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Overheating 2005 Ford Ranger 2.3L

Discussion in 'General' started by Boman Forklift, Jul 6, 2022.

  1. L8RSK8R

    L8RSK8R Well-Known Member

    BigBird likes this.
  2. BigBird

    BigBird blah

    VWs does this. The needle never moves past 196F on the dash, but when logging, it can go up to 230+ and still stay on the 196 mark on the dash, and yeah they do it for the consumers
     
    Boman Forklift likes this.
  3. cav115

    cav115 Well-Known Member


    Before you chase bad grounds, verify you have a gauge issue. .

    Locate the temperature sending unit. On a 2.3L engine, the sender should have two wires, a Red/White (RD/WH) and a Black/White (BK/WH).

    2. Disconnect the sender and verify the BK/WH wire is a good ground (1). If OK, use a gauge tester or fixed resistors to test the gauge circuit. A resistance of 17,400 ohms or higher between the wires should put the gauge at the cold mark. 1,500-3,500 ohms should put the gauge in the midrange area. A resistance of around 843 ohms should put the gauge on the hot mark. If the gauge and circuit tests OK and the engine is heating up but the temperature sender will not control the gauge, suspect a faulty sender.

    3. If the gauge reads cold regardless of the resistance put in place, check the RD/WH wire for high resistance or open circuit between the temperature sender connector and the instrument cluster.


    (1) To check the ground, with the sensor plugged in and key on, voltmeter from black/wh wire to ground, should be .01 v or less.

    Or just try a new sender.
     
  4. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    I probably need to learn how to do this. I will have to buy a gauge tester or some resistors, which I'm willing to do at some point to learn. But here is where I will just go buy a sensor, like you suggest, since it will be quicker.

    The vendor I buy forklifts from Tailift had there guru at our user conference and he was telling us how to check something and I had my mechanics there. Anyway he wanted us to buy an oscilloscope and do a test to verify if a certain component was bad. Even not counting the cost of the oscilloscope for each mechanics truck, by the time a tech gets it out, hooked up and does the test, paying our labor rate, it is better for the customer if I buy an extra sensor and keep it in stock on each truck. If that issue comes up he can swap it quickly to see if the problem goes away. Granted you aren't "proving it' via the proper test, but it is better for my customer to do that and get them up and going again, versus scientifically proving the sensor was good or bad.
     
    cav115 likes this.
  5. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

  6. turner38

    turner38 Well-Known Member

    Looking at the EWD on that and it uses the ECT for the gauge also. So what you see on the dash is just what the computer wants you to see. Not a direct indication of actual temperature.
    Have seen newish radiators have issues with overheating and not restricted at all. I attributed it to the fins…
    However yours had a 45 degree drop so that pretty much rules the radiator out.
    JMO
     
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  7. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    So ambient is 86F and ECT which is the head sensor is 90F. My phone says it is 78 outside right now. I was looking for the water temp sensor to replace it, and I couldn't find it.....thank god for google video's. One video showed removing the wheel, and inner fender to get to it on a 2.3, but that was a couple years older. Finally found mine right at the top between the sparkplugs of cyl 2-3.

    I didn't pull it yet since then temps seem so close I figured I would ask @turner38 and @cav115 if I should check the grounds etc. or still just put in the new sensor? TIA
     
  8. turner38

    turner38 Well-Known Member

    That’s probably fairly accurate. I’d compare to the infrared on the cylinder head also. Depending on how long since it’s ran.

    How does it smell?

    Compare infrared at the coolant sensor to what it’s showing also. Should be within a few degrees.
     
  9. notbostrom

    notbostrom DaveK broke the interwebs

    ECT is not the head temp
     
    Boman Forklift likes this.
  10. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    Everything has and continues to smell fine? I'm still at the office and the infrared thermometer is at home.

    I agree, but was told that is what triggers the gauge, but I don't have the books to prove that? I just spent the last 20 minutes on google trying to figure out where the other sensor is? The one i was about to replace is the CHT and doesn't have the wire colors that @cav115 mentioned, so I'm guessing I have the wrong one. On a Ford forum some people are saying there is only the CHT sending unit and that does the ECT, and some are saying there is another with the wire colors cav mentioned. Then they start mixing and matching all the different engine sizes and years, so I still don't actually know?

    I will go by the store one more time and see if anything else comes up. I did ask O'reilly if there info shows where this sending unit goes in the motor, and they said no.
     
  11. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    So, it said 79 ECT and 66 IAT, and my phone said 66 outside temp. I went to O'reilly to see about other sensors, I thought this one was still open till 10 but it wasn't. On drive home it hit 271, but I didn't drive it hard. Only going 75ish most of the time. Often is was 260-265 temp.

    So if you guys could tell me from your books where the coolant temp sensor is, that would be helpful? I did see one guy suggest it attaches to/by this metal pipe that curves around the back side of the engine against the firewall. It was too late to deal with looking for that, will try again tomorrow.

    Also thank you to @notbostrom because your comment made me question throwing this sensor into the engine. Had I not read that, it would already be installed and another backyard mechanic part swapping would have taken place.
     
  12. turner38

    turner38 Well-Known Member

    Will look when I get to the shop, Ford changed to CHT sensors from ECT in the mid 2000’s on many models they have both. What it’s listed as on the datastream is normally a good sign of what your looking at.

    Depending on where that sensor is you may be chasing a non issue….

    Will look when I get to the shop in a bit or after the 8:00
    rush…
     
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  13. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    Thank you very much!!!

    This morning when I left the ECT was 79 IAT was 70 and the thermometer said it was 60 outside.

    No overheating light today but for a test I floored it as I was going down a hill and then up an incline. I hit 95 indicated and it started to feel like there was nothing more, maybe even a hesitation or rev limit, but the temp light did not come on and the temp did go up to 291 for a split second before I let off.

    At least at 80 mph the car speedo tracks what my phone navigation says for speed so it seems to indicate accurately.

    I’m beginning to believe maybe a 267k mile engine is giving everything she has by going that fast and a hot head/coolant temp is normal?
     
  14. Busdriver02

    Busdriver02 Well-Known Member

  15. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    So I’m at the office and running a few temps with the infrared.

    ECT on scanner 221
    IAT scanner 82
    Outside temp 63
    Steel water pipe before t that goes to reservoir 201
    Upper radiator side as it goes in 171
    Other rad side at top 140
    Other rad side at bottom by lower hose 119
    Head 160
    Thermostat housing varies maybe bad read 160-180
    Coolant reservoir 170

    after measuring everything for 5 minutes the OBDII gauge still SHOWS STABLE AT 221.
     
  16. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    Hey thank you. I can’t see where it is, since that is up against the firewall. Will wait until it cools down and see if I can feel it? That is connected to the steel pipe I mentioned in my temp readings above and that pipe is the hottest thing when I go around and check temps, other than the exhaust.
     
  17. SundaySocial

    SundaySocial Blue & Gold

    Is that pipe/sensor the highest point in the cooling system ?
     
  18. Busdriver02

    Busdriver02 Well-Known Member

    Getting to the backside of the engine will be easier if you pull the hood off.

    Also, random thought: The EGR stepper motor cable routing is right by the ECT cable in that picture. If there was an exhaust leak from the EGR valve and it was dumping onto the ECT sensor, that could cause local heating. You'd be able to hear an exhaust leak. Like I said, seriously random thought.
     
  19. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    I would say yes, without measuring. Having said tbat, the metal pipe connects to the upper radiator rubber hose and before that connection t’s off to the reservoir. So they are all equally high but the metal transfers the heat more on the temp gauge versus a rubber upper hose.
     
  20. Boman Forklift

    Boman Forklift Well-Known Member

    Thanks for bringing that up, but I haven’t noticed any exhaust leak sounds…. But if you have ever driven a ford ranger the suspension and doors squeak so who knows? :D:D
     

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