Temp gauge fluctuation

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Sep 3, 2003 | 04:00 PM

RangerRon

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Temp gauge fluctuation

I just took my "new" '93 Ranger on it's first long distance trip, approx 500 miles. Normally my temp gauge needle stays at around the 1/4 mark (while driving around the city) but when I was on the freeway at a constant 75 mph, I noticed that the needle would sometimes go as high as the 1/2 mark then go back to the 1/4 mark. It would do this every so often and there was no pattern to how often it did this. Also it would do this regardless of whether or not I was behind another vehicle. Is this normal? Other than the above, the truck ran flawlessly.

Like I mentioned above, I was driving at a constant 75 mph and the air temp was 75-80 degrees. The truck has a 3.0 w/98k miles and a 5 spd if this makes a difference. Thanks.

Sep 3, 2003 | 04:32 PM

Mike W

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Joined: Apr 2002

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From: Central Kali

Temp gauge fluctuation

With a real good mechanical guage you can actually see the thermostat changing the temperature as you start out from a cold start. Just remember that the stock electrical guage is linear only to about 170. After that it moves very little for a large increase in temp. I want to put a real guage in mine. 1/4 sounds low, maybe the thermostat is the wrong one.

Sep 3, 2003 | 04:34 PM

DLbeast

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From: na

Temp gauge fluctuation

my 94 ranger does the same thing.Its rather odd though in my case.I can go months at it wont budge, then i can go months and it will flux over the halfway point.The truck seemns to be runnign fine,maybe we should check our temp regulator chips?

Sep 3, 2003 | 06:28 PM

mohomustard

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From: mtn. home id

Temp gauge fluctuation

i have a 94 ranger with the 3.0 it has been doing the same as dlbeast for 2 years. but i remember it did start on a cross country trip. i worried about it for a month or so and asked a dealer friend. he said it was a common problem. mine never goes above 3/4 or the "L" in normal so my laziness had won out and i haven't tried to fix it in 2 years.

Sep 4, 2003 | 08:00 AM

RangerRon

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Temp gauge fluctuation

That's very reassuring guys. I'm not gonna worry about it now. Thanks.

Sep 5, 2003 | 03:24 PM

DLbeast

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From: na

Temp gauge fluctuation

Like you, i just looked at it as a "personality"thing,lol!

When should i worry about timing belt? I bought the truck at 60k, and its now at 1001k,what are the signs etc?

Sep 5, 2003 | 04:12 PM

jmq

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Temp gauge fluctuation

I have a 95 4.0, and have always had trouble with thermostats/temp sending units. Always seems like I only get a year or so from one or the other. Anyway it always starts out as a bit of fluctuation in the gauge then evetually gets to the point where it swings pretty dramatically. Testing the sending unit (sorry I assume you must have one, this one goes to the gauge not the computer) is pretty easy, just measuring resistance. - its also really easy to swap out if its bad (again in my 95 4.0). Now, when I change the collant, I also change the thermostat and sending unit, both pretty cheap.