Temp Issue
 

Hi Folks
I have a 97 Ranger. My Son used it for a while and ran it hot a couple of times to the point that it went dead once. I did normal stuff to address over heating as far as I knew how. Changed thermostat, flushed, hoses, cap, then radiator, then eventually tore down to pump. All bad pumps in my experience leaked or squealed or wobbled but this one seemed sound from the outside. When I pulled it all the vanes were gone so I'm like ok there it is. Put it all back up but then temp gauge wasn't working. Replaced sender. No workie. Grounded wire to sender and gauge pegged. Replaced sender again. Same. Needle on gauge is on dead bottom. I am pretty sure head gasket is blown or maybe even head cracked because I get a little water from tailpipe but with so many miles ( over 250K) I don't want to tackle that. I only drive it a few miles on work days but I don't want to run it hot. With water topped I let it idle for a half hour or so and it never ran hot and heater worked but in the past after a half hour ride it was sputtering water and steam back into reservoir but it may have been because the water was low. Any ideas about the gauge? Thanks

Welcome to the forum

What engine, there were 3 different engines in 1997?

Temp SENDERS need the threads to ground to engine to complete the circuit, so make sure you have some bare threads on the sender to get a good ground
If grounding the sender's wire sent temp gauge to HOT then gauge and wire are fine, so problem is sender for sure, new or not
Sender can only measure the temp of a fluid, like coolant or water, so if sender is in an air pocket then no temp on gauge

Yes, if you don't change the coolant every 2 years you will get water pump impeller corrosion, eats away the blades, galvanic corrosion

The 4.0l OHV engine didn't like overheating and you can crack a head, this will have same symptoms as blown head gasket

All gasoline engine tail pipes will have water dripping out, when you burn gasoline(Hydrocarbon) with Oxygen, one of the by products is H2O(water) this is why exhaust systems Rust from the inside out

If you have STEAM(white smoke) coming out of the tail pipe then a cylinder is getting coolant/water inside it from the cooling system
It sucks it in on intake stroke then heats it to steam and sends it out the exhaust valve
You can pull out all the spark plugs and look for a Steam Cleaned tip, if found that cylinder has the problem, spark plug tips should be light brown color, bright white, like new, is steam cleaned

3.0 Thank you very much for the information. I'll check to see if I have continuity between the body of the sender and the block and double check to make sure the gauge pegs when grounding the wire. Before I had someone else watching the gauge. This time I'll ground it with a clip and check it myself. Thanks again for all the greet information!!

You must turn key on to activate the gauge, after grounding it

Thanks!!