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81rammer · Sep 22, 2008, 08:05 PM

I have a 81 ramcharger and it takes forever to warm up at anytime of the day what could be the problem?

hcbowman · Sep 23, 2008, 06:13 AM

A question:

When you say "warm up," do you mean that it takes a long time for the coolant to heat (the hot/cold gauge stays on "cold") or that it runs rough for a long time?

If you mean that the gauge stays on cold for a long time, you may need d a new thermostat. This is a temperature-controlled valve that controls whether the coolant flows through the radiator. Yours may be stuck in the "open" position. The replacement part is cheap (maybe $15), and it's a simple enough job to do-it-yourself. A mechanic shouldn't charge you more than the shop minimum labor charge to change it for you. Either way, you should replace it because the savings in gasoline will pay for the job quickly.

If your engine is running rough for a long time after starting, remember that this is a big engine that uses a carburetor. Are you new to this type of vehicle? While there may be something wrong, it might just be the natural warm-up time. All Ramcharger engines before 1988 were carbureted, and if you've been driving a fuel-injected car this one will take some getting used to. If you've been driving the truck for a while and this problem has gotten worse, do have someone check it out for you. It might or might not be something serious, but it is definitely costing you more gas.