• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

User Profiles, Signatures, Banners, User Upgrades, Posting Messages & Photos


sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,388
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
Although my EFI 460 wasnt to thrilled about starting that day either.
This is why my vehicles have a block heater as a minimum. The 2011 has that, an oil pan heater, and a battery blanket. The 2019 will get the same and a pan heater for the transmission.

It prolongs the life of the powertrain, starts easier, (and most importantly) and allows the vehicle to warm up oh so much faster at 5 am when I’m hating life and have yet to have any coffee. Like in 2-3 minutes driving to the main road in town instead of 5+ minutes and seeming like an eternity. Especially in years like this where my “summer vacation” is in the Middle East. Winter is going to be colder than normal for me. :(
 


rusty ol ranger

Im a Jeep guy now.
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
12,267
Reaction score
7,274
Points
113
Location
Michigan
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
177 CID
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
This is why my vehicles have a block heater as a minimum. The 2011 has that, an oil pan heater, and a battery blanket. The 2019 will get the same and a pan heater for the transmission.

It prolongs the life of the powertrain, starts easier, (and most importantly) and allows the vehicle to warm up oh so much faster at 5 am when I’m hating life and have yet to have any coffee. Like in 2-3 minutes driving to the main road in town instead of 5+ minutes and seeming like an eternity. Especially in years like this where my “summer vacation” is in the Middle East. Winter is going to be colder than normal for me. :(
It usually dont get cold enough for a heater to be needed. I just let them idle 3 or 4 min before taking off. Usually we only have a week or so of below 0 shit.

That -38 was horrible though, that whole week we had semis gellin left and right
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,388
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
Some of that depends on what the engine made out of. My ‘98 with the 2.5 Lima took forever to warm up. The engine was cast iron block and head. A frigging tank of an engine but good lord did it take a long time to warm up. That was the first engine I broke down and got the whole kit for. Before that, a block heater was good enough.
 

Josh B

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Aug 15, 2019
Messages
3,956
Reaction score
1,958
Points
113
Location
Oklahoma
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Thank you SgtSandman for standing up for our country! :)
 

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
OTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
32,206
Reaction score
17,520
Points
113
Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Manual
Some of that depends on what the engine made out of. My ‘98 with the 2.5 Lima took forever to warm up. The engine was cast iron block and head. A frigging tank of an engine but good lord did it take a long time to warm up. That was the first engine I broke down and got the whole kit for. Before that, a block heater was good enough.
Not so much really. Your 2.5 had the same radiator as a 4.0 so it probably had a little extra coolant for its size.
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,388
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
Could be. Now that I think about it, the radiators do seem to be the same ones. The thermostat should have helped limit that by not opening up until it was hot enough. The thermostat was changed for a new one when the engine went in. The original engine took out cylinders #1 &#2 when the head gasket let loose.
 

Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
19,304
Reaction score
13,326
Points
113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
I run a battery blanket, oil pan heater, block heater and battery tender. Everything on a timer 2 hours before I leave. It can be -30 and the truck starts like its summer time and I have heat in the cab almost instantly.

When I drove it down south people kept asking what all the plugs hanging out of my grill were for....
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,388
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
I run all mine into one of those extensions with the three way outlet on the one side. The plugs get RTVd in place. Seems to work thus far with no corrosion issues.

I do get the question about the plug though. Then someone invariably makes a comment about not having problems starting their vehicles. I gave up answering those people since they obviously can’t make the connection of heaters equal warmer engine and faster warming times.
 

PetroleumJunkie412

Official TRS EV Taunter
Supporting Member
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
7,826
Reaction score
6,565
Points
113
Location
Dirtman's Basement
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Size
2.9l Trinity
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Give 'yer balls a tug. Fight me.
On topic: maybe a banner for those of us with standalone ECUs?? ;missingteeth;
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,388
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
What is this “on topic” you speak of?
 

Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
19,304
Reaction score
13,326
Points
113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
Has any thread around here ever stayed "on topic" after 2 pages?
 

rusty ol ranger

Im a Jeep guy now.
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
12,267
Reaction score
7,274
Points
113
Location
Michigan
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
177 CID
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
Has any thread around here ever stayed "on topic" after 2 pages?
Only in the old days when me, fast, allan d and a few others would go around and around about the merits of a 2.9.

Ive mellowed a bit these days.
 

1990RangerinSK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2016
Messages
2,346
Reaction score
1,312
Points
113
Location
Saskatchewan, Canada
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
On topic: maybe a banner for those of us with standalone ECUs?? ;missingteeth;
More worthy would be a banner for those of us who surive -40* EVERY WINTER. That'd be those of us who live on the Canadian prairies.
 

alwaysFlOoReD

Forum Staff Member
TRS Forum Moderator
TRS Banner 2012-2015
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
13,870
Reaction score
5,030
Points
113
Location
Calgary, Canada
Vehicle Year
'91, '80, '06
Make / Model
Ford, GMC,Dodge
Engine Size
4.0,4.0,5.7
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
More worthy would be a banner for those of us who surive -40* EVERY WINTER. That'd be those of us who live on the Canadian prairies.
I agree, and there are a few even farther north than us, both Canadian and American.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top