4.0L Hard Start in Cold Weather

[harriw]

Hey folks,

Just got a '94 Ranger w/ 4.0L (4x4, ext. cab, 5spd). It's been pretty cold the last few days (single digits F), and it's been real hard to start. Never had a problem when its warmer out. From the cab, sounds like the starter is cranking just like it should, engine just won't catch. Once it finally does catch (took about 2 minutes this morning of trying, leaving key in AC for a few seconds, trying again, etc.), it seems to run fine. I doesn't seem to be surging, idling hard, etc. I've only had the truck a few days, but it sounds normal to me once it's going.

Not sure if its related or not, but the temp gauge is on the low side too. It takes quite a while to warm up (heater takes a while to warm up too, but I'm pretty sure it finally does - I get to work before it fully comes up though so I can't be positive). I usually let it idle while I shovel the driveway (5, 10 minutes or so), then it takes me about 15 minutes on mostly 35mph streets to get to work. This is my first truck and I'm used to small cars with 2.small L engines, so it might just be that a 4.0L engine takes twice as long to warm up as a 2.0L? Even once its "up to temp" though, the temp gauge seems lower than I would have expected (was about at about 1/4 for the whole trip home from NJ).

Coolant resevoir seems fine (I don't see a "max" line, but it's 1.5" above the fill line), I don't see any leaks underneath. Haven't checked for milky oil, but I had the dealer (my brother in law) run a compression test before I bought it and it passed fine so I don't suspect any internal leaks.

I'm pretty new to this, and would appreciate any suggestions. Or is this pretty normal for this engine, and I just have to live with it? I have a few other things to fix/replace before I get around to this (shifter bushings and serp. belt come first), but is there anything I can inspect, clean out with carb cleaner, etc. while I wait to build up enough cash to throw parts at it?

Thanks a lot guys (and gals!)

-Bill

 

[Stranger ranger]

First off, smaller engines always warm up faster, such as 4 cylinders, I cannot figure this out. Secondly, change your fuel filter for starters, it could be plugged up, throw some injector cleaner in the tank, run some 93, just a few little things to start you off. Blow the cobb webs outta that thing, driving at low rpms or lugging the motor is just as bad as redlining it. Oh and about the temp gauge, don't fret, if it starts to overheat, trust me she'll show you on the gauge, for 5 years now after 2 rads, 2 thermostats, a water pump, and countless flushes, my gauge has always read 1/4 of the way up, but when the belt flew off and I over heated, the gauge pegged, so don't think its not working because it does.

 

[harriw]

Ok, I'll plan on fuel filter and injector cleaner (injector cleaner isn't a problem on older trucks the way high detergent oil is?), and I was thinking of cleaning out the TB too? I hadn't thought of higher grade fuel though. Does that help clean things out, or does that just make it easier to start (i.e. put some in before a cold spell)?

The cold-running/slow warm-up time had me a bit worried though - glad to hear yours is similar. The temp gauge has a separate sender from the engine thermostat, right? So chances of them both going bad are pretty slim? That's my big fear is that the engine could actually be running quite hot, but the thermostat doesn't realize it? That wouldn't explain my luke-warm heater though, so I guess I'm OK? In my truck's defense, I haven't had a long enough trip to really test out the heater yet (it was warm and sunny enough on the 7 hour trip home that I hardly used the heater at all). Guess I"ll need to take a longer trip at some point this weekend.

I don't have any fluid on the passenger floor - how likely is it that the heater core is no good if it isn't leaking?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Stranger ranger]

Ok, I'll plan on fuel filter and injector cleaner (injector cleaner isn't a problem on older trucks the way high detergent oil is?), and I was thinking of cleaning out the TB too? I hadn't thought of higher grade fuel though. Does that help clean things out, or does that just make it easier to start (i.e. put some in before a cold spell)?

The cold-running/slow warm-up time had me a bit worried though - glad to hear yours is similar. The temp gauge has a separate sender from the engine thermostat, right? So chances of them both going bad are pretty slim? That's my big fear is that the engine could actually be running quite hot, but the thermostat doesn't realize it? That wouldn't explain my luke-warm heater though, so I guess I'm OK? In my truck's defense, I haven't had a long enough trip to really test out the heater yet (it was warm and sunny enough on the 7 hour trip home that I hardly used the heater at all). Guess I"ll need to take a longer trip at some point this weekend.

I don't have any fluid on the passenger floor - how likely is it that the heater core is no good if it isn't leaking?

Thanks a lot!

Your really not supposed to clean the TB, it says it right on the inside lip, and as for higher grade fuel, it helps to clean things out and it also lowers the chances of condensation in the tank. FI cleaner wont hurt the motor at all.

There are two different sensors, one to send the coolant temp to the computer and the other to the gauge. Both are relatively cheap, but I doubt they are bad. If you have luke warm heat, all the time, you either have an air pocket somewhere, your thermostat is stuck open, although you probably wont have heat at all in that case. Heater core, 99.9% is ok. Never Heard of one going bad, but you can search for it up top. See what problems others have had, I myself have had none.

 

[BlackBII]

Your luke warm heater could be related to a stuck open thermostat, the coolant is always circualting, never letting the motor fully warm up.

Hard starting could be a faulty engine coolant temp sensor, I would pull yours and test it in a pot of water, from cold to boil.
I would check that just to eliminate it as a cause.