Mojavekid18
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2011
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Tallmadge OH
- Vehicle Year
- 1996
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 2.3
- Transmission
- Manual
Hi everyone i've been a member on the forum for over a year now and like to read through but never really needed to post anything until now.
I have a 1996 2.3 ranger 2wd 5sp. The heat has never really worked great since i got it from Florida almost 2 years ago and it takes FOREVER to warm the engine up to temp. Like over 25 minutes at idle during the summer or a solid 10 minutes of driving, and it still registers low(ish) on the temp gauge. My grandpa (who i got it from) said he had a friend do the waterpump ~3-4 years ago now. When i first got the truck the rad fluid was a rust color, so i flushed with as much water as i could and refilled it with distilled and new antifreeze before i started driving it.
Well now a year later the heat still has never worked good. So i took off each heater hose and blew them out with air and the hose, everything was clear. I ended up breaking the A/C vaccum operated switch valve that was on the heater hoses so i replaced that, flushed my system again, went through the trouble of putting a 195 thermostat in it (already had a 195 in it though) and the truck has even WEAKER heat now and runs ever cooler (barley makes it past the first mark on the gauge after running down the highway) . The hoses do get "warm" but not hot.
I don't know what would cause the truck to take so long to warm up? the only 3 things i that i could think of being bad are
1. Heater core -This is my first guess because i found a cab leak about a month ago that was at the very front corner of the pass floorboard. I sealed it up, and now i still get a little stream of water on the pass side floor. Also i hear a gurgling sound when i shut the truck off, i read that is a possible sign
2.Rad Cap - covered in rust, but idk if that causes the engine to run cool
3. Draft doors. -if they were sticking open could it cause the engine to always run cool?
But i really do not like just shotgunning parts on stuff, is there anyway to check this stuff without replacing it? and could any of it even cause those issues?
I have a 1996 2.3 ranger 2wd 5sp. The heat has never really worked great since i got it from Florida almost 2 years ago and it takes FOREVER to warm the engine up to temp. Like over 25 minutes at idle during the summer or a solid 10 minutes of driving, and it still registers low(ish) on the temp gauge. My grandpa (who i got it from) said he had a friend do the waterpump ~3-4 years ago now. When i first got the truck the rad fluid was a rust color, so i flushed with as much water as i could and refilled it with distilled and new antifreeze before i started driving it.
Well now a year later the heat still has never worked good. So i took off each heater hose and blew them out with air and the hose, everything was clear. I ended up breaking the A/C vaccum operated switch valve that was on the heater hoses so i replaced that, flushed my system again, went through the trouble of putting a 195 thermostat in it (already had a 195 in it though) and the truck has even WEAKER heat now and runs ever cooler (barley makes it past the first mark on the gauge after running down the highway) . The hoses do get "warm" but not hot.
I don't know what would cause the truck to take so long to warm up? the only 3 things i that i could think of being bad are
1. Heater core -This is my first guess because i found a cab leak about a month ago that was at the very front corner of the pass floorboard. I sealed it up, and now i still get a little stream of water on the pass side floor. Also i hear a gurgling sound when i shut the truck off, i read that is a possible sign
2.Rad Cap - covered in rust, but idk if that causes the engine to run cool
3. Draft doors. -if they were sticking open could it cause the engine to always run cool?
But i really do not like just shotgunning parts on stuff, is there anyway to check this stuff without replacing it? and could any of it even cause those issues?