Mschneid

Let me start off with my radiator is clean.
I went wheeling this past weekend and it was hot (90*), I was running A/C, held in 2nd gear (automatic) climbing a hill and twice the gauge went to 3/4 the fan kick on and dropped to 1/2. Sounds pretty standard from what I hear, but since I went through two heads when I fried them about 15k miles ago I am very gun shy. This is the first time this has done this since the heads were replaced. I tried two different programmers that said they could change when the fan kicks on but neither worked (Banks and Superchips). I even removed the plastic cover and thermal insulation on my 3.6 and have two hood scoop/openings in my hood to help lower temps.
I am assuming if I lower thermostat the fan will still kick on too high. Again, being paranoid what is the best way to protect my engine?

VEGASROBBI

Pentstar JK's run a variable speed fan, it's not a discrete on off fan like early JK's. The variable speed fan comes on slow and winds up based on engine temperature, transmission temperature, AC pressure, etc.

The fan control in Pentstar JK's is not the best but it is programmable. You can program the fan to wind up earlier but don't go to far the engine needs to warm up. Looking at your Avatar indicates grille blockage and mud, two of the most common cooling issues. Make sure the AC condenser is not plugged.

2012 also had water pump and block issues with poor castings, but if you didn't have this issue before its probably not the problem. You will reach a point the stock cooling system can't handle the load, especially on a hot day at altitude, AC on pulling a hill in 4WD, armor, 37's ....... Then it's time to upgrade you cooling system.

ShutterBug

Did your Jeep come with the EVIC that tells you what the coolant temp is? Mine runs hot, but I have 4.88 gears on my 2014. I installed a hood louver yesterday. The drive into work showed noticeably lower temps on the EVIC. Hasn't been below 220 in a year. Before then, I was running 228 and higher. Sometimes as high as 240* (near the 3/4 mark). Had it a a Jeep dealer a few months back, they seemed to think it was normal.

Mschneid

I took the radiator apart and cleaned it after that mess, I believe I got most of the mud out. That was 4 years ago and it hasn't hit the 3/4 mark.

The 2012 doesn't have the EVIC but I did have a Trail Dash and another popular after market gauge, both would show ~230 before the fan would kick in and drop it down. At 230 the stock gauge is just slightly past the 1/2 way mark. It has never jumped up to the 3/4 mark until now (except when the idler pulley went and melted the belt and I cooked it). I do have two holes in my hood from the Daystar hood scoops.

Thanks for the input.

Mschneid

What I need is to be able to get the factory fan to kick on earlier but the two programmers I have tried didn't work.

Do I need to change the fan, like a flex-a-lite? These have controllers.

gburkett

I have the superchips on my 14 and the fan control works fine. Turned the hi setting down to where the medium setting was. Keeps it cool even when there's mud.