Engine gets above 210 at freeway speeds

Jay MacLeay

Jay MacLeay

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 30, 2017
Messages
208
Location
Los Angeles, CA, United States
This hasn't been a huge problem, and maybe I'm just driving too fast for my Jeep's build, but when I'm driving on the freeway around 75mph or higher my Jeep starts to heat up to around 215 - 220. It never overheats, but I would feel more comfortable with it staying at 210. I should note my Jeep has 35 inch tires and 4.88 gears. Thoughts?
 
That's completely normal. Mine will get around the 220 mark (a little over the 210 mark) from time-to-time. As long as it's not overheating, it's just fine.
 
Chris said:
That's completely normal. Mine will get around the 220 mark (a little over the 210 mark) from time-to-time. As long as it's not overheating, it's just fine.
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Thnx Chris. I don't remember ever seeing that with any of my other Jeeps, and I was concerned that over time the heat would damage engine parts, or wear them out sooner. I live in LA. Which means I do a lot of freeway driving, but luckily (my attempt at a silver lining) there's usually traffic so I can't drive at high speeds for too long. It never gets anywhere near overheating, and that's why I wasn't too worried. Just thought I'd throw it out to the forum in the chance that maybe there was something that was going on that I should address.
 
All of my old XJs did this as well. The factory gauges in the TJ aren't exactly the most accurate gauges anyhow. As long as it's not climbing above that, you're fine.

I always tell people that you should expect to refresh you cooling system on these things every 100k miles or so. That means new water pump, radiator, hoses, and coolant. They can go a little longer, but that's sort of my rule of thumb. So unless you're cooling system has over 100k on it without ever being replaced, I wouldn't worry one bit.

The factory cooling system on the TJ is designed to handle quite a bit.
 
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Chris said:
All of my old XJs did this as well. The factory gauges in the TJ aren't exactly the most accurate gauges anyhow. As long as it's not climbing above that, you're fine.

I always tell people that you should expect to refresh you cooling system on these things every 100k miles or so. That means new water pump, radiator, hoses, and coolant. They can go a little longer, but that's sort of my rule of thumb. So unless you're cooling system has over 100k on it without ever being replaced, I wouldn't worry one bit.

The factory cooling system on the TJ is designed to handle quite a bit.
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I’m actually thinking of doing that to mine.
 
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When I did my cooling system last year with a new radiator and tstat, my temp is under 210 during the summer and winter. My heat gets hot in the winter.
 
Not sure about your year jeep, but my temp gauge rests just above 210 until the engine hits 260. If the gauge is reading just above 210, the engine could be at 250. I found this out the hard way after running my jeep across the country and having the needle peg instantly after running down the highway for a while. In your case, this is unlikely because the jeep only gets above 210 on the highway, my needle was just above 210 all the time regardless of speed.

Like stated above, I would check the radiator. It could be full of mud (happened to me too). I would doubt that it is anything in the system such as a water pump or thermostat because it stays cool when not on the highway.
 
This is my normal temperature during freeway travel.

I live in Phoenix and its 105+ outside. Never overheated. In the mornings when its high 70s low 80s it stays below 210.

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Jay MacLeay said:
Fins are pretty clean, dead bee here and there, but nothing crazy. My winch does take up quite a bit of real estate in front of the radiator, though. Stock mopar radiator.
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A big winch has no significant effect on cooling, no worries there. Fan shroud intact and in place? May be time to have your cooling system flushed. One last question... when you remove the radiator cap and drop the coolant level down enough via the petcock at the bottom of the radiator so you can see the core, do you see white hard water/lime deposits around the openings?
 
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