1996 ford ranger slow to reach operating temp

[eboybrown]

I have a 1996 ford ranger 2.3L 5 speed manual with a new thermostat, coolant flush, new ECT, new coolant temp sender, and my hvac works perfectly. I’m getting heat as a I should. My coolant temp gauge wasn’t working so I went to a junkyard and got one off a functional gauge cluster and swapped it in mine. Now it works just extremely slowly. It needs to be driven several miles to even think about getting close to operating temp. I was reading that maybe a broke fan clutch will cause it to never get warm as the fan will always be spinning but I wanted to see if anyone had any ideas

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[Grumpaw]

I have a 1996 ford ranger 2.3L 5 speed manual with a new thermostat, coolant flush, new ECT, new coolant temp sender, and my hvac works perfectly. I’m getting heat as a I should. My coolant temp gauge wasn’t working so I went to a junkyard and got one off a functional gauge cluster and swapped it in mine. Now it works just extremely slowly. It needs to be driven several miles to even think about getting close to operating temp. I was reading that maybe a broke fan clutch will cause it to never get warm as the fan will always be spinning but I wanted to see if anyone had any ideas

Eric, try Ranger-Forums....it mostly deals with the older Ranger generations. When I had my 2009, it was the forum I was on.....lot of good info and help there. All the earlier years are covered there.
The 2.3 in your 1996 and the 2.3 in our's are light years apart....

 

[eboybrown]

Eric, try Ranger-Forums....it mostly deals with the older Ranger generations. When I had my 2009, it was the forum I was on.....lot of good info and help there. All the earlier years are covered there.
The 2.3 in your 1996 and the 2.3 in our's are light years apart....

Oh okay, will do. Thanks

 

[Vr22s]

Oh okay, will do. Thanks

Good luck with your Ranger!

 

[k1w1t1m]

You might also try the ranger station. Good luck.

 

[veedubtuner]

I feel like my 2023 doesn't heat up very fast. I usually let it warm up in the morning while I'm preparing my lunch and coffee before work, and it still takes a bit after driving for the temp to come up. Even if I just get in and drive it takes a bit. My 16' GTI always got up to temp pretty quickly. Don't know if these trucks have a secondary water pump or not, but most modern VW's do. Don't know if that would be the difference or not though.

 

[Grumpaw]

I feel like my 2023 doesn't heat up very fast. I usually let it warm up in the morning while I'm preparing my lunch and coffee before work, and it still takes a bit after driving for the temp to come up. Even if I just get in and drive it takes a bit. My 16' GTI always got up to temp pretty quickly. Don't know if these trucks have a secondary water pump or not, but most modern VW's do. Don't know if that would be the difference or not though.

Via my ScanGauge lll, during cold days, it may take my Ranger 10 miles or so to warm up to 190-195. And, the trans temps during regular driving (not towing) take a very very long time to reach even 185. During a few really cold days we had here, like 20 degrees, the coolant didn't hit 190 and trans never got above 170 or so.
Summer, different story, but mine has never overheated, either coolant or trans fluid.

 

[airline tech]

I have a 1996 ford ranger 2.3L 5 speed manual with a new thermostat, coolant flush, new ECT, new coolant temp sender, and my hvac works perfectly. I’m getting heat as a I should. My coolant temp gauge wasn’t working so I went to a junkyard and got one off a functional gauge cluster and swapped it in mine. Now it works just extremely slowly. It needs to be driven several miles to even think about getting close to operating temp. I was reading that maybe a broke fan clutch will cause it to never get warm as the fan will always be spinning but I wanted to see if anyone had any ideas

I would check the wiring (Resistance Check) between the Sender & Gauge or possibly bad gauge (salvage yard)
If the Heater is working normally, then it appears to be only the (Indication) - (Gauge)
You can check the ECT with a scan tool to note if the truck is actually slow to reach operating temp.

The ECT (2-Wire) - Feeds the PCM and the (Sender) - Single Wire - Feeds the Gauge and that is its only function.

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