# Ford Ranger Heater Ducting Problems



## piotrsko (Dec 9, 2007)

there isn't a lot of ducting on an 89 ranger to start with or even remove. there is a temp control flap and a routing diverter flap. I think you took too much out.

should be identical to the Mazda, since they built it.


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## Inframan (Jan 30, 2011)

I only took out one thing and that's the heater core to cut a square hole in it then I took a piece of lexan and cut it to the size of the back of the heater core and glued it to the back of the heater core. Then I hole sawed out a hole the size of the circular plastic holder that holds the ceramic element then I glued that to the lexan trying to ensure that all the air would go through the element and through that center hole. But I think its going around it and also through the holes in the firewall. Pictures to come.


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## Inframan (Jan 30, 2011)

This is the heating duct and the heater core.


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## dougingraham (Jul 26, 2011)

What is the voltage across the ceramic element and how much current is it drawing?


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## Inframan (Jan 30, 2011)

The pack voltage across it is 120 volts nominal I'm not sure of the amperage so I'll have to measure the resistance again. The mazda that it worked really well in had 144 volt pack but I feel the box when its enclosed and I feel a lot of heat and when the box is open I put my hand near it and it almost hurts to keep my hand there.


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## Inframan (Jan 30, 2011)

And see in the pictures how the opening where the air comes in from the squirrel cage doesn't blow directly through the heater core it just blow into the box. Should that make a difference?


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## dougingraham (Jul 26, 2011)

Inframan said:


> The pack voltage across it is 120 volts nominal I'm not sure of the amperage so I'll have to measure the resistance again. The mazda that it worked really well in had 144 volt pack but I feel the box when its enclosed and I feel a lot of heat and when the box is open I put my hand near it and it almost hurts to keep my hand there.


Measuring the resistance won't tell you anything since these are positive temperature coefficient devices the resistance changes greatly with temperature. The resistance goes up as the temperature increases. You need to measure the current when the air is blowing through it to know how many watts it is consuming.


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## Inframan (Jan 30, 2011)

Well all I know is it worked in a Mazda truck and a triumph spitfire. I guess I'll trying siliconing off all the holes and cracks that air could possibly get through if that doesn't work then I'll know that the problem lies in the ducting beyond that.


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## dedlast (Aug 17, 2013)

Inframan said:


> And see in the pictures how the opening where the air comes in from the squirrel cage doesn't blow directly through the heater core it just blow into the box. Should that make a difference?


The air has to go through the heater element. If it doesn't, you won't get effective heat transfer. I'm having some trouble seeing what's going on in the pictures but that big empty space around the new heater element has to be closed off in order to send the air through the element.

Bill


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## Inframan (Jan 30, 2011)

How would you recommend I close it off? Is that a common thing people have to do? Do you know of anyone that has had the same problem on here?


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## dougingraham (Jul 26, 2011)

If there is any way for air to flow around the ceramic core it will. In addition to blocking off the opening around the ceramic element you need to plug the old heater core.

Cover the open space with some kind of sheet metal and use something like high temperature silicone rubber adhesive to hold everything together and block the old heater core. I have a tube of 650 degree which is red that I got at a local auto parts store.

Good luck!


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## dedlast (Aug 17, 2013)

^^Just like Duncan said. I would take a piece of metal big enough to completely cover the old core and fit inside the ducting. Cut a hole just big enough for the new element to fit, maybe slightly undersized to give it something to seal against. It should probably be clamped or attached somehow to keep it from moving around and then seal up any gaps with high temp silicone.

Bill


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## Inframan (Jan 30, 2011)

Well I cut a square hole in the heater core then I took a piece of lexan and cut it in a square the size of the heater core and then I took a hole saw and cut a circle in the lexan the size of the plastic holder that holds the heating element and then glued the lexan piece to the back of the heater core and then epoxied the plastic holder over the circle hole I hole sawed. So I figured that should do it for the for keeping air from going around it but no when I put it back in there there seems to be so many ways it could go around 
So what do you guys think of making a piece of ducting that fits inside where the air comes in and then fits over the heater core? Where could I get something like that?


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

heater core on the Swift would be a bitch to get to, so I just inserted heater element in the duct I could get to... used a dryer vent as a start for the tinwork, and modified from there. I have a series of pix [here]


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## Inframan (Jan 30, 2011)

Yeah that's what I was thinking of doing but its a tight fit inside the heater box I'm going to have to find or make custom ducts one end that fits within where the air enters which is kind of an round oblong hole and then have adapters that go to an elbow and then a circular hole that's that size of the heating element. Don't know where I'm going going to find that so making it seems to be the only option maybe make it out of cardboard and then fiberglass over it??? Anyone have any better suggestions?


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