This has happened since I owned the truck 4 years). This morning it was about 35-40 degrees. it takes a while before my engine will warm up( it does not want to get above the C).......The cooling system is clean and fluid is new. The tstat is a motorcraft 190? that i installed a few years ago. the past few years I have put "cardboard over the radiator during the winter. This has helped a little. Today I put cardboard over both sides of the radiator to see if that helps.......The issue is that the engine will not warm up at idle . it takes some driving before it gets warmed up.......I could leave the truck idling for 30 minutes and the tstat(I can tell by feeling the upper rad hose) will not open......I know these engines run cool but it does seem weird. I have a 4 banger Camry and Matrix and they both warm right up. Has anyone removed their Fan for the winter. Any other ideas?

 

Have you thought about converting to a electric fan ?

Get a kit with a shroud, thermostat, relay, etc which would eliminate the engine driven fan.

My thinking is without the fan pulling air across the rad while warming up, it would get up to temp faster.

 

That is a good idea. I don't think I want to spend the time or money for that conversion I do agree it would help

 

That is a good idea. I don't think I want to spend the time or money for that conversion. I do agree it would help

 

A block heater helps, i run a 400w block heater, i plug in overnight during winter time (about 8 months here lol), cab blows heat in a few minutes after start-up, it helps ease battery/starter strain as well.

 

A 195 degree thermostat would help. Your thermostat may be starting to open early. My '91 with the Lima engine was giving me heat in 1 1/2 miles with a 195 stat.

 

I noticed mine takes awhile also, even longer than my Plymouth. Iron takes forever to heat up, where the aluminum blocks transfer heat faster. I would replace the thermostat just cause it could be opening early or maybe stuck open. Park in a garage if possible, thats what I do in the winter.

 

If your stock fan has a clutch it may be worn out. With a fan clutch the fan should free wheel with a cold engine till it warms up. When the clutch wears out it runs continuously.

 

Thanks for all the good suggestions. . I have thought out the t-stat issue but I don't think a higher temp one would help. As my truck warms up I can feel the heater hoses getting hot, however the upper rad hose is still cold and i am pretty sure the t-stat is not opening. I think the issue is the engine is just not getting hot enough to open it.........The e-fan and cast iron engine are interesting thought. A block heater is an interesting idea..........I have both sides of my rad covered now. I wonder if that will help!..thanks again ....

 

Thats a good thought too. I will check that today

 

Actually, a thermo-clutch fan works less and less as the fan ages. In the summer, if you had A/C, you would hear the fan 'engage' as it reached its temperature setting. The air pulled through the radiator increases significantly. Worn out thermo's don't have the 'surge' any more.
If you have the original heater core, I would spend $20 or so and replace it. You could have crud in there. It is more or less a 'low' spot as both inlet and outlet are at the top, and if stuff gets in, it has to have a LOT of flow to get pushed out. Even using flush will not clear them if they have a lot of crud.
If your core is difficult to change, I would then try to flush it using a garden hose. I know later models don't have the drop-out door behind the glove box that allows a core change in 20 minutes. Both heater core hoses should be hot to the touch. I don't know why. I would get a new stat and test that it opens at 195 as that 5 degrees adds a bunch of BTU per unit of coolant.
tom

 

This morning it was about 45 -50 degrees. I checked the fan before I started the truck. I could spin the fan about 1/4 of a rotation. I stareted the truck drove a mile, let it idle for 25 minutes and then got it to normal operating temperature . I had turned it off a few times while it idled to check the fan. I could spin the fan about 1 rotation. Thoughts?

I have a 1999. Any ranger from 1995 on needs the dash pulled to replace the HC. The real issue I am facing is getting the operating tempature up quicker.

I would swap in a 195 t-stat if I thought that would help, but the issue seems that I can not even get the engine to reach 190 so that the tstat will open. I am not sure what a 195 would do to help me.

 

If you are running the heater while the engine is still getting up to temp, the heater core and blower motor are acting as a radiator of sorts. The coolant flowing thru the heater core is getting cooled down, then flows back into the engine, delaying the t-stat from opening. In cold weather, it's entirely possible to cool the engine well below the t-stat temp just by running the heater at full temp/speed with the engine idling, even after the engine has reached full operating temp.

 

I agree...it looks like a bad design.........if I was buying a new truck and the heater would not warm the truck up in less than 10 minutes while idling I would never buy it....

 

This morning it was 48 degrees with zero wind. The engine took 12 minutes with the heat off at idle to move above the C. I guess it is what it is unless my fan is screwed up but I think it is fine....