WJCO's Build Thread, 1999 WJ

[WJCO]

Any chance there's air in the cooling system?

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Build Thread - Adventures of Fiona - https://wayalife.com/showthread.php?t=47407

I'm gonna have to agree with the air in the cooling system. Have you checked to make sure there isn't any? Are both heater hoses getting hot and is your reservoir filling up and sucking back into the radiator like it should?

I've bled it three times, I definitely thought of that. This engine even has a bleeder screw. No air that I've seen. Both heater hoses hot and reservoir working.

[WJCO]

Well, I may have accidentally fixed this cooling system problem today. I pulled it in to diagnose it once again. Being that the problem seems to only occur with the ac on, I've been leaving it on when I diagnose it. Well today, when I started it, the ac clutch was binding and chattering and wouldn't engage. The belt even made an abnormal noise. I've also noticed lately anyways that the clutch cycles about every 5-10 seconds but has been making a slight rattle when it engages. It hasn't bothered me because the ac cools. So, I shut off the engine and removed the belt to make sure the compressor isn't locked up which it's not. Pulley spins fine as well. Well in the process of turning the hub nut, I must have adjusted something inadvertently, because now the clutch engages and hardly cycles at all, it stays running quite a bit longer, and the ac cools a ton better. But more importantly, the temps aren't rising anymore. I need to test it on a trail, but two long road tests today and it was fine.

Got to thinking, if the ac clutch wasn't fully engaging and I didn't know it, at idle this would definitely affect the water pump rpm, and this would also affect the refrigerant flow through the condenser. So I'm really hoping this is the end of this stupid problem.

[Stotch]

Well, I may have accidentally fixed this cooling system problem today. I pulled it in to diagnose it once again. Being that the problem seems to only occur with the ac on, I've been leaving it on when I diagnose it. Well today, when I started it, the ac clutch was binding and chattering and wouldn't engage. The belt even made an abnormal noise. I've also noticed lately anyways that the clutch cycles about every 5-10 seconds but has been making a slight rattle when it engages. It hasn't bothered me because the ac cools. So, I shut off the engine and removed the belt to make sure the compressor isn't locked up which it's not. Pulley spins fine as well. Well in the process of turning the hub nut, I must have adjusted something inadvertently, because now the clutch engages and hardly cycles at all, it stays running quite a bit longer, and the ac cools a ton better. But more importantly, the temps aren't rising anymore. I need to test it on a trail, but two long road tests today and it was fine.

Got to thinking, if the ac clutch wasn't fully engaging and I didn't know it, at idle this would definitely affect the water pump rpm, and this would also affect the refrigerant flow through the condenser. So I'm really hoping this is the end of this stupid problem.

Fingers crossed!

[GraniteCrystal]

Huh. Even if it's fixed (and I hope it is) do you know root cause? If it were me, I'd still want to know

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[WJCO]

Huh. Even if it's fixed (and I hope it is) do you know root cause? If it were me, I'd still want to know

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Thanks. I hope it's fixed too. Only 3 parts to a clutch and they are purchased together. Coil, clutch, pulley. The coil is an electromagnet, being I didn't touch anything electrical, it's likely not that. Also, when they fail, they usually don't work at all. Pulley spins freely with no play, so that's likely not it. The clutch itself is probably what the issue is, they are adjustable and they wear. My guess is that it was worn just enough to leave an excessive gap between itself and the mating pulley surface. So when I turned the screw, I likely did something that brought the gap closer, and now it works Normally. A new clutch is nearly the same price as a compressor with a clutch. If it acts up again, I'll likely just get a new compressor.

Edit:This guy did a pretty basic video on how it works.

[GraniteCrystal]

Thanks. I hope it's fixed too. Only 3 parts to a clutch and they are purchased together. Coil, clutch, pulley. The coil is an electromagnet, being I didn't touch anything electrical, it's likely not that. Also, when they fail, they usually don't work at all. Pulley spins freely with no play, so that's likely not it. The clutch itself is probably what the issue is, they are adjustable and they wear. My guess is that it was worn just enough to leave an excessive gap between itself and the mating pulley surface. So when I turned the screw, I likely did something that brought the gap closer, and now it works Normally. A new clutch is nearly the same price as a compressor with a clutch. If it acts up again, I'll likely just get a new compressor.

Edit:This guy did a pretty basic video on how it works.

Ah. Yep, that makes sense. Hope that solves it!

[Judesign]

Awesome. I've heard the magnets can weaken and need adjustment but didn't realize it could affect the cooling system. Interesting.


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[BananaJeep]

Fingers crossed it's fixed. I don't have that problem... no AC in my Jeep lol

[wayoflife]

Here's hoping that gets things working for ya!

[DVLDOG]

Praise the gods if so!


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