Hard cold start squealing

[adambombsaway]

Hello I live in central New York where the weather has been in the single digits. My 99 explorer limited is having trouble starting in this weather and sometimes I have to jump start it, or turn the ign on and off a few times to get it started. Also when the heat is on it is not blowing bery hot and the temp gauge never reads over 1/4. Also if the heat is on from start to go it has a HORRIBLE squeal and the battery voltage drops to almost nothing until I turn the heat of and let off the gas to stop the squealing. I had both the battery and alternator check and both were reading pretty good. Before I start dumping a ton of money into it ( water pump maybe , alternator, belt) has anyone experienced this? If so your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Adam
1999 explorer limited 4.0 soho

 

[Rick]

I'll start with the simplest fix first. You can block a portion of the airflow to your radiator with cardboard which will allow the engine to warm up fully. Just be sure to remove it when it warms up

Turning the switch from off to run a few times before starting helps to prime the fuel pump and engine making it easier to start when cold.

Your blower motor may be going bad, it could be drawing a lot of current if it has bad bearings, or bushings. Odd that the voltage is dropping so low though, as the fuse should blow if there is a short, or if the current draw becomes to high.

 

[adambombsaway]

PLEASE HELP Voltage the least of my issues now

Thank you for your response seems the voltage issue is the least of my problems now. Yes I went to pep boys to have my coolant system flushes and they wouldn't touch it due to the antifreeze looking like "chocolate milk", and said possibly have a blown head gasket which I don't see very likely because the oil is always clean not "milky" when I change it and the engine temperature never reads even 1/2 way between L&H it's always barely above low. The only physical issue is the extremely loud screech and the voltage dropping way down to nothing I'd I go from stop to go with my heat on, but that stops as soon as I turn my heat off and back on once I reach about 10-15 mph. From my very uneducated auto repair knowledge a bad head gasket or cracked head ALWAYS leads to over heating. Am I wrong here? Should I flush the system myself? I bout some head gasket and block repair but I won't be able to use it because I have to allow the initial flush dry for 12 hours which won't happen in 0-10 degree weather. So I was thinking maybe just wasting a bunch of antifreeze and flushing it a few times myself. Could I cause more damage? I mean my explorer is absolutely immaculate inside and out. IDK WHAT TO DO HELP ME please.

Thank you