94 ranger operating temp

[laack]

94 ranger 2.3l mt

I completely closed off the grille this winter to conserve what heat i can, but city driving is hardly able to maintain the needle within the two lines with the heat on.

Highway driving it will warm up to just the tip of N of "normal"

It takes approximately 5-8 miles highway to get it up to this point, but if i crank full blast on the heat it will drop.

I replaced the thermostat 3 times this winter and the sending unit 2 times thinking that i had some combination of faulty parts. Is this normal?

where does your temp gauge usually sit in winter vs. summer (which engine do you have) how long does it take to heat up and does use of heat affect your temp fluctuations.

what mark on the gauge would you consider to be the safest max temp to operate the engine with out worries of overheating if i were to leave the grille block as long as possible to speed the warming up to get to a more efficient fuel burn.

 

[Hopman]

On my truck (2.3/mt/4x4, no A/C), it normally stays right arounnd the bottom of the normal range (needle just barely hitting the line) in the summer and winter.

The only time my truck has been towards the middle of the range was on a 90 + day driving through PA.

 

[nitrofan1]

By the covering the grill and such I assume you are in nanook land. Rangers differ from vehicle to vehicle. My Splash stays on the "N" in normal no matter how hot or cold it is. My 4x4 goes up to the "M" and drops back and forth.

I like posters to show where they are from, a least a State or Province. I sorta helps in answering posts like this.

 

[robertc1024]

Hmm, interesting though, I thought it was just my truck. I replaced my thermostat too because the gauge is just barely above the lower line and it didn't make any difference. On hot days, mine is just a tick over "n." edit - "l"

 

[laack]

nitrofan- Minneapolis, mn

 

[slowleak]

I've owned two 1994 Rangers with the 2.3L M/T set up, both barely made enough heat to move the gauge to the bottom of the normal line. The dealer tried thermostats, gauges, water pumps, nothing made any difference.
My first one had 230K on it when I sold it, this one has about 40K, and my 1995 Ranger does the same thing, also a 2.3L stick. The engine barely gets to operating temp and running the heater drops it well below on a cold day.
Even when towing it never gets any hotter. A temp check of the radiator with a real thermostat shows only 140 degrees with a 195 deg. stat.

 

[strvger]

double check your temp with a candy or meat thermometer at the radiator. gauges tend to be somewhat inaccurate to say the least. i live north of you about 150 miles and, thankfully, don't have similar problems.
what are the chances you have an air lock in one of your hoses? i'd have the cooling system flushed completely and refilled making sure all the air is out. then see how well it heats up and double check the temps.
good luck and post up with the fix.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Its practially normal for this engine to be on the cold side. My 96' Ranger 2.3L hardly warms up to get the needle in the middle. Most of the time, it sits about 1/4 up the gauge. During the summer months, it will reach the middle of the gauge. And during the winter months, it will sit around the first line for normal. I have checked the temp through the OBDII port, and the PCM does read the engine temp as being 190*F most of the time. Which is correct for the thermostat that I have in, 190*F. The Ford's OEM thermostat was a 195*F.