Engine temperature is cold while running normal & fuel gauge is fluctuating.

[CROVL]

Greetings Ford Folks,

My 1999 Ford Explorer in running great at 188K miles. However, noticing some problems with the gauges:

1. My engine temp gauge seems colder than usual. Used to sit at the halfway mark, not hovers at the 1/4 mark or lower. Oil pressure gauge is fine. No check engine lights.

2. My fuel gauge seems to be fluctuating alot. Seemed like it was falling so fast I stopped and checked to see if I had a fuel leak somewhere.

I'm in a location that is pretty cold (0-35 deg F), and my truck was garaged mostly in temps like this before, so I'm wondering if this is the cause. I was also thinking that maybe a cylinder may not be working, but the truck idles fine, accelerates fine, and the speed@rpm are normal. I just recently replaced the battery, but I started noticing the low engine temp after I got an oil change at this Ford dealership I started trying near my new duty station.

Glad to be apart of this Ford Explorer community. Looking forward to your feed back. Thanks and GOD Bless!

-CROVL
Dead Link Removed

 

[BrianDye]

Hm, cant really say for the gas gauge, but for the temp, you might be needing a new thermostat...or possibly a water pump, but a thermostat fixed my cold engine issue.

(My temp needle would NEVER move, meaning the engine was always cold, but now with the new thermostat, it sits anywhere from 1/4-1/2 way up the gauge, and on average its been 10-30 degrees outside lol

 

[CROVL]

Thanks Brian!

If it was my water pump, wouldn't I also get a squealing sound? I know the engine is getting cooled properly because oil pressure is stable and operating normally, and the cabin heating is working fine (no excess temp or burning smells). About how much did that thermostat run you? Asking because my thermostat is working (goes from below C to about a 1/4 up after about 5-10 minutes of operation). Thanks again for your response and be safe out there!

-CROVL

 

[BrianDye]

No problem man, glad to help others

Shoot, thermostats are anywhere from 5-30$

(Theyre overpriced at the dealers)

I got mine at AutoZone for like 11$ its a failsafe one which means if it ever stuck closed, theres a small hole that would allow coolant flow still, so it wont overheat.

I believe mine was a 198 or 196 degree tstat.


My oil pressure was stable too, but they call them dummy gauges, because its not your REAL oil pressure, its like a "general" oil pressure gauge, because if it were a real gauge it would be fluctuating with more accelleration, rpms, etc.

 

[CROVL]

Good stuff. WILCO, and I'll let you know what happens next. Thanks again!

 

[BrianDye]

Whats WILCO mean? Haha....

(And replacing your thermostat takes about 30 minutes, give or take. I can change the actual tstat out in 5-10 minutes, but you gotta let the coolant drain low enough to get it out, I just let it drain all the way, its easiest lol)

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the stock 95-01 section. Check your alternator, and battery terminals for corrosion. The connection or the voltage might be fluctuating.