i have a 1988 ranger 4 cyl 5 speed extended cab. i bought this truck with blown engine 4,or5 years ago. i installed a used engine, and never could get any heat. the air cond works good. i have installed new heater core, 195 thurmostat, and a new housing, over the years and no heat. the hoses are hot aprox 6 to 8 in from engine, but up close to the heater box they go cold. i have tryed to run water through the core by using garden hose to remove any air from core, still no heat. i can't understand why no water is flowing into the core? in the summer this is not a problem, but with temps -5 below now i could use some heat! any ideas? need help.

 

If the hoses aren't getting hot I would suspect a clog in one of the hoses or a bad valve if you have one in the heater hoses.

 

On my 95 there is a plastic valve that 4 heater hoses go to, and a diaphram-like thing with a vacuum hose. I had a leak around the valve. I wasnt sure if it was the valve or the hoses, so I replaced everything (was replacing hoses and thermostats anyway). The valve was only 15-20 dollars at Oreillys. If yours is like this you might check the vacuum hose on the valve first. My valve is attached to the heater core at the firewall with two hoses that are about one foot long.

 

there is no valve between engine and heater box. i think the temp is regulated by cold air mix?

 

When you ran H2O through the core did you also run it through the hoses?

 

no i unhooked hoses at fire wall heater core conections. at one time i was told i may have hoses reverced so i switched the hoses but nothing changed. i realy can't remember but i think when i switched enging i installed new hoses from the steel pipeing to firewall. like i said earier this has been a problem for years.

 

Is the coolant traveling back & forth between the overflow bottle & radiator? If it is theres no leaks anywhere in the system. Have you tried idling it from cold with the cap off to bleed the air out? I've read that after warming up it helps to squeeze & relase the upper hose 5 times quickly to get the air out. Is the T-stat installed with the air bleed up? Is the hose from the water pump attached to the bottom connection of the heater core?

 

If the hoses are not getting hot there must be a clog in the system someplace, put a piece of pipe inplace of the core and see if they get hot.

 

i will try the pipe by pass trick shortly. i have to replace the distributor in my chev sub 454. being a ford man since birth a
job like this makes you just want to @##$$%%^^&.

 

i installed all new hoses from engine to heater box. run to get hot and the hoses at box cold. i pinched off 3/8'' hose that runs to back of engine block and i did get hot watter to heater box. what does this small hose do? should there be some type restrictor installed? could have lost something when i replaced engine?

 

I''m not familar with that engine setup, so I can't help with that hose.

 

i hope someone can help. temp to go down -10 -15 tonight . i thought about pinching hose but afrade it may damage or over heat rear of cyl head

 

Ken- Got my Ranger fixed. Turned out to be the Fuel Pressure Regulator. Thanks for your help. See: http://www.fordtrucks.com/forums/sho...hreadid=194921

 

thanks i will give that a try. thanks again!!

 

Glad to hear things are good again, thats a common problem.