1996 RANGER SPLASH 2.3L . CANT GET THE ENGINE TO WARM UP. NEW THERM. AND I BELEIVE THAT I HAVE GOTTEN ALL THE AIR OUT. IF I RUN THE TRCUK FOR AN HOUR WITH THE RADIATOR COVERED THE TEMP GAUGE BARELY MOVES, AND I GET VERY POOR HEAT. THE UPPER HOSE NEVER GETS EVEN WARM. THE ENGINE DOESNT SEEM TO WARM UP SO I DONT FIGURE THAT ITS THE WATER PUMP OR A BAD SENSOR, IT SEEMS TO BE AN OVERCOOL PROBLEM. EVERY THING THAT I CAN THINK OF LEADS ME TO OVERHEAT NOT TO OVERCOOL. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

 

https://www.fordforum.com/m_20566/tm.htm

Another recent thread on the forum dealing with the same problem. Second page describes how the dead water pump could give you a low temp reading.