Cluster gauge help ranger

[Claymoreranger]

I have a 96 ranger with a 2.3l. It had the cluster with no tachometer and I swapped it for one that came out of a 95. Everything is working but the coolant temp gauge. It worked in the other cluster perfect. I ended up taking both all the way apart to take out the gauge it self and swap them. It seems to move when you turn the key but doesn’t seem to come down after it gets cold. Any help?

 

[RonD]

Welcome to the forum

1995 and 1996-2003 are different

You should have more issues than just temp gauge

But easy way to test temp gauge is to unplug the sender on the engine, it will have one wire connected, a red/white stripe wire
On 2.3l it should be on drivers side of engine near the back

Drawing here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/general-ford-ranger-discussion-15/does-96-ford-ranger-2-3l-have-oil-temp-sensor-where-152392/

So just under the oil pressure switch

Unplug that connector/wire
Turn key on, temp gauge should go down to C
Get a jumper wire and ground it, then put jumper wire to red/white wire
key on, temp gauge should go all the way up to H

If this doesn't happen then wire or gauge is bad

Below are the 1995 and 1996 cluster wiring diagrams, 1996-2003 are the same(except for Tach ground wires)

 

[ericbphoto]

What does the gauge do (with key in the run position) if you take the wire off the temperature sender (disconnected). And then if you touch that wire to ground?

Oops. Ron beat me to it and had more to offer.

 

[Claymoreranger]

Ok I’ll try it. I plugged it up and every gauge other than the coolant temp works.

 

[Dirtman]

Didn't they switch from a transmission driven speed sensor to using the rear ABS sensor in 96? You sure your speedo works?

 

[RonD]

No, 1995 was when Rangers got electric speedometers, but still used the gear driven VSS thru 1997
In 1998-2000 they used the rear axles ABS VSS sensor along with GEM for speed signal
2001 and up an OSS was used with PCM for speed signal

 

[Claymoreranger]

My speedo works. I just had to replace the sensor and it’s in the transmission. Like I said everything works with the dash but the coolant temp.