Driving with a group to Colorado from Chicago. My budy:
with a 3.8 JKU 6speed 37" Nitto TG on method beadlocks and 4:10 gears loaded up with wife and 3 teenagers and gear for a week.

Me:
3.8 auto jk 5:13 gears 37 MTR on method beadlocks 2 young boys and wife, pulling a 500lb trailer with our gear.so maybe 800-100 total. Trailer has 33" Nitto duragrappelr

Ambient temp is 95-100+

I'm struggling through through Iowa. Sooo bad my ending water temp is getting to 250. Unless I slow to under 70. Any hill requires me to turn off OD. Trans is running 160-180. And I have a BM aux cooler in front of the radiator.

He is having no trouble at all!!!

WTF???

Am I doing something wrong? I've had the coolant flushed, oil is fresh. Running hood louver and cc inner vented fenders.

Is is just the different trans and hearing that's causing this??

Suggestions??

Northridge 4x4

 

How many miles on your truck? Is your radiator clean- as in you've flushed it from the front and rear with a gentle flow of water?

If the truck is getting hot then you'll be looking at the condition of the radiator, thermostat, serp belt, and potentially water pump.

You said you had the coolant changed- any air bubbles potentially in the system?

 

Common thing I've seen is rad plugged with debris. Usually between the condenser and the rad. Mud, sticks & twigs or all of the above. Usually settles along the bottom.

 

Agree with above. Pull the little protective cover between hood latch and radiator. You can see down between everything that way and flush anything away you may need too

 

Pretty sure it's clear flushed outside recently too

I'll check

Northridge 4x4

 

Make sure you take the plastic that covers the bottom of the radiator off and spray both sides very good.

 

Radiator fins are clean I removed the fan shroud and garden hoses it completely.

Coolant was flushed and replaced weeks ago and cap replaced.

I only have an issue when ambient air temp gets to 95+.

And once the trans gets hot it takes for ever to cool down.

Northridge 4x4

 

No air bubbles. It was burbed by the dealer.

Northridge 4x4

 

How much of the radiator is the trans cooler covering? Are you running with the a/c on? Is the cooling fan working properly, at all speeds? If you turn off or on the a/c when the motor starts to run hot, is there a difference? How do you know the motor is actually running hot from the gauge or an OBDII monitor?

 

Between the load and the ambient temperatures I think a radiator upgrade would be a worthwhile upgrade for you.

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/r...minum-radiator