88 Bronco T-stat Question
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2010
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88 Bronco T-stat Question
I have an 88 Bronco and the temp guage never even gets up to the n on normal. I was wondering if i could purchase a different thermostat that would heat up a little more. Any suggestions?
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,007
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might just be the guage, it's a resistance guage, higher resistance lower temp, as the sensor heats up the resistance in the sensor decreases allowing the guage to read higher, it just might be that the wiring has increased resistance due to aging. That leads to the guage reading lower on the scale than normal. It's what's happening in my 1990 bronco, but the guage does move so I'm not worried about the actual temp. You could take it to a shop and have the temp read with a lazer temp guage, or you could stick a meat thermometer in the radiator fluid and get the temp that way.
Or you could go to Ford and buy a 200 dollar replacement guage that would read correctly.
Or you could leave it be.
But I would not suspect the t-stat unless something else is going on. Like poor performance.
Or you could go to Ford and buy a 200 dollar replacement guage that would read correctly.
Or you could leave it be.
But I would not suspect the t-stat unless something else is going on. Like poor performance.
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Senior User
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ok cool it seems like the heater doesnt heat up very much either and kinda takes a while i thought they might be connected. it could also be that im a wuss cause it was about 10 below this morning. its the wifes rig tho so i dont drive it very much
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,182
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From: Gateway to the West
Indeed don't trust the OEM gauge. Its a glorified switch. The resistance parameters are really small to begin with and as they get older they get less and less accurate. If you are really worried about it, install a mechanical gauge. If the truck truly isn't warming up, check coolant level and not just in the overflow reservoir but in the radiator itself. If level is good and it is still taking forever to warm up, make sure the t-stat isn't stuck open. Replace as necessary.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,007
Likes: 5
If any leak stop was used in the radiator, it might be clogging the heater core. Mine is slow to warm up also. But I always forget to work on it while it's warm out. the heater core might be aging also so that the heat transfer is not as efficient as when it was new,
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 240
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From: Columbia MO
My 88 Bronco had a stat fail open which stopped the engine from getting up to temp
after replacing it I had a warm truck again
after replacing it I had a warm truck again
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