Coolant gauge stuck at cold

[soggybread]

Hello, recently bought my 1990 2.9 coolant temp stuck at C & not getting very hot air into the cabin. Blows warm but not hot. Any help is appreciated!

 

[Brain75]

2.9's (especially the older ones) are notorious for cracking heads, it is highly likely that the PO put in a low temp thermostat to try to avoid the issue... or worse removed the t-stat entirely.

 

[Brain75]

the better way to avoid the cracking issue is to find a radiator from a 4.0L explorer with AC, they are double width but still single core - swap the radiator out for better cooling ability.(it's on my own todo list as soon as the junkyard isn't a skating rink)

 

[rumblecloud]

Yeah...mine has been stuck on C too --- but that's because it's

MINUS 2 F-ING DEGREES...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Yeah...mine has been stuck on C too --- but that's because it's

MINUS 2 F-ING DEGREES...

Yeah even my big chunk of hot iron 460 had trouble warming up yesterday. It was -3 when i fired it up (but kudos to my 10 year old interstate battery that, while not very happy about it did crank enough to fire it)

It took it about 15 minutes of driving before the temp gauge quit dancing around.


OP...

First thing id do is check the gauge, make sure its working. Pull the sender wire off, ground it out, turn the key on and see if the gauge runs all the way up to "H".

If that checks out pull the thermostat. Its likely stuck open.

I run a 185 in my 2.9 and heats never been an issue in the cab

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yup, you got something going on…

I’ve run a 4.0 radiator with a 180* thermostat and a good water pump for years in my Choptop and yes, I have and do run it in winter. With a good heater core and everything working as it should, it has never had a problem kicking out heat.

The sensors do fail, but at this age of vehicle, there can also be other issues.

 

[adventurousprime]

Hello, recently bought my 1990 2.9 coolant temp stuck at C & not getting very hot air into the cabin. Blows warm but not hot. Any help is appreciated!

Kinda the idiot option, but have you checked your coolant level? Worth checking the thermostat too, could be stuck open like rusty suggested.