CJ7 High Heat Hood ??

[CJ7HEAVEN]

Hello. I have an '86 Jeep CJ7 Laredo that I had a built AMC 360 that makes 407.1HP swapped in about a year and a half ago. During the summer months where it is just extremely hot and humid, my engine temps climb. If I'm not running A/C it's O.K. It's when my 2 small kid's are being carted around with the A/C on full blast that they get up there. I have an extreme radiator and the biggest CFM Electric Fan. My options are to vent the hood, which would work wonders I know or put an Intercooler type sprayer on my A/C and Radiator. Which is only temporary until the water runs out. I planned on a custom wiper bottle since the OEM is quite small and putting another wiper pump on it to do the spraying. I built a Rubicon JK for my sister using AEV Bumpers, AEV Snorkel, AEV Hood etc. I REALLY wish AEV would make a HI-Heat Hood for the CJ's because I sincerely love that hood. Perhap's you guy's could sell me the perforated metal and I could have a body shop make something for me. I've seen some hood louver's out there but most just dont look that good.

[dp7197]

Nice CJ. I bet you can pull the front wheels off the ground? On another TJ I had I took 2 TJ tailgate "vents" and installed them on the hood just behind the radiator.

A guy on the Rubicon Owners Forum did some testing and determined this was the best place to do it - just like the AEV hood.

While it might not look the best, it is an option. I never had luck with electric fans. Have you tried a mechanical fan and shroud? It may help you.

[CJ7HEAVEN]

Thanks for the info. I'll check them out.
My good friend that built the motor build's some unbelievable race car engines, cars themself and has a cousin that he built a Drag Race CJ for. Was actually in a "Pink's Episode" doing the wheelie contest. You can find on Youtube. In his experience with Jeeps, and he has many years, he used to wheel in the backcountry with me years ago, he claims that my electric fan is much better than the engine driven one.

[AEV Dave]

My 2C...Get rid of the electric fan, replace it with a mechanical with shroud and I doubt you'll ever have a problem again. We ran into that with the first TJ HEMI swaps. The highest electrical fan CFM I could find a the time was about 2500. The mech TJ fan was pulling nearly 5000, end of problem.]
'
But to answer your question, no we won't me making a CJ7 hood.

dh

[CJ7HEAVEN]

I thought of replacing my fan but I like the electric. I like being able to shut it on and off. In the winter I can bake cookies inside by turning it off, lol, to keep it nice and toasty. I run a restrictor plate and not a thermostat as per my engine builder. Turn it off when playing in some of these creeks around here and the few extra horsepower it gives me. I happen to be able to locate some Grand Cherokee 5.9L hood vents/drip rails. I installed them last week. Now I just have to paint them. It has helped. On triple digit day's this year, with the A/C on wide open, and slow moving traffic BEFORE the vents it has got as high as 210-212 degrees. I havent had a chance to see how much difference it has made in those conditions but it does run cooler in my normal commute to my store. Very happy so far.

[SDDunner]

CJ7HEVEN-
Love the hood vents you added! Reading this though reminded me of the "tips and tricks" section of JP magazine and their cheap way of creating your own vents & i thought I'd share. Heres a pic.. Yours really looks great with that hood though! Nice job!

[Tru-bicon]

I had the same issue with my 1983 CJ-7 that had a 350 in it. I added Redline Water Wetter to the coolant and it lowered the temp approx 10 degrees. I've read reviews indicating Water Wetter is snake oil but seemed to work in mine right up until the day I sold it.

Cheers