it has the same problem whether the a/c is on or not. when i stop to inspect it hot the ac fan is running. i haven't confirmed at what temp it actually comes on.

i used a water hose on it the first time it happened back in september. the condenser is very clean, no bugs and such. but a lot of the fins are a little smashed. the smoke bomb was a good idea and im gonna try it.

i guess i'll try the mopar 11 blade fan so i don't have to buy another clutch. is the 11 blade the same diameter as the factory blade? will it match up with the shroud like it should?

my opinion on mechanical fan . oem metal fan pull so much air with stock fan hub , that last winter my engine was full of snow all the way back to firewall , so i say i don't like it it is overcooling , i have plastic 3,7 v6 fan SPARE , but i don't want to move this thing out , of my garage . because this metal fan brings in so muck air flow and fuel fitter started corroding from all the moisture , salt , and i only drove it jan and february , so you guys with this hot running conditions , i don't think the fan is the problem ,

i tend to agree with you. when it gets hot and i pull off the road i can keep the rpm's at 1200-1500 and the temp falls very fast. i just need to flush the cooling system really good to get the efficiency up. I hope that will do it, if not i don't know where to concentrate my efforts.

If a lot of the fins are bent over, that could be a problem! They sell fin combs at AC supply stores for straightening condenser fins and they can be used on radiators as well. I have a whole set of them in different sizes...

the gasser V6 11 blade Mopar fan blade will fit perfectly in the shroud and bolt up to the existing fan clutch...

_________________
Supporting Vendor and Moderator of LOST
05 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited
Ironman Springs/Bilstein/Shocks
Yeti StgIV Hot Tune
Week's BatteryTray
No FCV/EGR
Samcos/ProVent
SunCoast/Transgo
Carter Intank-pmp
2mic.Sec.Fuel Filter
Flowmaster/NO CAT
V6Airbox/noVH
GM11 Bld.fan/HDClutch
IronrockArms/wwdieselMount
98 Dodge Cummins 24 Valve

upon closer inspection the fins weren't bad at all. there are some that are slightly bent but they aren't the problem.

today i added a liter of simple green to the radiator then drove it for about 20 miles. after that i took it to meinike to have the coolant flushed/changed. look what the tech found in the top radiator hose.....



it's an inline thermostat. i googled it and it seems to fit several European cars, Renault was the main hit. so i went for a drive up the mountain and it almost reached the 3/4 mark on the incline that it usually red-lines. so I'm confident i have helped the problem.

now i'm having a problem maintaining operating temp (straight up) while traveling downhill. it stayed below the 1/4 mark until i got down the slope. i got it up to operating temp on flat land and then pulled into a parking lot. after 15 minutes of idling it had dropped to the 1/4 mark. my theory is that the previous owner installed the inline thermostat to help maintain operating temp. but it was restricting flow enough that it couldn't cool quick enough to keep up when the engine is loaded for an extended period.

should i live with it or is there something i can do to keep the temp up?

An in-line thermostat in the radiator hose is not OEM! More than likely a previous owner put it in there because the OEM thermostat that is mounted on the head had failed and was not allowing the engine to heat up to the normal correct operating temperature...
Best option, replace the OEM thermostat on the head; the jury is still out on the in-line (in-hose) thermostat, some are of the opinion that an in-line thermostat can possibly cause a head gasket leak and / or even worse, a cracked head...
Without definitive proof either way at this point, an in-line or in hose thermostat is just really not worth the possible risks and consequences IMHO!!!

A new OEM thermostat will hold the correct operating temperature!
See this writeup for OEM thermostat R&R instructions: Link:> viewtopic.php?f=98&t=64568

Stay away with any part with the "Crown" brand name on them as they have a history around here of early failure.
"Crown" is a cheaply made chinese copy knock off brand and synonymous with poor quality parts....

Right now, Factory Mopar Parts has one of the best prices around for the OEM Mopar Thermostat:>MOPAR 5142601AA THERMOSTAT $105

http://www.factorymoparparts.com/oe-mopar/5142601aa

_________________
Supporting Vendor and Moderator of LOST
05 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited
Ironman Springs/Bilstein/Shocks
Yeti StgIV Hot Tune
Week's BatteryTray
No FCV/EGR
Samcos/ProVent
SunCoast/Transgo
Carter Intank-pmp
2mic.Sec.Fuel Filter
Flowmaster/NO CAT
V6Airbox/noVH
GM11 Bld.fan/HDClutch
IronrockArms/wwdieselMount
98 Dodge Cummins 24 Valve

so if i understand you right......the thermostat stays open when it fails? then the PO went to the trouble of finding an in-hose thermostat because he was too lazy and cheap to replace the factory one? awesome

The previous owner was following what was once a recomended procedure here on LOST.
Many folks here have done it. Some liked it, some didnt.
Lots of information here on this forum about thermostats. Factory, in line, and other.
Most of it posted within the last nine months.

I will only recommend a factory replacment thermostat. But there are other options.

_________________
U.S. Army Retired

what was the reason for opting for an in-hose stat vs replacing the factory stat?

A heck of a lot cheaper and easier to replace.

Although many also recommended drilling a small bypass hole in it to reduce over heating in certain situations.

_________________
U.S. Army Retired

the in-hose stat had a hole drilled in it. but i think the stat itself was limiting flow even when opened all the way. either the flush or removing the in-hose stat really helped my cooling problem when under a load.

the dealer quoted me 150$ for the thermostat and housing. do i need the housing? i really want a mopar stat, I've had bad experiences with aftermarket ones.

The thermostat comes sealed up inside the housing. Its not removable. It doesnt come any other way (from the factory).
If you want a housing with a removable thermostat you will have to make your own, or contact the one guy who makes them.

Losts of info here about thermostats. Wont take much searching to find...

_________________
U.S. Army Retired

thanks. all the information i had found was on modified thermostats.