slow warm up time?

[jacksheadache]

Just got a 98 2wd with a 4.0 and it takes about half an hour or so to get up to running temperature..

Where should this gauge read at running temp? Mine.. after what I think is running temp sits just under the temp logo on the gauge..

What are some things I can check to maybe fix this? or is it normal?


thanks!

[MAKG]

Did the previous owner remove the thermostat?

The stock gauge is next to useless for diagnosis. Use a mechanical gauge. Do you really know it's overcooling, or is the electrical system overcharging?

[jacksheadache]

From what I can see.. nothing has been modified by the pervious owners.. why would someone remove it? is that something that is done on the rangers? sounds like nothing but trouble.

It will get up to running temp after about 20-30 minutes and after that everything is fine.

I agree the stock gauges are useless on most cars.. really just want to see if it's normal to take this long to warm up?

Today I went over the truck and do what I do to about every car I mess with.. I took electrical cleaner and cleaned out all of the connections, the maf sensor, the iac, and I'm not sure what the small sensor running into the intake hose about half way is called but I cleaned that off also.

the IAC was pretty nasty looking.. expected it to be with over 70k miles on the truck.. after I cleaned everything out the truck is running a little better and if I'm not just making things up the truck got to running temp alot faster. I will know for sure tomorrow though because today the truck had been running and already warmed up a little before.. tomorrow will be a cold start test.

thanks again

[MAKG]

From what I can see.. nothing has been modified by the pervious owners.. why would someone remove it? is that something that is done on the rangers? sounds like nothing but trouble.


You're quite correct; it IS nothing but trouble. But quite a lot of people don't understand what a thermostat does and remove it to try to "cure" an overheating problem or "increase cooling capacity." Of course it does neither of those....

[jacksheadache]

haha that's great... I know for a long time the 'trick' in the world of mustangs was swapping in a 140 thermostat.. come to find out that's a bad idea too I hear (for a stock motor) removing it all together.. is a little crazy.

[michowski]

sounds like a bandaid fix to me. I got a 160 thermostat and electric fan, removed the ac so the air goes right on the radiator. Takes about 10 minutes to warm up on the guage. After its been running for a while I still never see the guage go above 1/4. It stays just over then normal range on the guage. I would never run a car without a thermostat. It was designed for a reason and serves a big purpose lol.

[MAKG]

160 deg is too low for EFI. Remove it and put the stock 195 deg back in, or stock up on catalytic converters.

If you're concerned about cooling, put the stock fan back in. If you're trying for power, you're barking up the wrong tree (coolant temperature isn't the same as air charge temperature, especially with an unheated intake).

[calypso93]

FWIW - My 93 4L was running cold. T'stat was stuck open. It took two replacements before one finally decided to work correctly. I used a brand recommended on here. I forgot what it was, but it has been working since 99 or so.

[jacksheadache]

That sounds like it could be my fix.. I'll a) check to make sure the truck has one (I think it does) and b) replace it

thanks!

[michowski]

160 deg is too low for EFI. Remove it and put the stock 195 deg back in, or stock up on catalytic converters.

If you're concerned about cooling, put the stock fan back in. If you're trying for power, you're barking up the wrong tree (coolant temperature isn't the same as air charge temperature, especially with an unheated intake).

Electric fan works a lot better then the stock fan for cooling. Can you explain to me why 160 is to low? Motor gets to temp and with the electric fan im able to control the engine temps very well. Your the first person who told me 160 thermostat isnt good to use.

[MAKG]

No, an electric fan does NOT work better than a correctly functioning stock fan. None of them pull anywhere near the same amount of air.

160 deg is too low because the PCM doesn't go into closed loop until 165 deg. It also does NOTHING for performance but make the piston ring gaps a little bigger and the oil a little more viscous (both bad things if significant).

[jacksheadache]

I replaced the thermostat and everything is working as it should now. Warms up in about 5-10 minutes.


thanks!