How can I keep engine temps down?

[Valpo Jeep]

On vacation in Gatlinburg. Our place is up Ski Mountain Drive near Ober Mountain for those aware with the area. Probably like a 1,000 foot climb up from Gatlinburg. Checked temps when we got up to the condo last night and both coolant and oil were about 225F last night. Ran it in auto but not sure what gear it was, running about 2,000-2,500 RPMs coming up. I know I was not at a critical temp or anything, just curious how to keep the temps lower or should I just roll with it.

Will downshifting and running the RPMs higher help with cooling the 3.6?

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[grimmjeeper]

Working an engine hard generates a lot of heat.

Down shifting helps to a point. But the only way to really reduce temps is to not go so fast up the grade. That spreads the work out over time and gives the radiator more time to cool the engine.

 

[Captain Morgan]

I took my front airdam off the other day to experiment. I think it helps pull more air from the engine bay with it off. Doesn’t help gas mileage but pick your poison.

 

[maestro5531]

Ive seen 220+ Temps just sitting in traffic in 50F weather. Fan control is effed up on the JL, especially with how packed the engine bay is. My WK2 with the same engine will not go over 202-205 even when towing, sits at the thermostat 194 all day long. RPM Extreme Fan controller or tuning is the only solution to get the fan running vs factory 220F+ for 15% fan speed.

 

[garyji]

I look at the little gauge in the center cluster. If it's in the middle, all is good. Don't overthink it.

G.

 

[Willys41]

On vacation in Gatlinburg. Our place is up Ski Mountain Drive near Ober Mountain for those aware with the area. Probably like a 1,000 foot climb up from Gatlinburg. Checked temps when we got up to the condo last night and both coolant and oil were about 225F last night. Ran it in auto but not sure what gear it was, running about 2,000-2,500 RPMs coming up. I know I was not at a critical temp or anything, just curious how to keep the temps lower or should I just roll with it.

Will downshifting and running the RPMs higher help with cooling the 3.6?

The way the Wrangler cooling system works or doesn't work is the thermostat starts to open at 190 however the rad. fan only comes on at 15% fan speed at 221 and 75% fan speed at 231.
This is to little to late.
The RPM Extreme JL fan controller fixes this problem.
I run one on both my Wrangler 3.6 and the highest I have seen is 212 pulling a long 4000ft mountain pass.
It has lowered my coolant and oil temps by 25 degrees.
Don't think that a larger radiator is going to lower your temps. Its not. The way these radiators are built with tight fins very little air will pass though the radiator just driving down the road. What is needed is better fan control.
Next time you see high temps turn on your A/C full blast. This will turn the rad. fan to a high rate of speed and your temps will drop showing you that better fan control is all that is need to lower the temps.

http://www.rpmextreme.com/Product/311/Jeep-JL-PWM-FAN-CONTROLLER.aspx

 

[Reinen]

It's normal. Engines are designed to run hotter now to maximize the complete burning of fuel.
This is why you need to make sure your coolant and oil meets the specifications outlined in the owners manual. Not just any coolant and oil will do, they need to handle the higher temps.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I look at the little gauge in the center cluster. If it's in the middle, all is good. Don't overthink it.

G.

That thing is programmed to stay in the middle until the temperature hits the limit, then go off scale.

 

[Old Dogger]

That engine coolant temp, is very much in the normal range. Many in the mountains, report seeing as high as 240°.

 

[Willys41]

It's normal. Engines are designed to run hotter now to maximize the complete burning of fuel.
This is why you need to make sure your coolant and oil meets the specifications outlined in the owners manual. Not just any coolant and oil will do, they need to handle the higher temps.

Not my 2020 f250 or my Tundra. They stay at 185/190 and I have only seen my f250 hit 212 once pulling my goose neck trailer with my jeep on it up a steep grade.
Many many people have seen there jeeps hit 235+ as I have and some have gone into limp mode.
In Sand Hollow and Moab last April with the fan controller installed on my jeep the hottest I got was 208.
Both my coolant and oil temps are down by 25+ degrees.

 

[maestro5531]

It's normal. Engines are designed to run hotter now to maximize the complete burning of fuel.
This is why you need to make sure your coolant and oil meets the specifications outlined in the owners manual. Not just any coolant and oil will do, they need to handle the higher temps.

Oil coolers and head gaskets on 3.6 have a different opinion as to running hotter...

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

Daily drive in the city and highway, mine often goes over 220 coolant and 240 oil temp. I consider this normal.

Quoting what @stumblinhorse said earlier:

Coolant temps:
203* t-stat starts to open
206* t-start is fully open
226* fan start to run
235* fan on full
250* limp mode

A/C on will turn on the fan regardless of coolant temp.

 

[Willys41]

It's normal. Engines are designed to run hotter now to maximize the complete burning of fuel.
This is why you need to make sure your coolant and oil meets the specifications outlined in the owners manual. Not just any coolant and oil will do, they need to handle the higher temps.

I will wait until you pop a head gasket and then tell what you think.

 

[Kracka]

225F is no big deal or concerning at all, but I personally do add a bottle of Redline Water Wetter into all my vehicle cooling systems and it helps drop temps a bit and keep them more stable.

 

[Reinen]

I will wait until you pop a head gasket and then tell what you think.

Suit yourself. I hope you have a good comfortable rocking chair, old timer.

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