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No Heat / Low Temperature

BWCAW

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Joined
December 5, 2007
Messages
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City, State
Portland, Oregon
Year, Model & Trim Level
'93 Sport
I have no heat, temperature doesn't get above the first mark on gage. I have replaced thermostat twice with no result. Weather has no effect - warm or cold same result. Coolant is fine - proper temp and level. I was thinking water pump - any ideas!
 



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If it was the pump, it would be leaking, and would be overheating eventually (even in cold weather). It is entirely possible you have two bad t-stats, happens a lot. Your best bet is to try another, maybe a better brand. What temp t-stat are you getting?
 






If I remember correctly, 185 and 195
 






I would feel the temperature of the hoses. (return and feed) This will determine if there is coolant flow. If both hoses are cool to the touch with the vehicle warm then you have a restriction concern. This could be the radiator, water pump, thermostat, collasped hose, blockage in the block itself. Then I would also check the hoses at the ply heater core for temperature differential and apply the same principle as before. make sure there is no FEAD front end acc. drive. belt slipping etc. or other things like a bearing siezed cauing a drag on the system and slowing coolant flow.

Is there a concern with the thermostatic fan itself as well? I converted mine to a electric fan with a thermostat. Coolant mixture is another consideration to take into place.
 






Might be time for a heater core if you have no heat inside, but like Devilboy said, check the t-stat again (easier of the 2).

I recall a way to test a t-stat in the house. Something like putting it in a pan of boiling water, then watch if the spring opens the vavle. Can anyone verify this?
Walter
 






My truck has done the same thing twice. I replaced the first (factory) thermostat with a another Ford tstat at 50,000 miles because the engine would not heat up. Same problem again at 90,000 miles... This time, I put in a Stant (from NAPA). So far, no problems. I hope this one lasts more than 40,000 miles.
 






Put another 192-195 Tstat in. Also, make sure your gauge is working correctly by grounding the sending unit. It should peg the gauge.
 






I recall a way to test a t-stat in the house. Something like putting it in a pan of boiling water, then watch if the spring opens the vavle. Can anyone verify this?
Walter
Yep. Verified. Use a meat thermometer to measure the temperature of the water as you heat it up. The opening temperature is usually stamped on the back side of the 'stat. If it's a 195 (that's what I have), it should open right at 195.

It's really bizarre -- but not unheard of -- that you'd get two bad t-stats in a row. Thermostats are cheap anyway, don't skimp here. Buy Stant. Did you remember to use a new rubber sealing ring around the outside of the stat when you reinstalled it?

Anyway, if it's a lack of heat inside the cabin you're complaining about, that's a heater issue. With the engine off, turn up the heater temperature, then see if you can run water into the inlet hose and see what comes out of the outlet hose. Nothing? Then you've got a plugged heater core (at least that's what the old wives say). I've never done a heater core on an EX, but I understand it's a pain.

Good luck.
 






Not really JT. Seems you just slide the glove box out then 4 screws later you got core in hand. There is another thread here about bad heat that shows the core in the book.
Here's the link

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184090

On a side note, and with the cold air, how come nobody asks about ac questions? :) Kidding... frozen Massachusetts here :)

Walter
 






Was on another thread on this last night. Wondering, how to tell if it's the temp sending unit vs the t-stat?
 






well, the difference is fairly large, so that's easy. The t-stat is inside the outlet in the top of the motor, and is a little mechanical, heat-activated valve that regulates the flow of coolant through the radiator. It has no input or electrical connections to the computer. The temp sending unit sticks out of a spot on the intake manifold (in a coolant path) and simply tells changes resistance with temperature and that info is taken by the computer or gauge, depending on which sending unit it is.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system.htm

Look at that article, it explains the cooling system, and will show you what the thermostat does. It doesn't say anything about a temp sending unit, but, as previously stated, it is basically just a thermometer that sends it's information to the computer and gauge.
Hope it clears things up for ya :afro: :dpchug:
 






On a side note, and with the cold air, how come nobody asks about ac questions? :) Kidding... frozen Massachusetts here :)Walter

Good to know about the heater core, Walter. Thanks for the link -- it does look easy.

Eh. Who needs A/C? This is New England! Where 14 F is balmy! :D
 






Er, I know what they do and how they function. Was inquiring about diagnosing which is the problem causing the low reading. However, that was pretty stupid of me to ask, as it is referenced above (thermometer) and I should just use an IR temp sensor when the vehicle has been run for a while to see whether it is operating at spec temp, or below. Thanks though!


well, the difference is fairly large, so that's easy. The t-stat is inside the outlet in the top of the motor, an...
Hope it clears things up for ya :afro: :dpchug:
 






IR sensor just shows the exterior heat. Not the internal water temp. There will be a difference between the 2.

Walter
 






Just dropping a line to thank all on this thread :salute:

I was having the same low temp/blowing cold air problem.

Changed thermostat: No change (see note below tips to make changing t-stat easier)

Decieded to change heater core: Problem solved:eek: I couldn't believe how easy it was. See post in following thread for really easy directions;
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184090

$22 Autozone heater core and it started started blowing smoking hot air, temp guage is steady at 1/4 into normal zone.:thumbsup:
In addition, the hoses at the old core were so stuck-on(probablly been on since new) I had to cut them to get them off. Luckly there was enough slack hose to reach the new core. If you have to cut your hoses to get them off, check to see if there is enough hose to reach new core. If there isn't enough hose, get about 1 foot of extra hose and some splice fittings to reach the new core. The locaton of the other ends of those hoses is very, very tight and getting them off would be a b***ch. Splicing-on will be way easier!

Note on changing t-stat: As discussed elsewhere there are a couple(1 in particular) bolts on the housing that are very hard to get at.

After getting the belt out of the way, the tensioner moves a little out of the way. Next, remove the top bolt that holds the tensioner assembly in place; take a hammer and punch/large screwdrive and gentlly tap the assemblly up and a little more out of the way, it will rotate at the other bolt that's behind the tensioner pully. This will give about 3/8" that will make all the difference in being able to get at that bolt(you'll know the one). Now, with a screwdriver and using head of the bolt to lever on, gentlly press the small wiring harness against the t-stat housing, This will get the harness out of the just enough so it will not be in the way. With this, the bolt came out pretty easy:thumbsup:

When putting the bolts back in, I used a small bit of duct tape to hole the bolt in the socket; most of the tape was on the socket so once the bolt was started back in, the bolt would disengage from the socket.

A few other good tips I got from the forum article:
-Tape the sockets, extensions, wobble drives on so the don't fall off.
-Have a magnetic retriver handy when you extract the bolts

For complete description see:

http://www.explorerforum.com/Singleton/web/pages/thermostat.html

Thanks again for all who helped:)
 






Nice

Good of you to come back around and provide news of the solution and the links!

I have some heat in mine, just takes forever to budge the needle. It'll creep into the normal range if left idling, but goes back down as soon as I start to drive again. So I'm still thinking someone yanked out the thermostat. I have a 180' on order, given that I may be stuck in D.C. traffic jams this summer-- I doubt the ten degrees will cause fuel loading or wear for thermal expansion (or lack thereof) in this thing. Doesn't sound too fun- I hate working around obstructions!

Congrats on tackling and resolving your issue.
 






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