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Heating up in desert


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Hi Fellas,

 

My friend got the project car old 2004 model V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee for restoring and modifying only as a desert ride. He got the clean deal for cheap and factored around 15-20k aed for restoring and mods. As a first rule he brought the car to the bare stock model and replace couple of mechanical parts: Axel joint, drive shaft and new suspension etc. We took out for a drive and suspect engine need little love so got the new spark plus, coils, wires, filters etc and engine started roaring back onroad.

 

We drove onroad for a week and went to khwaneej desert in late evening to test the offroad gear and response. Did amazing set of dunes in first 5 minutes and then car started to gain bit of temperature. We went out and check the radiator, fan, coolant and all was working fine so we flushed the whole coolant with new coolant and added new radiator cap and went again in evening and same thing happen. This time we didn't touched the dunes, we were just playing in sand with 4x4 engaged. Seems like car is not heating on road but in desert within 5 minutes after engaging the 4WD drive it start getting overheat.

 

Being an old model, there must be 100 of things we can doubt but we want to take an educated guess than blowing the budget with unnecessary repairs. Any help or advise is highly appreciable. Thanks in advance.

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You should also check the gear / 4wheel drive oil and filter. If it's known when last changed then change it and record for future. And you get bigger electric fan installed in place of small one. I got Kenlow fan installed in my jeep and it help kept my Jeep little cooler than before, check the link below they are very nice and effective. btw, do you know that jeeps are born hot and i am not joking but jeep normal operating temperature is slightly above the japanese and german cars. So if it's slight rise is bothering you then I would say ignore and dont waste money. Just mod the car with nice lift kit, air filter and exhaust and off you go.

 

Electric cooling fan for engine: http://www.kenlowe.com/CoolingOEM.php

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I had something very similar issue few years back and it turned out to be the Engine fan was the culprit.

 

Engine fan works with viscose clutch and that usually rotate at half rpm speed of engine but when engine gets hot then viscose clutch get fully engage and rotate at 100% speed of engine RPM. This help drawing bigger amount of air and pushes through radiator to cool the coolant at a faster rate. The amount of air and pressure it uses is far above any electric fan and it is capable to dissipate heat within seconds.

 

Engine fan usually have a life of 5-10 years depending on usage, and it's slightly expensive to replace somewhere in range of 800-1200 AED. 

 

Go again and test your car in desert and pay extra attention this time when car overheat, that engine fan started working at higher rpm? As it's mechanical operation, so there is no proven and clear way to see when it works except you need to listen that result in LOUD GUSHING NOISE from engine bay. If your car still be quite when engine is slightly overheating then its confirmed that this engine fan viscose clutch needs replacement. If this fan produced enormous gushing noise and temperature drops and then this noise goes back to normal noise level, then that means this engine fan is working and there is something else to doubt.

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Let's root for each other & watch each other grow.

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If engine is weak then under load situation like in desert it will definitely overheat. FYI, on road car is under stress for first few meters of movement and then rolling tires on road is not stress for any car of any age. Imagine that first few meter stress from 0-5km is a kicker and that same kicker x 100 = desert drive (It's an example, I am not an Einstein).

 

I would rather buy and test car in desert  first if I like to know its worthiness for desert project, than vice versa of what your friend have done. Your way you might blow whole cash and it still overheat and then sell at quarter price.

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Though you already in the situation I won't crib about anything but advise you to spend money with a pinch of salt. Gaurav advise is good to identify the main engine fan and then decide accordingly. Do let us know when you test next and will advise accordingly.

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No offence but Grand cherokee you have chosen for a desert project itself is kind of wrong choice as a build platform as it's not hard core off-roader but rather soft-roader. Even if you make it work to the pristine condition, you might not enjoy it's performance as compare to other good 4x4 like Wrangler, Cherokee, Defender, Dicovery etc. My two cents.

 

May be it's an indication to reconsider your plan....!

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Thanks guys for all the help and advises.

 

Farook: Kenlow fan is a band-aid solution and not fixing what is causing that, but will keep that in mind.

 

Gaurav: Yes gushing and roaring sound is coming when car is hot means clutch fan is alive.

 

Cyborg: Yes I know June is hot in Dubai. 

 

Ethan & Sidhan: Yes, I agree and that's why we are discussing and thinking to proceed or not with major expense

 

Nutbolt: I have started sen, what you said recently in other forums and my research.

 

Let's see what holds the future of this poor Grand Cherokee (Grocery run vs desert queen).

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