Looking for some clear info on the coolant temperature sender on '02 3.0 V6 flex edge

[IrishDELLdoh]

I am hoping somebody out here can help me out with your vast pool of knowledge. My ranger has the temperature gauge on the dash cluster and it has been inoperable since the day I got it used very very used. So I'm in the process of trying to get that gauge back operational I've been sold the wrong temperature sensor three times when I need a coolant temperature sender so my question is anyone familiar with this particular setup my sender going to my gauge is the one that's in the front side of the thermostat housing versus the coolant temperature sensor which is on the back side of thermostat housing and the sensor has a two-pin connector whereas the sender should have a one pin connector because on the wiring harness side of the connector for the temperature sender it has a single wire. Both of these two units the sensor and the center are apparently the exact same shape and have the exact same connector but I just want to verify that it only has one wire for the sender and that I'm not somehow need to replace the connector as well then nobody seems to be able to answer that at any of these part stores or anywhere else online I've looked so thank you in advance anybody can help me sorry for being so long-winded.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Have you checked the wiring connection to see if it’s single wire or two wire?

I’m seeing a threaded 2 wire and a clip in 2 wire. I know older trucks used a single wire for the dash but maybe newer ones use a two wire. If it mounts in the thermostat housing, considering most of the newer stuff used plastic housings, you need a ground to make it work, so you would need a two wire. The old stuff that screwed into an aluminum intake or the like could get away with a single wire because it grounded through the aluminum intake.