Hi folks, Okay when I did the radiator flush the temp gauge would go to normal setting but when I turn the heater on full force the temp gauge would decrease and all I would get is cold air, turn it off the heater it goes back to normal. But when I detach the AC pump (electrically). I would get some warm air. (I think the heater control valve needs to be replaced as well.) And the temp gauge would stay normal but then slowly go down, till i turn off the heater, AC works good. 1997 Ford Ranger XLT supercab 2.3l engine. Standard 4sp w/od tranny.
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Look at the heater core housing on the firewall. Does it sit higher than the top of the radiator? It does on my '98. Had a heck of a time getting the air bubble out. Could be what you're experiencing, but you've done so much already, I'm not sure if your results are clouding your solution. Before you do anything else, do this..... Take the truck for a drive. Turn off the A/C, put the defroster on, set the fan to "low" and just go for a drive. Does the temp gauge go up? Do you get heat from the defroster at that point? If so, you don't have an air bubble, but you need to find out for sure FIRST, before you start testing a whole bunch of other things.
I get a draft when the heater/ac unit is off. If i turn on heat on to the floor, fan on low, I get heat, and set on defrost and fan on low i get heat.
How far down? The temp gauge should drop a little when the heat and/or defrost is turned on and the fan is put on high because the heater core sees engine coolant all the time, not through the t'stat like the radiator does. This is why you turn on both heater and defroster and put the fan on high, if your engine coolant temp spikes, like a stuck t'stat. The heater core is efficient enough to actually cause the coolant temp to drop to the point to where it will register on the gauge. So we know it's not an air bubble. That is good. Almost sounds like the A/C is overpowering the heater. I think your idea of changing out the heater control valve has merit....or maybe it just needs adjusting (i.e. valve may not be opening fully, or at least enough to allow enough coolant flow to the heater core).
Good day sir and thank you for the input, the temperature gauge would start off at the halfway and then drop a quarter down. What's interesting to note was it wouldn't give off much heat, lukewarm. but now - it gives off a lot of heat (with no change in the thermostat gauge). One of the things was I played with the vacuum hoses under the dashboard there's like red, green, yellow, blue, white, black. I disconnected the group and then plugged it back in. played with the flap door underneath the glove box, where the vacuum switch didn't work(still doesn't work) but- I now have heat, lots of hot heat. And the temperature gauge does not go down. It's one of those "I fixed it" but I don't know how, lol I had Newt Jr in a ditch, angled at about a 45-degrees, and took a bit to get it out but Newt Jr came right out of it (Newt salamander Jr 2.3l, female friend Meagan- named him.) Well now I got to go to another area and complain about the transmission, it's making funny noises. High pitch whine from the tail end and clanking noise while shifting. Otherwise, Newt Jr goes like a ...... Let's just say he'll do 80 with no problem and like gas, the cat back needs to be replaced as well, can't get to the bolts - rusted and no left. I have a guy that'll do it for $110, I already have the cat back (new one) to be put in. 23 miles City and 21 Mile Highway (mpg) yes I know it should have the results the other way but right now it does not. And I think it's the cat back problem. Sorry I'll go for now thanks again
Flapper doors weren't operating properly because they weren't seeing enough vaccuum....figures. It's always the little things.
The darndest thing happened, I was going uphill putting a little strain on the engine, the heater blower motor died down and as I got to the top of the hill the heater came back on full blast is this anything you've experienced? It is happened a couple of times.
That's what I thought, but, but the batt guages is good, the charging system is good, now I I have no heat again ugh, vacuum leak in the hoses. Ugh, I can't complain the truck was given to me for free.
Good day I just figured out why I keep losing Heat. I just lost everything, except defrost, it has to deal with vacuum hoses that that run all the door Flaps in the plenum. (Air duct system). I am off to find color codes for the vacuum hoses running the AC and heating. Fill you in as I go along.
If all hoses involved are the same size, take one to a parts store and get a length of generic vacuum hose.....saves U $$$$$. As for regulator, batt. gauge ain't gonna help. Drop a volt meter across the battery terminals and rev the engine up and down. If the needle swings with engine speed, you have a bad regulator.
96 ranger 4 cylindar. (new to me) thanks for the good info on the thermostat. i will return - to the parts store - the one i was about to install because of " low gage reading and engine maintenance on during engine warm up" ! vin
