Griffin radiator

Gnmaniatis

Gnmaniatis

Member
Hello everyone,
I'm currently running a 2013 auto rubicon sitting on 35's. Recently I took a trip up to Vail from Denver, and noticed my Jeep was running on the hotter side. The temp needle was up to 3/4. I didn't think much of it, maybe it's just the altitude, weight of the jeep etc...
Today I was talking to a fellow jeeper who is running 37's. He said that he would have the same issue and swapped out his radiator with a griffin radiator. After doing this, he said his jeep was running much cooler.
My question is, does this sound right, and why is this the first I've heard of it. If the Jk's are running hot with 35's (and I'm soon going to 37's, new gears in March), why aren't more people upgrading their radiator as well.
Just looking for some advice, and if this Griffin radiator will help with the overheating, or any other brands that are out there.
Thanks in advance
 
Gnmaniatis said:
Hello everyone,
I'm currently running a 2013 auto rubicon sitting on 35's. Recently I took a trip up to Vail from Denver, and noticed my Jeep was running on the hotter side. The temp needle was up to 3/4. I didn't think much of it, maybe it's just the altitude, weight of the jeep etc...
Today I was talking to a fellow jeeper who is running 37's. He said that he would have the same issue and swapped out his radiator with a griffin radiator. After doing this, he said his jeep was running much cooler.
My question is, does this sound right, and why is this the first I've heard of it. If the Jk's are running hot with 35's (and I'm soon going to 37's, new gears in March), why aren't more people upgrading their radiator as well.
Just looking for some advice, and if this Griffin radiator will help with the overheating, or any other brands that are out there.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Tire size has nothing to do with the temp of your engine. If you regear and use a programmer, your engine is running the same RPM's or pretty close to what it would run off the dealer lot. I think there is another issue at hand.
 
Have you been playing in mud any time recently? Check the radiator fins for mud stuck between them.
In Australia, we can also get this problem running through Spinifex Grass...the seeds get stuck in between the cooling fins cutting down efficiency.

Do you have a large winch, lights and brush bar blocking airflow to your radiator........member of my local Jeep forum fitted a really badly designed bar and tall Warn winch and lights that pretty much totally blocked the airflow to the grill.....then wondered why he got hot climbing hills.....
Just a thought. :D

3248654a93fe9e7949.jpg
 
Last edited:
LeighP said:
Have you been playing in mud any time recently? Check the radiator fins for mud stuck between them.
In Australia, we can also get this problem running through Spinifex Grass...the seeds get stuck in between the cooling fins cutting down efficiency.

Do you have a large winch, lights and brush bar blocking airflow to your radiator........member of my local Jeep forum fitted a really badly designed bar and tall Warn winch and lights that pretty much totally blocked the airflow to the grill.....then wondered why he got hot climbing hills.....
Just a thought. :D

View attachment 120916
Click to expand...

That thing has ZERO airflow.
 
If your worried about heat do a hood louver kit or a aev heat reduction hood like I did, I've ran both before, hood louver on my 11 jku and now I run a aev heat reduction hood on my 13 JKUR
 
Thanks for all the responses. I currently run the AEV front bumper, with a Warn 9.5 cti-s. I do have some lights mounted on the bumper, and also have the AEV heat reduction hood. Don't really run in mud, but will take it the car wash today and spray down the radiator. I have not regeared, but have installed the pro cal.
Going to the mountains next weekend again, let me see if spraying down the radiator helps it out. Here's a current pic
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1422202285.087325.jpg
 
Gnmaniatis said:
Hello everyone,
I'm currently running a 2013 auto rubicon sitting on 35's. Recently I took a trip up to Vail from Denver, and noticed my Jeep was running on the hotter side. The temp needle was up to 3/4. I didn't think much of it, maybe it's just the altitude, weight of the jeep etc...
Today I was talking to a fellow jeeper who is running 37's. He said that he would have the same issue and swapped out his radiator with a griffin radiator. After doing this, he said his jeep was running much cooler.
My question is, does this sound right, and why is this the first I've heard of it. If the Jk's are running hot with 35's (and I'm soon going to 37's, new gears in March), why aren't more people upgrading their radiator as well.
Just looking for some advice, and if this Griffin radiator will help with the overheating, or any other brands that are out there.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

The 3.6L motor like to run hot especially with 37" tires and gears to push them. Mine does and everyone else I know with this setup does out here in the west where we have deserts and big mountains at the same time. It is the reason why the 3.6L comes with a more powerful fan. So far, I haven't given it too much thought but, I do run a Griffin in my LS powered 07 JK and it works well.
 
My 2013 Rubicon auto 4 dr., 37's, long uphill stretches in 100+ heat produces a needle that sometimes goes past the 3/4 mark on the OEM gauge. It has never boiled over, but the first few times it did that when I was on a long haul in the desert, with no cities nearby, I was in panic mode.

I have since learned that it will indeed run hot under load until the fan kicks in. Even then, it may still indicate past the halfway mark.

I now have a Traildash that lets me monitor the temperature with a numerical readout as well as a gauge. The Jeep has run as hot as the mid-240's but has never gone into the red on the Traildash. This has eased my mind considerably.

I'm sure there is a fan and radiator combo out there to address the problem if you still want to go that way. I hope my personal experience helps with your decision making process. Good luck.
 
Strainger said:
My 2013 Rubicon auto 4 dr., 37's, long uphill stretches in 100+ heat produces a needle that sometimes goes past the 3/4 mark on the OEM gauge. It has never boiled over, but the first few times it did that when I was on a long haul in the desert, with no cities nearby, I was in panic mode.

I have since learned that it will indeed run hot under load until the fan kicks in. Even then, it may still indicate past the halfway mark.

I now have a Traildash that lets me monitor the temperature with a numerical readout as well as a gauge. The Jeep has run as hot as the mid-240's but has never gone into the red on the Traildash. This has eased my mind considerably.

I'm sure there is a fan and radiator combo out there to address the problem if you still want to go that way. I hope my personal experience helps with your decision making process. Good luck.
Click to expand...

There has been 2 times where we've pushed our 2012 past the 3/4 point trying to keep up with Mel, in the crazy hot Nevada desert and climbing up a long grade. Both times, the Jeep's govern kicked in and would no longer allow us to stay on the throttle. Basically, the computer knew we were about to boil over and did what it could to preserve itself. Just thought I would share this bit of info :yup:
 
Thanks for the information and insight everyone. Just going to leave it as is since it sounds nothing out of the ordinary. Now, just waiting for part 3 of JKE...
 
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