1994 2.3l, 5 speed manual, ranger. What attack plan do you guys use when going after the gauge sender on the rear of the block. Easiest access method? Can get from underneath vehicle? Take off fender well liner, and go in from there? What have y"all done in the past to get that little thing out? THANKS!

 

First things first, are you sure the sender has gone bad? And are you sure you're going after the right one?
I have a 4.0L, so many differences, but to really get to ours you gotta pull the whole intake off and the radiator hose to get a clean shot at it.

 

RangerPilot, thanks, a five dollar switch aint worth a half days work to me. i can live with it. Appreciate your help.

 

Well, one way or another you need to get it fixed. If all else fails you could put a sensor in your resevoir tank and run it into the wire. But you need to have a working coolant temperature of some sort, because your engine will overheat at some point just because that's how luck goes. Keep a careful eye on it, I know the 2.3Ls run cold to begin with. Our gauges suck anyways. At 200* my coolant temperature gauge indicates between the C line and NORMAL.
I put real, accurate, voltage, water temp, and oil pressure gauges in my console (I don't use the console, it's usually a seat, but I have them just in case).

 

YES, the cure is worse than the disease. someone mentioned to remove the fender well liner, and use long extensions, to remove and replace it. i would rather jack stand it and go underneath, if one could reach it from underneath? My sender is on the rear of the engine, near the oil pressure switch, in the block. WAY BACK there!! S omeone said not to use too much teflon on the threads of sensor, as it depends on being grounded through the engine block, hence the only one wire lead. My engine temp guage is perpetually stuck just below the c. Heater core changed, block flushed, hoses clear, blend door functions fine. so i got to get that sender out SOMEWAY. WVhat think RangerPilot?

 

I think you will have quite an adventure getting that one off! I thought my 4.0L was bad!

Give it 'til tommorow evening, by then hopefully someone with a 2.3L will reply with perhaps and easier way, I'm totally clueless at this point. Sorry I can't be of more help, hope you get it fixed!

 

RangerPilot thats why i think this forum is the best, we all get to learn things. i have been helped so much in the past here, i am eternally thankfull to every member. i will stand by, and see who can riddle me this?

 

Hi - I have a '93 with the 2.3L also - probably was my thread you were reading. I personally was unable to remove the temp sender until I removed the inner wheel well. That was actually fairly easy, a couple screws, two bolts, then pop the wire bundles off, and out it comes.

The oil pressure sender is just above the temp gauge sender, so don't mistake them. Also, you might want to drain the coolant first, as it's gonna make a heck of a mess.

Pull the wire off the sender, and ground it with a clip lead or something, then turn on the ignition switch and see if the gauge goes to full hot. If so, the gauge is probably good, and the sender is suspect.

My temp gauge worked for about a day after I did this, then quit working again. I am going to replace the terminal on the end of the wire, it's pretty loose. I guess if you have a clip lead, you could try and use that to make sure you have a good connection from the sender terminal to the wire...

The process is rather tedious, this engine seems to be very difficult to work on. Since I was draining the coolant anyway, I changed the upper and lower radiator hoses as they looked to be the original hoses. The lower hose was no fun at all. The OEM lower hose has the clamp stapled in place, which I didn't know in advance. That would make installation on the bottom of the water pump a lot easier. A small smear of grease on the inside lip of the hose makes pushing it onto the water pump lots easier as well.
So far, changing the serpentine belt has been the easiest task on this engine...

Good luck with the sensor!

 

Instead of teflon tape, they make pipe thread compound that comes in a tube and you can smear some of that on the threads and it shouldnt stop electrical contact. Its what i used. Sometimes i wonder why they design an engine the way they do. Good luck!

 

Agryphon, YES, i had read your thread. i got so confused reading all kinds of info on this truck, then i couldnt find it again!! You got it nailed down buddy, ill follow your advise.Great job on working out all the details. thanks tons. Peter 94, excellent idea on treating the threads, will use this. And now into the forefront of battle i go, HA! Anyways thank you to both of you for freely sharing.

 

Good luck, tell us how the battle goes!

BTW, I used teflon tape, after I installed the sender, I checked for continuity between the sender body and the engine block, and found there was continuity.

I suspect you would have to put a LOT of tape on the threads to completely insulate it. Seems like it would be hard to crank in in there with that much tape on it...

Disclaimer: I'm not a mechanic, just a guy with lots of dangerous tools!

 

Agryphon, sender changeout went well. i used the 2 1/2 foot 3/8 extension i used on the top transmission bolts awhile back. Zip, out it came. Bit of a task to get good angle to start new sender threads in the block . I used some pipe dope on the threads, good for water,oil,gas, and steam. Gauge works , but does not register above the n in normal. This thing runs very cool. i reccommend your technique to anyone wanting to change the sender.As many questions this one repair gets maybe mod can put your info in the good tips section. Million thank yous.

 

I think our gauges are just...well...dumb. I installed an analog gauge set in my centre console. When it's water temp is right at top (190-200) the needle on the stock gauge is between the C and the N in NORMAL. Retarded thing...

 

Did you have to remove the inner wheel well to get to the sender? Also, make sure your horn works now if you did. I inadvertantly knocked the wire off the horn (which is between the inner wheel well and the battery) when I was moving the inner well around, and had to go in again...

 

Agryphon, Yes i removed inner wheel well. you have this figured out perfect! I honestly still had a little troubble fining the sensor, as it was kinda hiding behind both the fuel lines, and looking straight in at it you couldnt see it. i ended up pushing the two lines apart a little, and there it was staring me in the face.The job went well with your ideas. Thanks for horn info, i checked, she tooted, i got lucky on this one! Truck is back on the road, i am happy. THANKS.