OP
The test does not say whether it is a bad gasket or not. It tells if you have exhaust gas inside your coolant. The main reason for it is usually the gasket, but can be a crack in the head as well (lower probability, but still possible)
I bought the AutoZone radiator before I joined the forum. I know, excuses, but I have a valid one.
I too bought an autozone radiator. replaced it 3 time in a year and a half. When it fails again or I have a hint of a overheating problem a mopar radiator will replace it. Never again will I cheap out on my jeep with such an important part
For some reason I thought that it should never go beyond 210F and that it will blow up in a minute.
How do you identify potential overheat then? Is it when the temperature goes further from 210F?
I finished my flushes, canceled the heater core, replaced thermostat and fan clutch, and based on my today's 4 hours of driving in Houston heat and humidy with 97F, the only times when it crosses the 210F (reaches ~225F)is when I am in drivethrough with ice cold AC. In all other situations, it is ~210F. On Highway, it is slightly under 210F. This is AC blowing 45F cold air, which is impressive.
I would say that my cooling issues are much less of a problem now.
The difference between Arizona and Houston is in Humidity, which has severe impact on AC. The moment that AC is on, AC emits much more heat in Houston, and I believe that the difference is significant.
With AC off, I would not cross 210 i believe.
Mine runs about the same as yours at idle (takes about 20 minutes but will stabilize in the 220s) but it'll also get to ~220 on the highway, with AC on. And likewise, without AC I'm not sure it would ever pass 210.
It's confusing because my 99 TJ with fresh fan clutch, Mopar radiator and water pump never passed 210 except for momentary spikes along with a major load change (abruptly going from highway speed to full stop/idling), even when it was 95-100. I know the humidity thing works in theory, but since I switched to the 2006 LJ and moved to Oklahoma before experiencing a summer up there, there are too many variables for me to know whether I can squarely blame the humidity or whether there's something different about the rig.
Any chance that you have airflow differences between these 2? Like the old TJ didnt have the Winch in the front and new one has it?
From my Israeli experience, their (Israeli military deploying TJ in masses) instructions for TJs were forbidding to install anything that anyhow reduces the airflow.
I am running a big ass Warn Zeom Platinum 8000 winch, which significantly impacts the airflow.
Also, I have automatic, which the oil is reaching let's say 220, will add more heat to the system. I havent installed yet the Derale cooler for my 42RLE, so it could be better after it.
Also, from my reserach into the general cooling designs w/o electric fans - they are designed for variance in coolant temperature, because w/o thermostatically controlled electric fan it is all not such a precise science.
I will still plan for adding small electric auxilary radiator (small heater core from YJ and 6 inch electric fan), that will be located in the back under the tub and will get the hot the coolant from the heater core line, and will help to keep the temperature in ~210 range even when standing in traffic jam or at school pickup line with AC blasting at 42F when outside is 100+F
I have gone through several cooling issues here in Arizona, the advice I can offer you, that I got from these forums(which has worked extremely) is… water pump and radiator need to be mopar, and mopar only, do a nice 195 degree thermostat(mopar or stant) personally I run mopar and have had no issues, constant tension clamps, use only 50/50 antifreeze, and get an extreme duty fan clutch for a climate that gets as hot as places like AZ, Texas, Socal, etc. I run in 110 degree weather almost every single day, and only time my temp reads over 210 is sitting in a drive thru, or at highway speeds, and even then I have only personally seen it hit 219(which is completely normal). They say rule of thumb for temperatures in extreme climates is 210-230, if you aren’t over 230 constantly, and inbetween 210-220 most of the time, don’t stress.
How exactly did it fail? Leaks or was not cooling well?
leaks
You are screwed. Sorry. Head gasket or the head itself in the worst case.
My autozone junk still does not leak after 2 years.
Neither did mine. But it definitely wasn't not sufficient. Switch to a Koyorad and my temps are much better. No more idle temp creeps
So you had a working setup with temperature creeping in idle and you replaced it with Koyorad and it works better for you now?