Guages question

[brandan]

I have a 1996 explorer 2wd xlt. The oil pressure, coolant temp, and odometer quit working over time. I purchased a used guge cluster from a junkyard to replace the broken one in the truck. It is out of a 1999 explorer 2wd xlt. Everything works properly except the coolant tempature guage reads really high. on a hot day it will get to the H and the check guage light will come on. In the morning or evening when its cool outside it will read 3/4 of the way up just below the H. I know the truck is not overheating so it must be an electrical issue plus I just changed the thermostat. Is there a different ohm rating for the sending unit on the 99 versuses the 96? Is there a way to test this issue or should I just try and find one out of a 96? Thanks for any help you can provide.

Brandan Orcutt

 

[shamaal]

Thread #18
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161033&highlight=coolant+resistance

Nothing in Haynes to indicate a difference in the sending units between the vehicles.

The thermostat is installed correctly, right?

 

[brandan]

Yeah its installed correctly. The guage was reading high so I thought the thermostat might need to be replaced so I did and it still reads high. The engine wiring seems to be the same on the 96 and 99 so I wouldnt think the sensors would be different. Everything else works properly on the guages but the engine temp. I wish I could get this figured out. Any other ideas?

Brandan

 

[shamaal]

Just the usual
1. Check fan clutch: should spin freely by hand when cold and difficult when hot. No cracks in fan
2. Flush system
3. Do a seach on overheating, there's a number of nasty problems ongoing right now.
4. All this assumes there is no obvious problems like a leak or low coolant.

 

[Zulu95]

Is the wiring the same to the back of the cluster? If wires were changed might explain it. Also, did you nip a wire putting it back in?
Can you read the OBD II live sensor data output?

 

[shamaal]

I have a 91 so I'm not familiar with the 'check gauge' light but it sounds like an output from the computer. If the gauge says it's hot and the computer thinks it's hot, it's hot.

What kind of engine is it?