My temperature gauge on my 4.2 f150 goes south just a little when i turn on the key and stays there never going up till I turn it off. What could be the reason? I have replaced both temp sensors in front top drivers side and the thermostat and still sqme problem...
I am at my wits end and about ti sell it as is because of the problem

 

There are three possibilities:

Faulty temperature sender, faulty instrument cluster (gauge and associated circuitry), or faulty (open) wiring from the sender to the cluster.

Disconnect the sender, turn ignition to RUN and see if the gauge reads full cold. If so, connect a jumper between the two pins of the connector (wire harness side). Gauge should go to full hot. If it does not, the issue is either the 2nd or 3rd possibility and more detailed troubleshooting with a meter is needed.

 

Just so I know if I replaced the correct thing is the Sender the sensor looking thing just behind and to the right(drivers side) and slightly above where the thermostat is?. And when changing it there would be coolant behind it? I get so many different answer to the location of the sender on this '97 4.2 that I an so confused m

 

Apparently im an idiot and i can not fix my truck and i hate to even look at ...I causes me way too much grief for something that should be so simple to fix ...its a stupid temp gauge not working but I can not even get a single person to explain what exactly controls said guage and it's exact location or pert numbers. .I havespent months on it and nowi am selling it for the price of the tires on it thanks for all the supposed help sorry i am stupid