temp guage stuck at full hot even on cold start.
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From: richmond ca
temp guage stuck at full hot even on cold start.
2000 ford ranger xlt 2.3, recently did full tune up, plugs, wires, coil, injectors, ect. and now the temperature gauge points to the sky at all times even when the motor is cold or off. if i unplug the sensor connector when the car is on it will drop all the way below cold. this is the only way i can get the gauge to move. this is where it gets interesting. the fuel gauge had done the same thing for 2+ years now, so now on the instrument cluster on the left side the fuel gauge and temp guage both point directly to the sky at all times even when the motor is turned off. these two gauges do not return to there normal resting position at all. any ideas on what to check. already checked fuses. THANKS
Welcome to the forum
The issues with the 2 gauges are unrelated
The fuel gauge wire to the tank is disconnected or the anti-slosh module on the back of instrument cluster is bad
Since access to the cluster is easier than access to top of gas tank, I would pull out the cluster and test fuel gauge wire(yellow/white) with OHM meter
Yellow wire should show 16 to 160 ohms to Ground
16 ohms is an empty tank
160 ohms a full tank
So it will read between those depending on the gas in the tank
Also Rock the truck, with OHM meter connected, you will see OHMs going up and down as gas "sloshes" around in the tank
This is what the anti-slosh module prevents the gauge's needle from doing while you are driving, but module can fail, not at all uncommon in any Ford, so gauge reads above full all the time or below empty all the time
The temp sender is most likely bad, causing temp gauge to show HOT all the time
The gauge and wire(red/white) are OK if, like you said, gauge shows cold when wire is disconnected, that's what should happen
Just a heads up, fuel injected engines have TWO temp units
ECT sensor, 5volts, used only by the computer, grey/red wire
Temp Sender, 12volts, used only by dash temp gauge, red/white wire
They are not interchangable
Auto parts guys often confuse them so will give you the wrong one, you need the SENDER, not the sensor
The issues with the 2 gauges are unrelated
The fuel gauge wire to the tank is disconnected or the anti-slosh module on the back of instrument cluster is bad
Since access to the cluster is easier than access to top of gas tank, I would pull out the cluster and test fuel gauge wire(yellow/white) with OHM meter
Yellow wire should show 16 to 160 ohms to Ground
16 ohms is an empty tank
160 ohms a full tank
So it will read between those depending on the gas in the tank
Also Rock the truck, with OHM meter connected, you will see OHMs going up and down as gas "sloshes" around in the tank
This is what the anti-slosh module prevents the gauge's needle from doing while you are driving, but module can fail, not at all uncommon in any Ford, so gauge reads above full all the time or below empty all the time
The temp sender is most likely bad, causing temp gauge to show HOT all the time
The gauge and wire(red/white) are OK if, like you said, gauge shows cold when wire is disconnected, that's what should happen
Just a heads up, fuel injected engines have TWO temp units
ECT sensor, 5volts, used only by the computer, grey/red wire
Temp Sender, 12volts, used only by dash temp gauge, red/white wire
They are not interchangable
Auto parts guys often confuse them so will give you the wrong one, you need the SENDER, not the sensor
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: richmond ca
Welcome to the forum
The issues with the 2 gauges are unrelated
The fuel gauge wire to the tank is disconnected or the anti-slosh module on the back of instrument cluster is bad
Since access to the cluster is easier than access to top of gas tank, I would pull out the cluster and test fuel gauge wire(yellow/white) with OHM meter
Yellow wire should show 16 to 160 ohms to Ground
16 ohms is an empty tank
160 ohms a full tank
So it will read between those depending on the gas in the tank
Also Rock the truck, with OHM meter connected, you will see OHMs going up and down as gas "sloshes" around in the tank
This is what the anti-slosh module prevents the gauge's needle from doing while you are driving, but module can fail, not at all uncommon in any Ford, so gauge reads above full all the time or below empty all the time
The temp sender is most likely bad, causing temp gauge to show HOT all the time
The gauge and wire(red/white) are OK if, like you said, gauge shows cold when wire is disconnected, that's what should happen
Just a heads up, fuel injected engines have TWO temp units
ECT sensor, 5volts, used only by the computer, grey/red wire
Temp Sender, 12volts, used only by dash temp gauge, red/white wire
They are not interchangable
Auto parts guys often confuse them so will give you the wrong one, you need the SENDER, not the sensor
The issues with the 2 gauges are unrelated
The fuel gauge wire to the tank is disconnected or the anti-slosh module on the back of instrument cluster is bad
Since access to the cluster is easier than access to top of gas tank, I would pull out the cluster and test fuel gauge wire(yellow/white) with OHM meter
Yellow wire should show 16 to 160 ohms to Ground
16 ohms is an empty tank
160 ohms a full tank
So it will read between those depending on the gas in the tank
Also Rock the truck, with OHM meter connected, you will see OHMs going up and down as gas "sloshes" around in the tank
This is what the anti-slosh module prevents the gauge's needle from doing while you are driving, but module can fail, not at all uncommon in any Ford, so gauge reads above full all the time or below empty all the time
The temp sender is most likely bad, causing temp gauge to show HOT all the time
The gauge and wire(red/white) are OK if, like you said, gauge shows cold when wire is disconnected, that's what should happen
Just a heads up, fuel injected engines have TWO temp units
ECT sensor, 5volts, used only by the computer, grey/red wire
Temp Sender, 12volts, used only by dash temp gauge, red/white wire
They are not interchangable
Auto parts guys often confuse them so will give you the wrong one, you need the SENDER, not the sensor
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Keneye
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Jun 13, 2018 03:41 PM
