Anybody...Please help. I can't figure this problem out. My heater won't get hot, my truck doesn't seem to get hot for that matter. I've installed a new thermostat and that didn't help. I drive for 5 to 10 miles on the highway, when I got home i was able to stick my finger into the radiator and the water wasn't hot hot, barely lukewarm. is there any reason for this? also my temp guage on my dash also doesn't work, how do i fix that or check to see if it's hooked up? anybody... any ideas or things I could try?

 

My feeling is that you have either air or some kind of restriction in the cooling system.

Have you thought about doing a full cooling system flush? Even places like Jiffy Lube can do it for you if you don't feel like doing it yourself.

Or maybe you can just flush the heater core out? They are known to clog up and cause lack of heat problems.

HTH

 

What temp stat did you put in it. It takes a 192-195. Are you sure it was installed right?

I would definitely flush out the system. All you do is get a bottle of Zerex Radiator flush, or Zerex Super Radiator Flush kit and follow the instructions. The bottle is less than $3. I used this when i had a peoblem. I flushed it with the flush, and went one step further. Because when you drain the radiator you dont drain the block, I took off the thermostat housing (i replaced it anyways) and put the water hose in the block, and let it go full power. This pushed the water backwards through the block and let it flow out the radiator drain ****. I let it flow until it ran clear. Just make sure while you are doing this, the heater was left on. Hopefully this will help you out.

 

Thank you guys for your answers... if my coolant systems was clogged wouldn't my truck run hot? I just drove it for 30 mins on the freeway and when I got home, I was still able to stick my finger into the raddiator. Water was just lukewarm. AS for installing my thermostat right it only went in one way? Please this is driving me crazy. How can I fix mt temp gauge on my dash. It's all the way below c.

 

Could it be a bad water pump? it sounds like fluid isn't circulating very well throughout the system. Your engine is probably running very hot. But if the fluid in the radiator isn't flowing, then it's not going to get warm, as well, your heater isn't going to blow hot either, for the same reason.

 

But either way, if the water is flowing or not, the engine should get hot. And about the stat, there is right way and a wrong way to do it. It does go in backwards, and the air release valve has to be on the top. How long did you drive it? Mine takes about 5 miles before it gets to normal. And how cold is it outside. I live in NC and its pretty warm here. If it is really cold outside it will take longer.

I bet your sending unit went bad, because of all the corosion in the system. I would flush it and replace the sending unit, and the stat again (it wont hurt it is only $6). Is the coolant bright green? Is there scale inside the radiator?

 

once again thank you guys... well i went outside and flushed my system. the water/coolant wasn't overly dirty. I'm still stumped as to why it doesn't seem like my engine gets hot. where is the sending unit? what does it do? i have my old stat and i placed it into boiling water and it opeded, does that mean it works? my water pump works. the coolant was bright green. no scales, as a matter of fact the radiator was replaced approx 3 years ago. i'm in CA not really cold but was the same way in the summer. any clues?????

 

The sending unit is the "thermometer" that sends the temp to the guage.

Just becaus it looked clean doesnt mean it is. Scale and bloom can form inside the block and bloack water passage, But i would think that would make it hot????

This is the test in the haynes manual that o followed. Run it for about 15 - 20 mins to make sure it had time to watm up. Then touch the block. It should burn you. If it isnt hot, then who knows (but it WILL be hot). Then touch the upper radiator hose ( the one that returns hot water to the radiator to be cooled). If it is hot then you know you are flowing water. If it is cool, the water jets are blocked. If it is hot, then find the hose that goes to the heater core. It should also be hot. If not there is a bloackage there somewhere. If everything checks out, then dont worry about it. (because i dont know)

When gas burns it gets hot, the heat has to go somewhere, right?

 

thank you ' i'll try that and let you know. where is the sending unit located at?

 

What engine do you have?

 

I HAVE AN 85 RANGER WITH 2.3 THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT,WATERPUMP,SENDING UNIT,HEATERCORE,HEATER HOSES.FLUSHED AND REFILLED SYSTEM WITH FRESH FLUID.IF YOU FIND THE PROBLEM PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

 

i have a 89 ford ranger with a 2.3l 4 cyl motor. please any help? where is the sending unit located at? also...would this have made any difference, i'm pretty sure that the orignal radiator was replaced with a new one, i was told from mustang. would that be why it runs cold?????

 

ON MY 85 IT IS LOCATED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE UNDER THE OIL SENDING UNIT. I HAD TO GET UNDER THE TRUCK TO SEE IT . IT WILL HAVE A SINGLE WIRE GOING TO IT.