Heat Issue

Hi all,
I just bought a 1959 CJ5 from a guy that was in mid restore. It seems to run pretty solid but I needed to transport it about a hundred miles from where I got it. During that drive I ran into some pretty significant overheating issues. The spedometer is non-op so I can't tell you how fast i was driving. The thermostat DID work and seemed to reach H after a big grade or after a long period of time running (say 45 minutes to an hour). I pulled over several times to let her cool down. It was so hot I could feel the heat coming through the floorboards and toasted my toes to a medium rare ( i was in sandals ).

Just looking for some usual suspects to check. I'm no mechanic but I can google like there's no tomorrow.

I appreciate it - thanks.

 

Motor type and a picture of the fan / radiator cooling area would also help.

The Obvious: Is it holding water and does the system pressurize? You'll need a system pressure checker that can also check your cap...any shop can do that or perhaps a parts store... Has your block or radiator been flushed lately? Do you have a shroud around the fan blade between the radiator and motor? Do you have a winch up front that is blocking air movement through the grill? Is the motor running rich or is the timing advanced? Does your fan belt have the proper tension?

Pictures

 

Did it actually boil over? Or are you just relying on the temp gauge to tell you it was hot? I've gotta tell you, burning feet in sandles is pretty normal.

 

Yes - DID IT BOIL OVER? Did you check the level of coolant and keep it topped up? Crucial info.

A jug of water might help a lot more than google.

Also…. how fast were you running? New owners on a long trip have trouble realizing 50mph is fast for an F-head.

 

Thanks for all the replys - I don't think it actually boiled over - i did let it cool down and poured about a gallon down it. Its still in Arizona - being trailered out to me (california) next week. I'll be able to trouble shoot a little better once I have it around a little longer - thanks all

 

Thanks again - yeah, I plan to do some more trouble shooting when it arrives and maybe drill a 1/8th size hole in the thermostat so it will bleed any excess air. perhaps that will help - I'll try to either repair or replace the nonop gauges too so i can tell what i am dealing with more clearly.

 

Driving one of our old Jeeps in hot weather for more than 20 minutes will roast your feet. Assuming you have the correct F-Head 134 engine, the exhaust runs under the driver's floorboard and will make things rather toasty. This is normal.
-Donny

 

Ahhh, well that's a relief. Closed toed shoes from now on...

 

Mine gets really hot. Sandals are a bad idea in mine. I also have mufflers under the floorboard so that didn't help. I don't have a transmission cover in mine and while it's hot in the summer, I sure like the heat in winter.

If your temp gauge says hot, it probably is. Could be thermostat, bad water pump, collapsed hoses, plugged radiator or maybe a bad head gasket. Hopefully it's just low on coolant. 50 mph for any long duration of time in summmer will tax an F head.