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Nov 9, 2002 | 06:16 AM

wdr76

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From: Elizabethton USA

over cooling

I have a 1991 Ranger with 4 cyl, with 128,000 miles. It has been an excellant vehicle. However, it will not even get close to a normal operating temp. I replaced thermostat, belts, flushed radiator, even placed a barrier in front of radiator to restrict airflow, all in the last couple of weeks. None of the above increased temp. Any suggestions?

Nov 9, 2002 | 07:31 AM

ranger pat

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From: Elk River, MN

over cooling

Can we assume you have checked your temp gauge? Does your heater put out hot air? Does your upper radiator hose get hot to the touch after 15 minutes or so?

Nov 9, 2002 | 03:57 PM

Mil1ion

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over cooling

Don't go by the gauge.

Check the hoses as mentioned.

Also, Get a meat thermometer and place it in the coolant when the engine hot and see what it says.

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Nov 9, 2002 | 08:28 PM

wdr76

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From: Elizabethton USA

over cooling

To say that the air from the heater is even warm would be a stretch. Although I have not actually tested water temperature I did place an instant read thermometer against upper hose after letting engine run for approximately 45 minutes. High temp 116 deg. I do not place any faith in gauge.

Also this past week our temps climbed to upper 60's, left radiator cover in place, still not hot, even in traffic.

Nov 15, 2002 | 06:45 PM

garyklipp

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From: appelton usa

over cooling

This low temperature reading is normal ; yet it is a common complaint that often appears in various forms.

In my Chilton manual it states "The temperature gauge pointer should indicate in the lower half of the normal band." This statement is located in Fig 54 describing the Temperature gauge diagnostic chart.

Gary
1991 Ford ranger
6 cyl, 4 liter

Nov 16, 2002 | 01:00 AM

Torque1st

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over cooling

You need to get a little better reading than against the hose surface. You could wrap a rag around the sensor to make it read more accurately. When you use a sensor like that it is reading part way between the air temperature and the surface temperature of the hose.

The reading does seem a mite low tho. Can you see if the coolant is circulating in the radiator by taking the cap off? If the coolant is circulating no matter what the coolant temp is then you have a bad or malfunctioning thermostat, even a new one.

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Nov 20, 2002 | 09:57 AM

greenpus

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over cooling

If the thermastat did not fix then prob then I would start looking at the vents and the valve that actually allows heat to flow into the heater core. That valve goes out a lot