tempature gauge going crazy
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Junior User
Joined: May 2004
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From: metro atlanta
tempature gauge going crazy
Temp gauge fluctuation while driving, getting close to the red zone then dropping back to normal and it keeps repeating.The truck also has a rough idle! (1999 ranger 4x4 3.0 v6 )
Former ******
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,901
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From: Salt Lake City, Utah
Ok, first thing you probably going on here is a bad thermostat, and you also probably have air bubbles trapped in the cooling system. This would be a good time to replace the coolant and flush the system. I use premixed coolant, and you should too, unless you have a supply of distilled water handy. Never EVER put tap water in a cooling system. Just drain out the old coolant. Some people install those prestone flush kits, which work well enough for that, but the fitting they install in the system, I have had several fail on me. Its not worth leaving on your car. Pick up a splice fitting if you use a flush kit. After you are done flushing, replace the flush fitting with the splice fitting.
As far as the thermostat is concerned, get a genuine Motorcraft thermostat. I have had my fill with aftermarket ones. The genuine part is worth the extra money. Install it in the same orientation as the original, with the bleed valve at the top. Also make sure your radiator cap is working properly. If you need a new one, now is a good time to get it.
As far as the thermostat is concerned, get a genuine Motorcraft thermostat. I have had my fill with aftermarket ones. The genuine part is worth the extra money. Install it in the same orientation as the original, with the bleed valve at the top. Also make sure your radiator cap is working properly. If you need a new one, now is a good time to get it.
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 69
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From: Next to the wilderness
I had another make
...of p/u acting just like that. Exactly.
I did just as Bear said, but got the "better" NAPA t'stat instead.
Nothing worked, it only got worse. And I had changed the fan clutch as well.
I wasn't the original owner. I remembered some redddish gunk floating on the coolant before I flushed it.
Finally, in desperation, I pulled the water pump off thinking it might have plugged passageways or something. Boy was I wrong!
The only part of the water pump impeller left was the back plate...all the "paddles" were corroded away. That's what made the reddish, rusty gunk.
One new water pump put it right in working order...until the corroded transmission cooler started leaking, but that's another story.
The truck was five years old when I got it and I believe it had never had a coolant (ethylene glycol -green type) change before me.
Hope ya don't have to go this far.
Idle may straighten out once the temperature settles down. I would consider an ECM or PCM re-set...you know, the unhook the battery thing for half an hour. There's threads that tell how to drive properly to get a good re-set.
I did just as Bear said, but got the "better" NAPA t'stat instead.
Nothing worked, it only got worse. And I had changed the fan clutch as well.
I wasn't the original owner. I remembered some redddish gunk floating on the coolant before I flushed it.
Finally, in desperation, I pulled the water pump off thinking it might have plugged passageways or something. Boy was I wrong!
The only part of the water pump impeller left was the back plate...all the "paddles" were corroded away. That's what made the reddish, rusty gunk.
One new water pump put it right in working order...until the corroded transmission cooler started leaking, but that's another story.
The truck was five years old when I got it and I believe it had never had a coolant (ethylene glycol -green type) change before me.
Hope ya don't have to go this far.
Idle may straighten out once the temperature settles down. I would consider an ECM or PCM re-set...you know, the unhook the battery thing for half an hour. There's threads that tell how to drive properly to get a good re-set.
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aldixon1951
1983 - 2012 Ranger & B-Series
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Jul 27, 2004 09:32 AM
