• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

85 ranger temp gauge not working


baconops89

New Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2015
Messages
42
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
California
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.8
Transmission
Manual
My temp gauge in my 85 ranger just sits on cold and wont move. My fuel gauge works and my oil pressure gauge works so i know theres power to the cluster. how can i specifically test the gauge? Also i looked in my chiltons manual about how to test the sender but it was confusing to me so could someone explain that too?

Thanks!!
 


RonD

Official TRS AI
TRS Technical Advisor
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
25,363
Reaction score
8,367
Points
113
Location
canada
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
What engine?

You need to find the temp sender on the engine, it will only have 1 wire connected, not 2.

When you find it remove that ONE wire from sender.
Get another wire that can be Grounded to battery "-" or engine and hook it up, connect other end of that wire to the ONE wire from the temp sender, not the sender just the wire.
Turn on the key and watch the temp gauge needle, it should go all the way up to HOT.
If it does the wire and gauge are good the Sender is bad.
If it doesn't then the wire or gauge could be bad.

If you replace the sender DO NOT use tape on the threads of the sender, the threads are the Ground for the temp circuit.
 
Last edited:

baconops89

New Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2015
Messages
42
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
California
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.8
Transmission
Manual
It has the 2.8. So the thing that threads into the thermostat housing isn't the sender?
 

baconops89

New Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2015
Messages
42
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
California
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.8
Transmission
Manual
I looked again and saw the thing you were talking about and grounded it and my gauge is good! Thanks! Would you happen to know what the other thing that screws into the thermostat housing is? Is it also a temperature sender? Because I went into orielys and they pulled up temperature sender and one just like that came up.
 

RonD

Official TRS AI
TRS Technical Advisor
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
25,363
Reaction score
8,367
Points
113
Location
canada
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
Good work on testing sender wire and gauge.

The temp sender has 1 wire
The temp SENSOR has 2 wires, not sure why 2.8l with carb would use this one, all fuel injected engine must have an ECT(engine coolant temp) sensor, along with the sender for dash board gauge.
Early '80's did see Feed back carburetors that would benefit from engine temp info, so could be part of that system.
 

baconops89

New Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2015
Messages
42
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
California
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.8
Transmission
Manual
Would that be something I need to worry about for smog?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Members online

Total: 416 (members: 7, guests: 409)

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Latest posts

Truck of The Month


Shran
April Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

Latest Album Photos

20240409_190831.jpg
20240409_190818.jpg
20240409_180824.jpg
20240409_182648.jpg
20240409_181010.jpg
20240408_175026.jpg
99 Ranger
20200706_161414.jpg
20240207_155117.jpg
20240207_155111.jpg
20240207_154537 - Copy.jpg
20240207_154500 - Copy.jpg

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top