Why's a ford take so long to heat up?

[rjewkes]

seriously i need more than 5 miles even at 55mph to get the truck hot and the same goed for the '89 Cougar. I'm This close (inches and long) to getting a heating blanket or block heaters or dipsticktube oil heaters to keep them warm or even one of thos ceramic power port(cig lighter hole) Hang from window heaters to atleast get the cabin warm.

[Ranchero50]

Very simple fix is remove the heater core hose that comes from the intake and put a restrictor in the hose with a 5/16" drilled hole. This will slow the flow of coolant through the engine while the thermostat is closed causing the coolant and thus the engine to warm up faster. Think about it, the heater hose is 5/8" so that's still a lot of cold radiator coolant thats cycling through the engine even with the thermostat closed. If you restrict it hose to 5/16 there is a lot more time for the coolant to warm up and it won't overheat because the main thermostat will open.

Ford did this in the mid '80's for emissions and most end up in the trash at heater core replacement time because they restrict the flow (thus keep the heater from putting out full heat in theory). Your Cougar should have one side of the heater core with a larger tube. That's where the restrcitor goes.

Jamie

[fordman]

all i can say is there is no reason for it to be this cold all of the sudden. shouldnt the weather gradually get colder so we can get used to it easier. it done the same thing to us last year. it was mild and then it dumped all that snow on us without warming back up for over a month or two. just to slightly melt the snow off.

[Racer Z]

all i can say is there is no reason for it to be this cold all of the sudden. shouldnt the weather gradually get colder so we can get used to it easier. it done the same thing to us last year. it was mild and then it dumped all that snow on us without warming back up for over a month or two. just to slightly melt the snow off.

Move out here to the desert, it's going to be 80 today.

But seriously, try the restrictor method.

[71highboy]

i just start my bump about 10 minutes before i leave the house.i is nice and cozy by then and up here in south dakota it gets down right nasty cold i also put a piece of cardboard with a few holes cut out for just a little bit of air to come in works great .just my

[GSequoia]

all i can say is there is no reason for it to be this cold all of the sudden. shouldnt the weather gradually get colder so we can get used to it easier. it done the same thing to us last year. it was mild and then it dumped all that snow on us without warming back up for over a month or two. just to slightly melt the snow off.

Move out here to the desert, it's going to be 80 today.

But seriously, try the restrictor method.

Yup. I went on a ride down to Orange County on the motorcycle and had to remove my jacket liner! Hello Christmas, time to go to the beach.

[ccryder2011]

let it warm for a 10 mins at idle before you leave... at higher speeds it actually cools the engine better especially when its cold outside...it gets subzero here in ct and as long as i can get it to start ,im warm when i leave the house...!

[SteveC]

My 67 took for ever to heat up. I replaced the radiator and walla it warms up reallly quickly now.
Course the heater core is fairly new as is most of the cooling system

[1969FordMan]

I had a problem with my bump warming up last saturday. it usually gets warm withing 5 minutes, but after 10 miles it was still blowing ice cold. a couple minutes later I realized I had left my vents open (boy did I feel stupid)

Growing up my dad had a 1990 crown Vic, took that car FOREVER to warm up (like 15min) We never knew why. But it took 10 miles at least for it to warm up. That thing would freeze you to death!

[1971ford]

Since I just got the electric choke hooked up on the highboy DD, I can hop in on a very cold california morning (it hits 30 degrees sometimes, and that's COLD ) turn the key and it fires instantly then I'm on my way in 5 seconds... heater gets the cab toasty with in a couple minutes.

[Racer Z]

Since I just got the electric choke hooked up on the highboy DD, I can hop in on a very cold california morning (it hits 30 degrees sometimes, and that's COLD ) turn the key and it fires instantly then I'm on my way in 5 seconds... heater gets the cab toasty with in a couple minutes.

The electric choke has no bearing on the water temperature.

So far I don't think anybody mentioned the thermostat yet. And, there is, at least when it was new, a water flow control valve to the heater. This valve could be shut or clogged. There is suppose to be a bypass for the heater so water can flow when the valve is closed.

Over time, engine blocks and head passages will build up rust and scales. This causes heating / cooling problems.

The passages in the heater and radiator cores tend to clog up over time as well.

When was the last time you changed your water/antifreeze and flushed the cooling system?

[Racer Z]

Let's not ignore the water temperature sending unit and the gauge. Have you actually tested the water temp with a second gauge, such as a meat thermometer?

When the engine is cold, remove the cap and stick a meat thermometer in the water. Start the engine and wait. You can grab (I got an electric fan so this is easy) the heater hoses and feel the warmth starting. When the thermostat opens, you will know it cause you will see the water flowing. If you have a 180 thermostat, the meat thermometer should now read 180. Go look in the cab at the water gauge.

How long did it take for the thermostat to open?

[Mancar1]

I'm surprised that no one else beat me to this technical answer. It takes em so long to heat up cause they are so

[R.Smith]

My 390 takes about 10 minutes to really warm up. I can watch the temp guage slowly rise up to 190ish, then fall back to 160ish when the thermostat opens, then creep back up to about 185. It's at that point I know it's ready to go. Sometimes I'll take off before but, I try not to. just cuz an engine will run when cold doesn't mean it's good for it. The temp here this morning was about 17 degrees. That means the engine will start at 17 degrees and run up to 190. You'd be surprised at how much the iron, steel and brass expands and contracts within that range. Throw too much power on it when it's cold and loose and you might end up with oil, coolant and vaccum leaks. I'm famous for leaving the oxygen valve open on my torch for days at a time. In the summer it's not a problem but, in the winter, if it gets cold enough, the brass in the regulator will shrink enough and all 2000lbs will be gone in the morning.

It was so cold here last nite I had to put thermal underwear shirts over my chickens like a blanket!

[Racer Z]

When I lived in Missouri, I would start my old Chevy, set the defroster on and go back inside for ten minutes.
But here in So Cal, it never gets truly cold. I let my Ford idle for a few to get the oil flowing properly and go.

The Ford was taking forever to warm, and then refused to cool. Changed a few minor things that didn't seem to help. A few months later water started mixing with the oil.... Put in a new motor, new thermostat, new temp sending unit and now it seems to be fine. And yes, I got a bit anal about making sure all of the cooling system was working correctly. Didn't want my new motor to, well, you know, have problems cooling.