds. I usually drop a couple of pieces of cardboard in front of my diesel pick up every winter to aid in keeping it warm. Cardboard has never melted on me, even in winter rain and it has never damaged the radiator or anything else for that matter.

Suggestions in the order of merit:
Replace the t stat. I like hotter ones anyway so a 180 or 195.
Slap a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator.
Turn your heater blower on low or off during idle warm up. Freezing weather can crack a windshield so low would be better.
A block/coolant heater will help keep the windshield clear while it is parked and aid in frigid temp start ups.
As for the fan, a clutch fan is more efficient, regardless of any issues, so it is IMHO, a viable upgrade.

Other things to look at:
Retarded timing. This can make your engine run cooler.
If you have a stock exhaust, insure the heat riser is working and the passages are open. While designed to help with carb icing, this system will heat the oil valley and intake manifold, which will provide added heat to the block.

 

Thank you all for your thoughts and your time to reply.
I am confident in the cooling system working correctly, no heater so no worries there but also no heat riser to assist in warming up the intake valley.
I think I have to agree with those that said it’s just not far enough!
Poor Andy, I guess I will have to make time to drive it to the end of Montana de Oro every weekend lol.
To be clear, after idling in the driveway and traveling the first quarter mile or so it generally looses its cold/rich condition regardless of what the gauge says. I guess I’m expecting it to be something it’s not.
I will continue to toy with the clutch Idea, now that spring is here, we’re due for a couple of weeks of sunshine before May grey, June gloom, no sky July and crapshoot August, then it will be summer again and I’ll forget about it ‘till next winter!