My first post!!! I really want to express my appreciation for this forum and its users. This forum has helped me immensely in the past(camshaft position sensor housing, fuel filler hose assembly-i will save my thoughts on that for another post) and I am sure it will in the future. Not a big fan of the advertising and associated scripts that make the site alot heavier, but as long as the knowledgeable users are still here it will continue to be a great forum.

96 Ranger Super w/3.0L V6 4x2 120,000miles original owner

My Ranger's gets hot when idling ith the AC on for about 10 minutes. It also does this in rush-hour traffic. It is not overheating, but rather in the very top of the normal operating temp. I can get it almost all the way back down by driving 40 or above for a while, even quicker if I turn off the AC.

Anyone experience this? know the fix?

Fan Clutch? Thermostat? Water Pump?

 

Most likely the fan clutch. Your engine cools when more air is going through the radiator so that seems to be the problem, not enough air.
My recomendations:

1. Buy the best heavy duty clutch you can find.
2. Use stock fan blade.
3. Use stock fan shroud.
4. Make sure exterior of radiator and condenser are free from debri.

When the engine is hot the stock fan should blow your hat off when you rev the engine, if not somethings wrong with the fan clutch.

Good luck.
Ron in Arizona (mildly warm)

 

Just did this today. Fan clutch, I'd bet money on it.

Clean out the radiator and condensor, mine had a lot of crap built up in it, and I keep my truck real clean. The clutch is supposed to get the fan spinning slower in relation to the engine when the engine is cool, then get it spinning faster as the engine heats up to flow more air.

My temp was quickly rising at any period of idling or city driving. New clutch cured it, it now sits at about the same temperature it runs at, and runs quite cool in highway driving.

If you had a fairly lengthy or hot overheat, you might want to consider replacing the thermostat. They are tempered steel and if overheated can lose their effectiveness.

 

A radiator flush might help since water flow is essential for a radiator to do it's job.

 

Thanks to all of you for your advice. I apologize for the delay of this post, but I just got back from week road-trip to the Florida Keys.

So here is what i did.
I changed the fan clutch with the "super-cooling" model from NAPA. It did show improvement, but after a little bit of driving the temp was still rising to the top of the scale.
I then changed the Thermostat with a 195 degree from NAPA. Just a note, but looking closer at the original thermosat I noticed it was a 197 degree. Anyways, Problem solved.

Temp gauge now stays right in the middle of the range even after idling with the AC on for over 30 minutes and my AC works better than ever with the lower engine operating temps.

I also cleaned out the radiator and AC condensor the best i could by jetting it with water. There was quite a bit of junk in there.

Thanks again,
Ranger72