2.3L ('83-'97) Coolant gauge reading off

[Shotrod69]

This is what my coolant gauge is doing. It never heats up to what it was before. Have lots of heat coming out of the vents when I turn it on. It does have a “new” radiator from a newer 2.3 Lima.

an answer on this post or a link to another post works for me

93 2.3 regular cab

 

[scotts90ranger]

That's a normal feature of the Lima engines, they never show hot, if they do they're running too hot most of the time... my '90 has always read down like that unless it's overheating for whatever reason... My '97 just runs cold for whatever reason which also seems to be common on the newer ones... I wish it had a lot of heat like the '90 does

I wouldn't worry about it myself, it's what they do

 

[Shotrod69]

That's a normal feature of the Lima engines, they never show hot, if they do they're running too hot most of the time... my '90 has always read down like that unless it's overheating for whatever reason... My '97 just runs cold for whatever reason which also seems to be common on the newer ones... I wish it had a lot of heat like the '90 does

I wouldn't worry about it myself, it's what they do

Alrighty, rock on man thank you.

I just figured I’d ask because it didn’t used to do that before the rad and water pump was done.

 

[cbxer55]

I've always thought normal operating range was dead center. My 3.0 used to hang there all the time. Then I replaced the thermostat from a 195 to a 180. Now it hangs out at the one third point, well below normal.

I've been having some issues lately. Occasionally, after it reaches the one third point and hangs there a few minutes, all the sudden, the needle starts climbing up. Once it almost hit the top. Then it just as suddenly, drops back to the one third point and stays there. Something wrong with the thermostat? It does date back to 2001 or so. Maybe it's getting sticky?

 

[Angry Possum]

Check your Radiator levels...

 

[scotts90ranger]

You guys have to understand in the 23 years I've been hanging around this question comes up every 6 months and it's always on a 2.3L, on my '90 that I've had since November of '99 it has ALWAYS lived by the N in normal on the gauge unless something is wrong, I've had like 4 different engines in it and at least two different temp senders, like 6 radiators (not for that issue, usually from piercing with the fan clutch), it's a feature

Chances are it was just running hot before, conveniently these engines are tough and don't really care for the most part. On my F350 with a 7.3L powerstroke I chased a high coolant temp issue and it turned out to be the turbo, put in a fancy aluminum racing radiator and didn't change anything but the turbo dropped the temps by a lot... didn't gain power or fuel mileage oddly but it runs cooler...

 

[RonD]

The Ford Temp gauges in the Rangers up thru 2003 are the same, 4cyl or V6 engines
1/2 is 200degF, forget the "letters" they are different depending on gauge position and rotation
So there is just C and H and then 1/2 in between them, lol

V6s run just below 1/2 or at 1/2 after full warm up because the Temp Sender on the engine is at the top front of the cooling system so hottest location and thermostats are 190-195degF

2.3l/2.5l Limas have the Temp Sender at rear drivers side, seen here: https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ranger-forums.com-vbulletin/500x441/0996b43f8021b7e1_d3c13ce3af4920cf917bb86d6913e996a27c731c.gif

So measures rear BLOCK coolant temp, which will be a lower temp than upper front of engine
So 1/4 to 1/3, maybe, on temp gauge after warm up

You can add a Temp sender Bung to Heater Hose at top front of the engine
And use that for the temp gauge
Ford did that for a few years with the Computer's ECT sensor
You can do the same for Coolant temp sender if you want

 

[scotts90ranger]

Ok, there's Ron and his logic again

The dumb part is on the '95? and newer Limas they fixed the temp sensor location but somehow they over cool and don't warm up or have heat, so that's fun... my '90 will roast you out at 5F with heat on max and fan on low and the temp gauge is where it always is (always been that way) but on my '97 the temp gauge is buried cold and doesn't move at anything under 50F and you barely get any heat out unless I cover at least half the radiator... Above 50F and everything works spiffy... I've changed everything but the heater core chasing this (I'm not 5 hours of labor invested in the solution, I sure wish they hadn't changed that process from the 5 screws and two hose clamps that the '90 uses, I don't want to remove the WHOLE DASH just to change the heater core)