I have a 1998 Ford Ranger automatic 4.0L engine, RWD. Yesterday I was driving on the highway and noticed that my truck was getting very hot so I stopped driving and turned it off. A few seconds before that there was a loud pop and I smelled something burned and my cabin got really hot. When I popped the trunk i saw a small tube on the side of the engine was shooting smoke out of it. For about 5 weeks before this it has been making a ticking sound whenever it's in drive or reverse. I included a video of what the sound sounds like. It stops when I put the truck in park. It also makes the sound whenever put the windows up or down to their max. I got the whole radiator changed about 8 months ago because it was leaking anitfreeze before I changed it. I put in antifreeze yesterday before the truck popped. I checked it right now and it's missing about a quarter now. After the pop though, it did not heat up to the red line where the H is on the thermometer. Can anyone help? When I start it up I always heat it up for about 7 minutes before I drive. But when I go to make a turn to get on a big road I have to go fast to avoid incoming traffic. But when I accelerate the RPMs go up really high and my truck doesn't wanna move but then it suddenly makes a very hard jerk forward and then it starts to move. The sound that it makes when I put the window button down is the same one it makes while I'm driving. The truck wasn't making the ticking sound while in drive, which surprised me. I'm assuming it felt shy.
Here's a video to show the sounds and the little tube on the engine. https://youtu.be/rWePkP84QD8

 

Welcome to FTE.
The video link isn't working.
Sounds like you may have more than one problem, cooling system & transmission I'd guess from your operation descriptions & sounds like they've been around unaddressed for a while.
We need to know what the hose goes to that popped loose.
Check the coolant & transmission fluid level & condition as outlined in the owner manual.
Come by a ELM scan tool running FORScan or the like software on the viewing device of your choice & have it scan the vehicle computer/controllers for trouble code clues & post up All code Numbers, as they can help focus a trouble shoot.
Maybe with some trouble codes & more info, like how many miles on the engine, where you are on scheduled maintenance replacement items & fluids & repair history, the forum can make a more focused guess as to the root cause of what's going on now & how best to approach it for the best resolution.
Some beginning thoughts for consideration.