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Author Topic: 1991 XR2 cooling  (Read 3096 times)

XR2Man

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  • Posts: 22
    • 1991 Mercury Capri XR2
1991 XR2 cooling
« on: June 03, 2016, 06:53:40 PM »

    Hope I have the right forum board for this topic. I have a 1991 XR2 with 117,000 miles on it. Last year I took it in to have a NEW timing belt installed. I had just bought it and thought it was time. While there, the repair shop also installed a new water pump, antifreeze and stat. I got it back and it ran just as good as when I took it in. I notice some members talking about how hot their XR2's run. Mine runs ok unless I am in stop and go traffic in hot weather. We have a CRUISE here in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the late Fall. I took my XR2 to it last year and it was a hot hot Fall day. It ran hot. I mean hot to the point I was getting concerned. The temp gauge always goes way up, but in stop and go driving on a hot hot day, it goes up more towards the end of the red area. YES, the fan kicks in. The little car even ran hot BEFORE I took it in for the above mentioned work. One thing I was wondering was if its possible to install a double fan to cool it down or possibly a larger one. Other than that, it runs like a top and it sure gets the looks!!
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NomakeWan

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  • Posts: 162
    • 93 Capri XR2
Re: 1991 XR2 cooling
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2016, 11:04:41 PM »

I live in northern California and on a super hot day (90F~100F) in stop-and-go traffic my temp gauge will go over halfway. It won't go near the red, but it will go over normal. Normally it sits just under the halfway point.

Is your radiator clogged? Has it ever been replaced? Are you using the correct radiator cap?
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greywolf27030

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  • Posts: 1658
    • 1991 XR2, 1992 XR2, 1993 XR2
Re: 1991 XR2 cooling
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2016, 07:50:34 AM »

As a comparison, my N/A car normal is about 3/4 up gauge and fan kicks in just before the red.  Worried me for a long time, but decided that was normal.  This is with new radiator, stat, water pump and hoses.

Jack Byrd
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Jack Byrd

azgtx

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  • Posts: 548
Re: 1991 XR2 cooling
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2016, 05:56:11 PM »

Here in the Az desert my B6t's run at half or just below on the gauge.Check the temp on the stat and definetly get the radiator looked at.
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belleaudb

  • Jr. Member
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  • Posts: 75
    • 92 XR2
Re: 1991 XR2 cooling
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2016, 12:04:32 PM »

My 92 ran quite warm with the cooling fan coming on quite often and the temp gauge nearly at the top end of the normal range.  I had an A/C leak at the lower fitting to the condenser. Had to remove the radiator to get to the fitting.

Now I now why it ran warm. About 2/3 of the radiator was clogged with debris. Looked like leaves and fuzz from cottonwood trees.  I hosed the rad clean from the backside so I could see through the cooling fins.

Fixed the refrigerant leak and reinstalled the radiator.

Now the car runs in the middle of normal zone and the cooling fan doesn't run every time I come to a stop.

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JamesFahey

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  • Posts: 11
    • 1991 Capri XR2
Re: 1991 XR2 cooling
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2016, 07:18:10 PM »

My 91 was getting up past the middle and I didn't like that. I replaced the fan temp sensor down to the left of the distributor, but it would still go up past the middle. So I just unplugged the wire and let the fan run continuously and now it stays right in the middle. This isn't going to hurt anything right? I live in Florida so it doesn't get cold. Just thought I'd ask.
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SHOwn

  • Sr. Member
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  • Posts: 287
    • 91 XR2
Re: 1991 XR2 cooling
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2016, 10:41:58 PM »

A few years ago, one of my temp sensors failed. It was a cold Sunday morning and I was on my way to church. One of the small coolant lines blew and I saw steam in my rearview about a mile from my destination. When I arrived I knew I had a problem since steam and coolant were everywhere. After new hoses and t-stat, I continued to run hot without a fan all week - it was a below zero week though, so I got away with it until I figured out that the sensor was bad.

Never had that kind of problem again, but my fan doesn't come on until about the 65% spot on the gauge and my temps seem to run hot most of the time. The Thursday before Memorial Day weekend it was hot in the afternoon and I ran the A/C. It ran high on the gauge just out of the red and I smelled a little A/C clutch, although everything works fine still. 

I will check my fins like suggested, and consider a different intercooler when I replace the Turbo soon. A bigger double-core radiator is a good option as well, and there is a recent post covering a better electric double fan assembly now available. The gauge on these cars is suspect, as the oil pressure gauge

BTW, we should get together sometime, I live in Allendale.
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R. Powell
'91 XR2, LM 16" Chrome Drifters, White Gauge Faces, Kuhmo 40's, Big Brake UG, 2.5" Mandrel Bent CATback, BMW318 Heated Seats, `94 console, '99 Dodge Neon Spoiler, '94 XR2 Sideskirts Bumpers and taillights, Fresh Basecoat-Clearcoat Cardinal Red (Jul2014), vj11/vj14 hybrid, manual boost CTL.