Someone correct me if I'm wrong or clue me to any modifications or ususal causes or fixes to getting more air flow from blower moter "More cfm" . My 94 2.3 has sub par air flow but I believe it's just how it was made . I don't really get the force through the vents as I would like. And I know that the blower resistor is fine cause the speed works on all settings on the climate panel.
My thoughts was what if the same year explorers per which ever gen ranger you have used the same style blower motor , I'm wondering if the explorer blower motors had more push due to the fact an explorer cabin is larger and they were made to give more . And since alot of gen 2 explorer rangers had interchangeable parts from interior design they may use the same electronic parts .
My other question is there any modifications that can be done to get more from the fan blower a higher speed output ? Or are there any issues known to occur in the blend door flap area or heat duct or climate control panel linkages if that's what they're called that can cause a lack of output.

 

I back flushed my heater core today via back flush method to try and get hotter heat but not much changed.... the core back flushed nice and clear after a few gallons were Ran thru it initially was. Bit rusty and some debris came out .

The other clue to the issue is My temp gauge never climabs past 1/8- 1/4 past dead cold . It mimicks either being stuck closed or open . With all the nasty water/ antifreeze I drained flushed last week I'm wondering if the thermostat is just stuck one way or the other based on the Luke heat and the gauge not fully getting to temp .

My last theory is if I'm running on 3 cylinders only which I believe I am cause I have a well documented compression issue on cyl1 would that cause the entire engie to produce sufficient heat which in turn would naturally give off less heat through the radiator Heater core . Or woiod it just be a slower time to get there
Lots of variables going on.

 

The 2.3l Lima engine(1974-1997) runs cool, it does not generate alot of heat

Many run with cardboard in front of radiator in the winter to keep engine bay warmer, try covering 1/2 the radiator at first, see what happens

Stock Thermostat is 192degF, some have mistakenly used 180deg, because it fits, lol, don't

Ford Temp gauge has 210deg as 1/2 way point, you should be running just below 1/2 after 10minutes of driving after cold start, 190degF
1/4 is too cold, MPG will not be great, engine design is for 195-200deg coolant temp for best MPG

Cooler running engine means poor MPG and dirty oil, SAE(the engineering guys) did a study in the 1970s, they determined 190deg coolant temp was best MPG point and cleaned up the oil better, oil gets hot enough to burn off fuel, water and other contaminants
Running cooler may sound better, lol, it ain't
Most auto makers switched to 190deg-195deg thermostats in the late 1970s after that study

Heater core
Very very easy to change on a 1994, 2 hose clamps and 4 screws in cab, takes about 20 minutes your first time, 10min if you do a friends 1994, lol.
The core can flow well but still be clogged, just FYI
Takes about 10 minutes to take it out to check it
Remove 2 hose clamps in engine bay
Under the core in cab are 3 screws 8mm I think, the 4th screw is up higher, fold down glove box all the way and you can see it
These 4 screws hold bottom of heater box in, once they are out bottom will come off
Put a towel down under heater box on the floor
Reach up and grab the core, move it back to get hose fittings out of firewall then tilt it to lower it out, this is when some coolant may spill out, what the towel is for
Heater core is VERY very light
Turn it upside down to drain out coolant, all coolant should flow out, if it doesn't then coolant is trapped in blocked passage, install new core
New core is about $25-$30


CFM of the Ford fan is very good , cleans off windshield in a jif, defrost
With heater core out check Blend Door, COLD-HOT slider on dash, that door opens and closed off heater core box, with slider on HOT turn fan to high, should be a load of air blowing thru heater core box, check the door is not inhibiting air flow

 

still why not the possibility of a stuck thermostat? Seeing as I seem to have good heater core flow during flush and the old antifreeze rusty water I drained from a possible stop leak solution that was thrown in . So odds are heater core or thermostat they're know to be stuck when the coolant conditions are ran shitty and questionable as they looked when I drianed the 10 year old coolant that was 90% water used to hide some issue by previous owner .
Question is heater core or thermostat between the two the fore would be easier change oddly enough . But if I attempt a thermostat is that hard to get to providing I get the fan and shroud off? Can I get the thermostat housing off without being hidden or bidned behind timing cover or anything else ?
Also my ranger has the coolant temp sensor in line with the heater hose ..some reason some ranger didn't have the coolant sensor on the goose kneck like usual some did ..and I read that your sensor sends a better heat readijt when you change out the Aftermarket waterkneck that has the temp sensor threading together

 

Yes, the temp SENDER(its not a sensor, just FYI) on the Lima engine was on drivers side rear of engine for many years then moved to the hose on front of engine.

So did read a bit low, but not 1/4, when fully warmed up, should be a bit higher

You can test if thermostat is leaking or stuck open
Start cold engine
Open the hood
Feel upper rad hose at the rad end and heater hose at the firewall
Let engine idle for 3 to 4 minutes
Feel upper rad hose and heater hose again
Heater hose should be getting hot
Upper rad hose should still be COLD

If upper rad hose is warming up with the engine then thermostat is leaking or stuck open
Thermostat is there to block flow thru the radiator until "extra" heat is generated by the engine, extra heat is above 190deg, so when coolant in the engine gets to 195deg thermostat starts to open a bit and upper rad hose will start to warm up, that should take 5 to 8 minutes

Thermostats are rated as +/-3deg for opening, and are not fully open until coolant is at least 12-15deg above rating

If upper rad hose stays cold then thermostat is not stuck open, I would try the cardboard in front of radiator to keep engine bay warmer

This particular heater core design should be changed every 10 years or so, you can make it last longer by swapping heater hoses in the engine bay every year or so, reversing the flow thru the core, helps keep lower passages flowing


Fuel injected engines also have a separate ECT(engine coolant temp) sensor, this is used by the computer only, it set Choke mode when cold and the Closed Loop operation when coolant is above about 160degF and O2 sensors can be used

 

Im aware of the temp sensors the temp sender "Single wire " at driver rear block has been changed that sends signal to dash cluster . The one inline with the heater core has also been replaced that's the one that's supposed to send temp to computer as you notated , and it's also usually right at the thermostat housing with a threading located on the thermostat housing . So I'm assuming I have the two sensors that are required and both are new to, one temp sensor with 3 wires and and one temp sender with 1 single wire at lower rear side of block .

I did a 192 thermostat today as well as a new 21$ heater core . Haven't started it yet letting the small bead of gasket maker cure with the new therm housing gasket .So I'm wondering what I should.look for longer time to heat up before the thermostat opens? I should have good heat now nothing else is old besides radiator, and whole system been flushed .
Question is there a a method to bleed air from the coolant system providing I did do a new heater core and added more coolant ?

 

Good work

Yes, pull off either heater hose when filling the system, that will allow air out of the engine side of thermostat, fill until coolant starts to come out of heater core and detached hose, then put hose back on, doesn't need to be completely air free so don't sweat a little air in the hose, ALOT of air is the issue

Leave rad cap off
Put coolant in overflow tank to COLD line
After start up rad level should drop, top up rad, put cap back on
Drive until heater is nice and hot, 10-15min at least
After full cool down overflow tank should be down below COLD line a bit, that is normal
Open rad cap and make sure coolant is at the very very top, no air in rad

Top up overflow to COLD line and drive it for a few days
Should still be at the COLD line every morning, if not you have a leak somewhere

 

All done with new thermostat new coolant and Heater core , ran it for good bit.
I installed a half sheet card board in front between radiator and what looks to be a condenser or trans cooler sits in front of the core support the truck is a Stock manual so not sure why that is there. I let it idle for 25 min Temp gauge stays steady just before half mark at all times . Much hotter and I'm sure will be even better durinf driving .

 

Good work

I friend of mine went to work up north in Alberta oil fields with his Ranger 2.3l, he ended up putting that tube insulation used on water pipes on his heater hoses to get enough heat in the cab.
Also completely blocked off radiator, he said radiator never even warmed up in winter, thermostat never opened at all, lol.

This is why you often see the big trucks that have snap on or zipped covers on the front grills, engine bay just gets too cold in winter at the higher latitudes or in the mountains