Coolant temp gauge problems, please give opinion.

[TuxRanger]

I recently put a better running 2.3l engine in my ranger and now my temp gauge for my coolant isn't quite right it stays above the bottom line when the engine is on but when off it shows dead so i know it is partially working. Which coolant sensor sends the info to the gauge the temp switch or the temp sensor and which one is on the heater core hose and what is the one in the side of the block, I really just need some assistance in this. Which is which??

[alnvilma]

On the hose

[shadetree]

The sender for the gauge is in the drivers side of the block to the upper rear. It has one wire. The sensor in the hose is the coolant temperature sensor for the computer, two wires. shady

[tbirdsps]

Originally Posted by shadetree

The sender for the gauge is in the drivers side of the block to the upper rear. It has one wire. The sensor in the hose is the coolant temperature sensor for the computer, two wires. shady

I thought the sender in the drivers side rear of the block was the oil pressure sender.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by tbirdsps

I thought the sender in the drivers side rear of the block was the oil pressure sender.

No, the oil pressure sender is in the rear of the driver's side of the head.

[Turbo-T]

What year is the truck and what year is the engine? The early (83-84) first gen rangers aren't compatible with later ones.
I have an '88TC engine in an '84 Ranger with an '88 Ranger instrument cluster. It works.

[pillen140]

yes it is the one wire sender. its about $5 bucks at autozone. (the call it the switch) they usually dont know what it does so you must call it what they do. if you un plug it your gauge will go dead, so you will know when you got the right one.

[ejholmgren]

Neither of the temp gauges in my '93 2.3L Rangers get much above that bar after they're warmed up. A several hour run @ 3K on the highway with cardboard in front of the rad almost got it up to the N in normal.

[Young_unn]

Originally Posted by TuxRanger

I recently put a better running 2.3l engine in my ranger and now my temp gauge for my coolant isn't quite right it stays above the bottom line when the engine is on but when off it shows dead so i know it is partially working. Which coolant sensor sends the info to the gauge the temp switch or the temp sensor and which one is on the heater core hose and what is the one in the side of the block, I really just need some assistance in this. Which is which??

The one that is on the heater hoses on the front with 3 wires controls the computer.

The one on the drivers side of the block below the oil pressure switch/sensor is the one for the coolent gauge in the truck. this has one wire ( to the best of my knowledge.

the coolent is on the block, the oil pressure is on the head ( im pretty sure, it may be on the block also, but it is still above the coolent sensor

if the gauge sensor is bad the gauge will move to just under the lowest end of the safe running temp on the gauge.

[Young_unn]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tbirdsps View Post
I thought the sender in the drivers side rear of the block was the oil pressure sender.

Originally Posted by Dave R

No, the oil pressure sender is in the rear of the driver's side of the head.

They both are. one on top of each other

[97ranger xlt]

Originally Posted by ejholmgren

Neither of the temp gauges in my '93 2.3L Rangers get much above that bar after they're warmed up. A several hour run @ 3K on the highway with cardboard in front of the rad almost got it up to the N in normal.

sounds like u need a t-stat maybe