running temperature

[larryc]

i have 170,000 miles on my explorer and the temperature gauge after the truck has warmed up always sits right by the L in normal, and i have never lost any coolant and it doesnt boil over. Just was wondering if it was allright and normal for it to run at that temperature.If not should i replace the thermostat and where is the thermostat.
94 explorer

 

[DeRocha]

Hi Larry and welcome to the site!
It is most likely caused by a faulty thermostat not opening up enough.

 

[jeff96]

almost same here, during winter mine sits right on the line of the low, but now that its summer mine is about a third of the way between the lines.

 

[general x]

Is their a special way to get mud out of your rad??? The friggin evaporator (AC doesnt even work!!!) is in the way and im pritty sure the reason my temp gauge gets up their pritty good in because of mud in the rad.....mud was deeper then i though, never got stuck thou, By the way, the fan kept me from spraying the rad from the inside very well

 

[MrShorty]

I cleaned the space between the condenser and the radiator a few weeks ago on my '92. Pulled the foam rubber "spacer" that sits under the jack handle/hood prop out. Then pulled the foam rubber "spacer" that fits underneath the space in between the radiator and the condenser partially out. Sprayed it out with the hose, the put the foram rubber pieces back in. That bottom one wasn't too bad, but I suspect it would be a bear to get back in if you pulled it all the way off. Where your AC doesn't work, it probably doesn't matter anyway. That's what I did.
If you decide it's really getting too hot, replacing the thermostat is probably the best first step. One thing I might do before replacing it, though, is backprobe the computer's temperature sensor (computer doesn't use the dash gauge, it has it's own temperature sensor) and see what temperature it's actually running at. The dash gauge is just as good (or maybe better) at measuring the electrical system as it is at measuring the coolant temperature. If you are running extra hot, it would give you a "second opinion" that you need to work on the cooling system. If it shows that you are running normally, then you can turn your attention to the dash gauge/sender and figure out why it says it's so hot.

 

[general x]

cool beans, i really didnt feel like taking my front end apart to clean the friggin rad but what you recommend seems easy enough, The x doesnt seem to get super hot, its just the fan seems to never disengage anymore and its muddy all over my engine

Future mod #1-Reverse results of fender trimming so the mud stays out!!!