I've finally posted an update on everything that's been going on. Link back to the write-up by clicking the picture; the update begins at post 270:



We're going out to the Coke Ovens Trail today - cross your fingers...

Diane

Great News! Clifford is running mucho cooler now - stays right at the halfway mark on the guage through most conditions. Climbs a little above halfway on grades. As usual, runs cool on the trail. Click the pic to link back to pictures from Florence Junction, post 284:



Ciao,
Diane

What "fixed it" D?

alanzona wrote:What "fixed it" D?

G took the winch off, enlarged the grill opening, moved the radiator forward 1", thus the fans, installed an air dam under, blocked the front of the cold air intake box & put a hole in the back of it thus diverting the air away from the radiator, installed hood scoops over the vents in the hood. Kind of an aerodynamic soup, I guess.

Honestly, I think Clifford got jealous of Number 7 and decided he better act right if he wants to go to town with Mom ever again...

=\
Diane

Number 7 wrote:G took the winch off, enlarged the grill opening, moved the radiator forward 1", thus the fans, installed an air dam under, blocked the front of the cold air intake box & put a hole in the back of it thus diverting the air away from the radiator, installed hood scoops over the vents in the hood. Kind of an aerodynamic soup, I guess.

Honestly, I think Clifford got jealous of Number 7 and decided he better act right if he wants to go to town with Mom ever again...

=\
Diane

LOL Awesome.

Number 7 wrote:G took the winch off, enlarged the grill opening, moved the radiator forward 1", thus the fans, installed an air dam under, blocked the front of the cold air intake box & put a hole in the back of it thus diverting the air away from the radiator, installed hood scoops over the vents in the hood. Kind of an aerodynamic soup, I guess.

Honestly, I think Clifford got jealous of Number 7 and decided he better act right if he wants to go to town with Mom ever again...

=\
Diane

LOL Awesome.

Update on Clifford: Now that cooler weather is here, the Jeep doesn't overheat, although it still heats up to about the 3/4 mark on long grades. We took him to southern Utah for the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail, and on the way home that long climb into Flagstaff from the north on Hwy 89 he got to 3/4 with all the fans and the heater on. But he didnt' overheat...

My conclusion is Clifford is a winter vehicle. George is going to change the fans; he's looking at a triple fan set up which produces something like 4500 cfm. In the meantime I'm driving him all the time and he runs great.

Here's some pictures of Clifford on the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail - click the 1st picture to link back to my build thread to see more starting on post #302:









Ciao!
Diane

Ugh. Running hot conditions continued this spring, with Clifford reaching the 252* mark on the way home from Red Creek in May. George decided it was time for the last ditch effort of pulling the head and having it checked, and did a bunch of other work while the engine is drained. I updated the build thread, and you can link back to it by clicking here: http://offroadpassport.com/forum/showthread.php?p=18286#post18286. The update begins at post 383.







Ciao Muchachos!
Diane

You guys are not going to believe this: It was the radiator! Yep, you heard that right; it was the radiator. When I bought the XJ it had a Radiator Barn 3 row radiator that was made of copper/brass, then we upgraded to a Champion all aluminum 3 row radiator thinking it would solve the over-heating problem. The Champion sprung a leak in 1 year. So we re-installed the original Radiator Barn, and it started leaking, so we bought a brand new Radiator Barn - this time a 2 row copper/brass. The Jeep continued to overheat throughout all these radiator changes.

A weird thing happened that made George do some intense research: as he was working on a buddy's Jeep he discovered that the original OEM radiator was leaking. Not able to find an OEM, he ordered a Radiator Barn 2 row copper/brass and installed it. Then that Jeep overheated on the way to the Cinders! Since it had never run hot at all, it made George realize that the radiator was probably the problem.

So he ordered a (difficult to find) 'stock' after market, 1.5" thick aluminum core w/plastic tanks radiator and installed it in Clifford. Thursday I drove to Scottsdale and back with the A/C blasting, and the dash gauge never budged off the halfway mark (normal operating temperature). Yesterday I drove to Mesa and back, A/C blasting up and down the Beeline and the dash gauge stuck at the halfway mark again.

I have no words for how excited I am because I'm afraid I'm going to jinx myself. But it looks like my Clifford is fixed!

Great news! I know that uncomfortable feeling... Waiting on it to overheat. Bleh!

Clifford got a new exhaust manifold, catalytic converter & exhaust, as well as losing a little weight in preparation for next week's trip to Utah, Check it out if you want, by clicking on the 1st picture to be redirected to the build thread. New stuff in posts 455 & 461:

July 6, 2014: Sorry for the back date guys!

Clifford has undergone all manner of upgrades, repairs and maintenance in the last weeks and months - and today was the final shake-down before going to the Rubicon Trail next week. Nothing rubbed and everything worked well today, now it's time to start packing it up! Woot!!!













:)

A few pics from the Rubicon trip July 13 - 17, 2014

Well, the big guy has been out in the shop grinding and banging for nearly a week now and I realized I haven't posted a single picture yet. This should give you some idea about what's going on and what's in store for the Cliff-dawg, but it is by no means ALL that is going on. Stay tuned to see more as it develops:

Your first picture isn't a link..... I don't know what to do. lol

Avis wrote:Your first picture isn't a link..... I don't know what to do. lol

DO NOT CLICK IT! Haha! I know! The C/P has gotten easier over the years at V-bull has refined.

Great pics. I guess it is possible to plan a trip there and actually run the trail. :))