Instrument cluster - temp gauge

[Ruffinit]

I'm back at home after taking off to work this morning and my temp gauge is registering between hot and red "check gage" hot. The truck seems to be fine, but wasn't taking any chances so I'm back at home.

Yesterday I brought a trailer home and had no issues with temp, it was fine; running in the mid-range as always.

Last night I changed out the instrument panel because my odo and trip meter didn't work. I understand that the panel is all electrical, but why would the temp guage report higher than normal temp?

I'll pull it this evening an plug in the old one to ensure I don't have a heat problem, but I was watching it yesterday while pulling the trailer ~60 miles. I normally pull all size trailers with this truck. I'm very sure it's the gauge itself.

 

[enjr44]

I used to date a gal whose dad was a grumpy NASCAR mechanic (50 +years ago). His advice when I would bring up this sort of problem with my piece of crap car was either turn up the radio or undo whatever the hell you just did. That piece of advice has served me well ever since.

 

[Ruffinit]

I will agree with you on that. I am going to reinstall the old instrument cluster tonight and double check that the issue isn't with the thermostat but rather with the temp gauge.
I'm curious to see if there has been anyone else who has experienced this and if there is a fix. The instrument cluster is in great shape except for this "small" issue, but because I tow with it and use it like a truck, I rely upon that gauge being somewhat accurate.

 

[Ruffinit]

I replaced the instrument cluster with the old one and voila! it worked fine, right in the range it should be. Put the new one in and the temp gauge is reading high. There is a sub-module that is labeled gauge module that plugs into the back of the cluster and I changed that out from the old to the new cluster and it read a little lower, but still high. It doesn't go high enough now that the red light comes on.

I've talked with a few other Ranger guys and they tell me that on the trucks of this model they have nothing but problems with the temp gauge.. I'm curious as to why it seems such an uncommon thing here?

I'll run with it as it is for the time being, but will be looking for another cluster. This is my '96 Splash.

 

[Andy D]

Did you check the coolant level? After towing it may need some. Establish that there are no obvious troubles with the cooling system. Belt tension and stuff like that. OTOH, like the other old fart said. I've screwed up enough stuff to know to go back to where I was "fixing" something. Chances are, the new dash has a ground or power connection trouble. Good luck.

 

[Ruffinit]

Andy,
Thanks. As I said above, the temp gauge works perfectly well when I plug the other dash back in. Coolant level hasn't changed (it's been checked) and I replaced the belt, tensioner arm, idler pulley, thermostat and temp sensor three weeks ago; long before this change. The only thing that has changed to now is the instrument cluster.

Temp with original cluster reads normal at all speeds on normal commute of 140 miles per day.

Switch out the instrument cluster; same 140 mile commute temp reads high.

Switch back to the old cluster temp reads normal again.

 

[TxGasRacer]

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/how-submissions/51671-cluster-upgrade-issue-fix.html