4.0 crap mileage

[sgtsandman]

coolers already in. One thing I do know is to keep these a4ld's cool to make them live. We've desert races a few rangers.

min thinking a new radiator is going to be the fix. I hope.
View attachment 95022
View attachment 95022

One thing I’m able to do with the 2019 is monitor the transmission temp with a Scangauge II via the OBD II port. That might be an option for you as well. I have no idea what sensors your transmission has. So monitoring it that way may not be possible.

 

[Bunger317]

One thing I’m able to do with the 2019 is monitor the transmission temp with a Scangauge II via the OBD II port. That might be an option for you as well. I have no idea what sensors your transmission has. So monitoring it that way may not be possible.

Unfortunately this is a 1994 and is obd1. No way to monitor any of the sensors.

 

[sgtsandman]

Unfortunately this is a 1994 and is obd1. No way to monitor any of the sensors.

I was afraid of and suspected that. It probably doesn’t even have temperature sensors then. Just like my manual transmission on the 2011. Granted, manual transmissions have less of a chance of cooking the fluid but it’s not impossible.

 

[Bunger317]

does anyone know what kind of temps I might be looking at with those gauge pictures? It's still within the normal range but I've always had vehicles to where once it's at operating temp it never moves after that. Driving to work in the morning it's on O but driving home home when it's hot it just starts climbing.

 

[sgtsandman]

I’m not sure. Since I setup the Scangauge, I pay attention to that since it gives me actual numbers rather than the gauge on the dash. Before then, I never noticed it moving once it got to full temp. About at the center of the sweep.

 

[gaz]

@Bunger317 ,
For temps above normal, the first 2 areas I would investigate are:
A, water pump weep hole, hoses, radiator, bad thermostat or any other coolant leak
B, fan clutch

I have lived and driven these engines in southern California, New Mexico and Arizona in the hotest months with zero normal temperature flex but the second that changes, it's time to expect a cooling system component failure has already occured.

As a general rule of thumb, with a Ford 60°v6, using a stock Ford temperature gauge, start finding the problem if it is anywhere higher than it used to be. This part is not gospel but between the N and O, somewhere is the only place I've ever seen them, while at normal operating temp. If anything I've ever driven was above that, I would stop and resolve it immediately.

That process has been the same for me every time as the only time mine went above N-O was because of a cracked head. The first time I drove the mountain passes between Seattle and San Diego, if I pressed to keep 60 mph, I did see a little temp rise but letting off the throttle kept things pretty normal; to my utter surprise, installing headers for the exhaust manifold, changed that dramatically. My next run though the passes was nearly effortless, with only the slightest temp needle move running 60-65 throughout (go figure, RIGHT).

To keep them cool I have learned to:
1) use an automatic Explorer 2 core radiator
2) scrap the crank driven fan/clutch for a 2,800+ cfm electric
3) remote engine oil filter with oil cooler
4) all synthetic fluids
5) add a transmission cooler to an automatic transmission
6) raise the rear of my hood ¼" to ½"
7) if there is a cooling system issue, it has proven less expensive to replace each and every component that the engine.
8) headers. I only list these because of the observation made driving the mountain passes with and without.

NOTE:
-double clamps on all cooling hoses is also worth the expense.
- the best hoses I've used are the Blue Goodyear Hi-Miler model
- to help prevent this from occuring again, install a real temperature gauge in an area that is both appealing and easy to keep track of.

In regards to optimizing fuel economy:
- one thing often overlooked is proper tire inflation.
- properly gaped spark plugs
- good overall tune-up to see what is going on in an unknown auto (to include adjusting the valve train preload).

 

[gaz]

@Bunger317 ,
Sorry, I just now saw your factory temp gauge pics. They should never read higher than normal ever under routine driving conditions, even high ambient environment temps. If you do not have a collant leak, I suspect your crank driven fan clutch has bought the farm (failed or is failing).