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What are these loose connectors and where do they go?


vasol

New Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2016
Messages
4
Vehicle Year
1988
Transmission
Manual
Hello, I just got my first ford ranger a few weeks ago and im still trying to figure out the truck. Can anyone tell me what these connectors are? Also, my temperature gauge is currently not working at all if thats related. any help is appreciated!

This one looks like some type of air/vacuum hose? couldnt figure out where it went, goes to this box in the front.


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2 connectors on the driver side

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2 connectors on the passenger side

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Last edited:
Please make your pictures smaller. 800 x 600 is usually good enough.
 
sorry fixed the huge photos
 
Temp gauge sensoe should be under the intake manifold. Might be the grey connector on drivers side..
 
Picture 1, the tube connects to the fuel tank. It is for capturing fuel vapor as it evaporates.

Picture 2,, Black connector looks like the one for the under-hood light. That would be a green/yellow wire. The grey one I think is for part of a cruise control system. They didn't all have CC, but most had the wiring.

Picture 3, the grey one-wire connector is key-on 12V power for a scan tool. I don't actually know what the black one is for but I think it has something to do with AC. My 87 had that plug too and it was never hooked to anything.

None of those plugs has anything to do with your temp gauge. Assuming all other gauges on the dash work correctly the temp sender is the likely suspect.
 
yeah i was looking at the pictures on my phone, i was way off.
 
ECT(engine coolant temp) SENDER, on the 2.3l lima engine is drivers side near firewall, it is a 1 wire SENDER.

There will be two SENDERS near that location, upper one is oil pressure SENDER(switch), lower one is the ECT SENDER.

Reason I stress SENDER is because there is also an ECT sensor, 2 wires, on all fuel injected engines, that is only used by the computer, no connection to dash temp gauge.
When at the auto parts store they will almost always get you an ECT sensor first time, lol, so stress SENDER, 1 wire SENDER, they will have it.

To test temp wire and gauge, remove wire from sender and use a jumper wire to Ground that wire, then turn on the key, gauge should go all the way to HOT, remove jumper(key still on) and gauge should go all the way to COLD
On some models it can be the opposite of this, grounded COLD and ungrounded HOT, as long as gauge needle moves all the way to upper and lower positions then wire and gauge are OK.
 
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