Question/help

[cooterdog]

I have a slight problem that seems to have started today. The temp outside is -24 deg C. I let my truck warm up 20min. When I got in it seemed very cold inside. I have only cold air blowing in the cab thro my heater/fan. I have fan so its just a heat issue. Anybody have any suggestions or what not that I can check?

truck is a:
1995 Ranger 4x4 splash
reg cab 4.0

thanks
Rob

 

[Hopman]

Do you run some sort of "winter front" on the grille to help the truck warm up faster? Then again, at -20, I don't think anything short of glowing coals on the floorboard can help the truck warm up!

 

[ranger_mclaren]

Two things that come to mind cloged radiator or bad thermostat. Or hows your antifreeze level.

 

[cooterdog]

The truck put out awesome cab heat yesterday, but today no luck just cold air! Need some insight. Window stays frosted.

 

[ranger_mclaren]

my friends truck had same problem but his was over heating aswell he had a 360 powerd dakota found out his radiator was cloged he had it replaced heat was back to normal.

 

[superdave1984]

Does yours have the vacuum operated valve that opens to let the coolant circulate through the heater core? If so, it may not be working.

 

[cooterdog]

Does yours have the vacuum operated valve that opens to let the coolant circulate through the heater core? If so, it may not be working.

I dont know if mine has that valve or not.

 

[cooterdog]

my friends truck had same problem but his was over heating aswell he had a 360 powerd dakota found out his radiator was cloged he had it replaced heat was back to normal.

mines not over heating. I have had this truck for a few months now. with minor problems (Alt/battery). Seems weird to go from heat yesterday to nil now.

 

[srteach]

I would check the specific gravity of the antifreeze first. This will tell you if your coolant will stay liquid at a specific temperature. If your coolant is too thin (or not properly mixed), it could freeze at warmer temps than you are currently experiencing.
Open the hood, remove the radiator cap and check for ice crystals. Then try to squeeze the heater hoses going to the firewall. They are about 1 inch O.D. If they are solid, your coolant has frozen solid, and plugged the line.The effect is the same as a plugged radiator.
Water (and thin coolant) expands at freezing point, so don't run the engine until you are sure you haven't blown the radiator, hoses, or freeze plug.
The thermostat shouldn't affect the cab heater, because the cab heater bypasses the thermostat.

 

[cooterdog]

I would check the specific gravity of the antifreeze first. This will tell you if your coolant will stay liquid at a specific temperature. If your coolant is too thin (or not properly mixed), it could freeze at warmer temps than you are currently experiencing.
Open the hood, remove the radiator cap and check for ice crystals. Then try to squeeze the heater hoses going to the firewall. They are about 1 inch O.D. If they are solid, your coolant has frozen solid, and plugged the line.The effect is the same as a plugged radiator.
Water (and thin coolant) expands at freezing point, so don't run the engine until you are sure you haven't blown the radiator, hoses, or freeze plug.
The thermostat shouldn't affect the cab heater, because the cab heater bypasses the thermostat.

I dont have any way to check the gravity of my antifreeze here. I'll check for ice crystals and my hoses in a few as its getting light out now. -25 deg C here. If Its not good antifreeze I guess a rad flush would help?

 

[super91]

check the heater blend door. same symptoms mine had. heres the link to it.
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Summer2009/blend-door.htm

 

[R***A**N**G**E***R]

mines not over heating. I have had this truck for a few months now. with minor problems (Alt/battery). Seems weird to go from heat yesterday to nil now.

I had the exact same thing happen to me ( heat one day cold the next ) turned out my heater core was clogged, so i took off the 2 hoses under the hood up next to the firewall and put my spray nozzle on my garden hose and flushed it out, i actually saw the shit come out but i ran the water for about 30 seconds anyway.

Then I put my two heater core hoses back on , topped off the anti freeze and ran it down the highway to get up to temp and my heat is now blowing very hot!!!!!!!!!!!! But this was MY experience and may not be yours.

 

[cooterdog]

Ok, I checked the hoses(supple and easily squeezed) also checked Rad looks good no crystals or noteable problems! I am going to let it warm up and see if it is good to go as the engine seems warm from my run awhile ago. if cab heats now I will assume its a coolent issue.

 

[GoodOld85BlueBalls]

I don't know if the 96 is vacume or electricly acuated by your dash selector, but to have it turn on the heat it must open a solenoid of some kind to get the hot coolant to circulate through the heater core. I have had quite a few vehicles over the years where the vaccume lines have come loose on the back side of the panel. Put your ear up to the selector and move it from hot to cold. If there is a vacume leak you will hear it when you rev up the engine.
If it is electric you could have a short or a fuse blown.

My best bet would be that your heater core is clogged and needs a flush, or your coolant is not good for that -25c your experencing and has frozen. You should check into that quick before you force out freeze plugs or crack something iron!.....

Good luck with it, you got a lot of replies and some great ideas already!

 

[cooterdog]

I don't know if the 96 is vacume or electricly acuated by your dash selector, but to have it turn on the heat it must open a solenoid of some kind to get the hot coolant to circulate through the heater core. I have had quite a few vehicles over the years where the vaccume lines have come loose on the back side of the panel. Put your ear up to the selector and move it from hot to cold. If there is a vacume leak you will hear it when you rev up the engine.
If it is electric you could have a short or a fuse blown.

My best bet would be that your heater core is clogged and needs a flush, or your coolant is not good for that -25c your experencing and has frozen. You should check into that quick before you force out freeze plugs or crack something iron!.....

Good luck with it, you got a lot of replies and some great ideas already!

I have some ideas and I am so glad so many people have jumpped in to help on this one. Thanks everyone! I'm going to see if the window is de frosting. wonder what a rad flush costs these days?