AT1222

I've had my 01 f150 screw lariat 4x4 for a few weeks now. I've been noticing the coolant temp on the dash gauge is always low. I went for a 2 hour drive last night (in 15* weather) and the gauge just barely got past the cold hash mark. It wasn't much higher on days that were 50* either. I also noticed when I turn on the heat it never gets hot like my other vehicles do, not cold, just warm. Could these 2 problems go hand in hand maybe, thermostat or something?

ducatimechanic

I have a 2012 ecoboost 4x4 and with similar temps I was not getting the truck up to what I considered "operational temperature" either, so I put a insulation barrier between the radiator and the grill (making sure to leave the transmission cooler exposed); since then the truck gets right to the middle of the temperature gage even with the -15F temperatures we've seen here in Michigan and the heater will force you out of the truck it's so hot.

This is the what I use:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Reflectix...6025/100012574

It doesn't flap around, stays in place, and the piece I'm using is left over from a roll I used a few years back. I'll take it out once temps get up to something approaching normal or I'm actually stressing the engine, but otherwise it does a good job of getting things warmed up nicely.

Marc D

It's the T-Stat on the cooling system. This is a n easy cheap fix. A bra will help but it only covers up the real issue.

badtziscool

Most likely it's a thermostat that's stuck open. When it's stuck, it takes a loooooong time for the engine to warm up that much coolant. Especially when it's 15F degrees out and you're driving. Does it take a long time for the engine to even being to warm up on normal days?

ducatimechanic

I only have these issues getting the truck warm when it's especially cold (like the -15F it's been lately); otherwise, the truck warms up nicely even when I'm going slow / not stressing it much (so I'm not concerned about the thermostat, as I've had that problem with a car in the past - an 1988 Ford Escort to be exact - and recognize the symptoms).

One thing to keep in mind, and I'm not exactly being scientific here, but it's something I think about with our engines rated for such ridiculous amounts of power and them accompanied by cooling to survive even in places like the high desert (where I used to live and 125F in the shade was not uncommon), is that -15F might be the temperature, but once you start driving, you're inducing "wind chill" into the system by nature of your movement.

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill/

Per this link, -15F turns in -54F at 55 MPH if you don't cover the radiator in any way, and if you have the ecoboost 3.5L like me, 55 MPH in 6th means that the engine is barely operating above an idle (which is why I'll often go into TOW / HAUL and lock out at least 6th if not both 6th and 5th when traveling in 4WD in slow traffic).

Economy is one thing, but not having the vehicle and all of the fluids up to operating temperature, even if I lose a few MPG, seems like it would cause more damage in the long run.