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Ford Ranger Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • winter123winter123 Member Posts: 2
    Thank you midnight_stang for the suggestion
    how about adding stp gas treatment to the gas tank. is it going to hurt anything?
  • goldrangergoldranger Member Posts: 54
    Rangeredge,
    I had a 90 2.3 5sp that some folks really thought was a diesel when idling in neutral. That trans uses atuo trans fluid and was light weight. I did replace the pilot bearing when I did the clutch, but the noise continued as soon as it warmed up. Is your quiet when cold? When I sold mine it had 174,000 miles on it and was still strong. I just lived with it. Have a 01 4.0 5sp auto now with 16K and love it. (except gas mileage)
  • p51dp51d Member Posts: 1
    Don't laugh! I have a 1989 2.3l/ 5 speed with 248,000 miles on it. The water pump failed 2,000 miles ago. It ran hot to the point of seizing up when the clutch was depressed. Miraculously no water found in the oil nor is it losing any any where else. With summer here I began running the air conditioner and it now runs hot to the point of boiling over which means no a/c. The radiator was rebuilt 2 years ago. The repalcemant water pump was from a discount place. I've installed a new clutch fan and thermostat from Ford.Good anti- freeze and hoses. Still runs hot when the a/c is turned on after about fifteen minutes. Is there any hope????
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    New waterpump, thermostat and radiator amounts to about half of all the water passages in the engine. You may want to think about flushing and cooling the entire system, especially the engine to get out any deposits internally.

    You should probably also think about installing an aftermarket electric fan on the radiator. You can even buy some that come with temperature sensors so they turn themselves on when a certain temp is reached in the radiator. However a full time fan would only keep the engine cooler, and the drawback would be it takes a bit longer to warm up. I think that is much better than boiling over, though...
  • highcotton59highcotton59 Member Posts: 1
    I recently purchased a 99 Ranger with only 19K miles on it and it seems to sag in the rear a little , It is a Super-cab model with the 3.0 six in it. It also is the flairside XLT. Has anyone out their ever noticed this on their truck. It is not a previously wrecked truck for I knew the original owner. I have recently found out there are some TSB's out on this problem but as of this writing I have not been able to see what they say or see the possible causes or fixes.
    The TSB numbers are 99-3-7 Issued FEB. 99 Titled Suspension - Left Rear of Vehicle Seems Low and 00-10-06 Issued May 00 Titled Leaf Springs - Vehicle sits Low in Rear.
    Anyone with any info on this would be greatly appreciated.
  • ranger96ranger96 Member Posts: 16
    Im in the process of buying a 1996 Ranger. It has 67,000 miles. The check engine light(he said it is nothing to do with the engine) is on and so is the airbag light. The person that im buying it from said he was going to turn of the light but it cost 100.00 dollars. Is it commom for the lights to go on?Is it sapose to go on at 60,000 miles?And they are selling the truck for 5,500.00 dollars is it too cheap?
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    You can turn off the light yourself, just disconnect the battery for half a day. That will reset the computer to factory programming. However the engine light will probably come on again soon. It usually means there is a sensor that needs replacing, not that there is a mechanican problem(probably). At 60,000 sounds like a good time for an oxygen sensor(s), PCV valve, etc.

    So forget paying him the 100 bucks. And get your codes pulled from the computer after reseting it. The codes should tell you what's up, even if you get a mechanic to pull the codes before you buy it.
  • ranger96ranger96 Member Posts: 16
    I just heard that you have to change the timing belt at 60,000 miles is this true?If I do need to change it how much is it going to cost. And if the timing belt breaks is it the type that will make the valves and stuff break? THANKS
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    Get a haynes (or chiltons) book if you want to do it yourself. It should cost about 50 bucks or so, all parts and about 1-2 hours to do.

    The good thing about the ford 2.3l is that there is no valve to piston interference. That is, if the timing belt does break, the valves should not hit the pistons and you will stall. However damage can occur from the half second of random timing events before the engine shuts down (i.e. Combustion stroke with intake valve open)

    I believe a reasonable estimate for a professional replacement should be around 200 or 300 dollars tops.
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    all Rangers have steel timing chains, no rubber belts, I4 and V6.
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    I haven't taken the timing cover off a v6, but I know all ranger 4 cylinders have belts.
  • goldrangergoldranger Member Posts: 54
    My 90 2.3 had a belt, which I had changed @ 90K. The old belt had cracks on the teeth side of the belt. It was time, think I paid $230 at the Ford store, also included a thermostat while they were in there. My 2k1 4.0 v6 has three chains. Don't how long they will last.
    Good luck
  • saleenracer83saleenracer83 Member Posts: 4
    Hey everyone I was wondering if someone could answer this question for me... I own a 2000 Ranger Trailhead edition, it came from the factory with a 3 inch lift and bigger tires, made to look like a 4x4 without actually being one. Well the lifted look has grown old to me and I want to take the lift off so I can lower the truck using an airbag suspension system. What my question is is what type of lift is on the truck? Will I have to replace a bunch of suspension parts to return the truck to stock height, or is it only a matter of removing a few blocks? Thanks for you help!
  • wallywallawallywalla Member Posts: 26
    Does anyone have any problems with the Torsen rear in this truck? I'm considering a purchase but now I've heard some reports of recalls and stop production on this FX4 at the plant since April. Anyone having problems with this limited production truck? The automatic transmission trucks are not affected.
  • truckdude1truckdude1 Member Posts: 88
    Hey Everyone!
    Well we just bought our Son a 2000 Ranger with the 3.0 Litre engine and Automatic transmission. We found out that it was a leased vehicle and it has 48,699 miles. It seems to run well, but is it normal for the 3.0 engine to be quite noisy at acceleration and the front suspension seems quite loose as in going over a speed bump it is bouncy. Please let us know how your 3.0 liter engine is treating you and how reliable they are! By the way it was 12,000 $ good or bad deal?
  • frey44frey44 Member Posts: 230
    The 3.0 liter engine is famous for ping under acceleration: very normal for that truck. (Premium fuel will help). The "bounce" is an inherent part of the truck's nature: those stiff torsion bars in the front will "jitter" a lot more than a coil spring will (it is tough for stock shocks to control the rebound of a twisting steel bar)..IMHO, this is THE weakpoint in the design of the Ranger. It is probably the "bounciest" small truck you can buy (i.e. very heavy suspension on a light truck body = "jitter"). If Ford could imporve the ride, they would have a real winner.
    Also, look underneath and see if you have a steel (rusted to heck) or alloy (silver) driveshaft. If you got the aluminum version, that means it was replaced by the previous owner, which is your good luck (many of the earlier steel ones were poorly machined and caused nasty floorbaord vibration). Good luck; it should run 200 000 miles with little trouble.
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    The 3.0l was revised for 2002 just for the above reasons... to quote media.ford.com "The torque profile of the 3.0L has been modified to provide better driveability, improved fuel economy and towing capability."
  • texastinseltexastinsel Member Posts: 1
    Hello All,

    I have been looking at a '93 Ranger Extended Cab with a camper shell with 133,000 miles on it for my son. It is a single-owner. It has a manual transmission with a 4.0 liter V8 engine. The owner did tow a trailer quite a bit with the truck. Does anyone think of problems for which I should be particularly alert in this vehicle. Cosmetically, it is in good condition. Thanks, in advance, for any advice. I am not knowledgeable at all in this area.
  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
    Got Timing belt AND serpentine belt for just under 300 bucks at a dealer at 65 thousand miles. Though 4-banger trucks are dogs, one of the nice things about a tiny engine fit in a space designed for a big engine is cheap labor costs.
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    takes all of about 5 minutes to change. :) And that includes parking the truck and popping the hood... :)
  • firstcar66cudafirstcar66cuda Member Posts: 1
    I found a 2000 3.0 V6/Auto Supercab 47,000 miles that is "Ford Certified" that the dealer wants $10,900. When I went to drive it, the battery was dead. The headlights had been left on since the switch was turned on in the dead truck. The salesguy jumped it off and we went on the test drive. The abs light stayed on and the o/d off light stayed on even if I pushed the o/d switch. The truck was clearly missing its shift points and lunged into gear every time we stopped or it upshifted. The salesguy thought that this problem was due to the computer resetting itself when the battery went dead. Any body have any thoughts on this situation? Otherwise the truck is clean except for some of the wiring covers and the shiny fireproof heatshield against the firewall look ragged and loose.
  • wscougarwscougar Member Posts: 1
    with a 2.9 Litre engine. I has been TROUBLE FREE with 181,500 miles on it since a short block replacement with about 81,00 miles on it. We bought it in '92 with about 48,000 miles and purchased a 50,000 extended warrenty. Well, fortunately, the short block replacement cost me a $50 premium which nothing compared to the $3,000 repair bill. Since then, I have had clear sailing with the truck and plan on replacing it with a new (or 2001) Ford F-150. Can't say enough about my experience with the Ranger. I certainly got my money's worth!
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    I doubt the problems you indicated with ABS and O/D would be caused by a dead battery.

    Tell the salesman to get the thing in the shop, and when these problems are fixed to give you a call, but not before.

    Bad upshifts might be 're-learning', but I don't know how much 'relearning' a 3L Ranger computer really does. This isn't a sports car....
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Since the messages about chains verse belts for timing drive on 4 cylinder Rangers....

    I've looked at the maintenance schedule in the owners manual for my 1994. The only thing I see in the maintenance schedule was 'Inspect camshaft drive belt tension. 2.3 l only'. This was at 60,000 and 120,000 miles.

    I didn't see anything about belt replacement.

    Are you sure it has a belt?

    If so, then Ford seems to say it will run 120,000 miles without replacing.
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    image
    This is a 2.3l Turbo block, but the same design found in Ranger.

    The stock Ford 2.3l is an non-interferance engine*, without a specific maintenance interval on the timing belt. The 60,000 mile inspection is where that is determined.
    http://www.theautoshop.com/timing.html

    *-If the timing belt breaks, no damage should occur from piston to valve clearance.
  • eharri3eharri3 Member Posts: 640
    3.0 is a chain, 2.3 is a belt. But if belt snaps it doesnt cause problems. I got mine done at 65k with fanbelt just because I had the money at the time, knew it was recommended maintenance, and didn't know if Id have the money if and when it snapped. They're right though, there's no replacement interval recommended in the owner's manual. But dont go expecting 120 thousamd miles out of it.
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    nothing like a picture for an answer! No more questions about that.

    What has to be taken off to get there, belts, fan, and a cover?
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    Remove fan, and pulley (if applicable)
    Remove Water pump pulley.
    Remove drivebelts
    Drain and remove upper radiator hose
    Remove thermostat housing and gasket
    Position 1st piston at top dead center on comp. stroke
    Remove crankshaft pulley and belt guide.
    Remove cover.

    That is the basics of getting to the belt, but is in no way the complete job thereafter.
  • need2knowneed2know Member Posts: 1
    I'm considering buying a Ranger PU, 1999 extended cab with 38K miles. The Dealer is asking $14,995. It's an extended cab, 4WD with a bed liner. Based on appearances seems to be in good shape (have not test driven). Any insight or recommendations on this make/model/year is appreciated.

    Thanks!
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Sounds very high to me. I would think more in the range of $12,500.

    What motor does it have?

    Go to a bank or credit union and look at their used car book, the load officers will be happy to show it to you. It will give retail, loan, and wholesale values, for your area.

    There are links off here for looking up online used car values. Bear in mind the Kelly Blue Book values are ususally higher than you should actually pay. They almost always are overstated.
  • goldrangergoldranger Member Posts: 54
    Bolivar,

    Be sure you get the crankshaft position sensor on correctly. that is important to the operation of everything....... in everyday driving I think 120K is to far.....but as the above states if it breaks it won't hurt the engine. just hope a big 18 wheeler isn't right behind you when it lets go

    goldranger
  • dave01978dave01978 Member Posts: 1
    $15k is not to bad i traded in a 99 2wd and got 12k for it with 70k miles depending on whats on the truck the one i traded in had bedliner,hard cover, bucket seats, dual media cd tape, all power,2.3 v4. im not sure what the one you are looking at has on it but the one we traded in they were asking 17k they sold it right away dont know what they got for it though. ithink you can prob talk them down to at least $13k i would shoot lower first and work you way up though, also if you are trading in get the apraisal done before negotiating other wise they will give you a good deal on the 99 but screw you on the trade in hope this helps Dave by the way got a 2002 ranger 4x4 xlt offroad package with the 4.0l v6 and loving it
  • 427435427435 Member Posts: 86
    I thought I would check this web-site as I and my son are planning on changing the timing belt on his wife's Ranger P.U. with airconditioning and a 5-speed. I bought a Chilton's manual but it's not very detailed. Couple of questions for anyone that's actually done this.

    Does the airconditioning condensor have to be moved and the radiator taken out?

    Is a puller needed to get the crank pulley off?

    Chiltons mentioned that the spring on the timing belt tightener wasn't enough to pretension the belt but didn't say what was. Does anyone have a Ford manual with better info?

    Anything else that I should know about?

    Thanks for any help.
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    The radiator and condenser do not need to be removed. Doing so will give you lots of room, but it really is not necessary.

    Again a puller is really helpful, but not completely required. I'd recommend using one so as not to damage the crank sensor or attaching hardware.

    I'm am not sure on the pretensioner. Maybe just a little prybar action?
  • nebula30nebula30 Member Posts: 20
    I've got a '99 Mazda B3000 ......3.0 Ltr of course.....with only 34,000 miles on it.....ck engine light came on recently and a diagnostic showed that insufficent flow was detected through the EGR valve.....got light turned off....but came back on today.....It of course is made by Ford and the egr valve has Ford name and part # on top of it......my Question is.....an auto parts store has one listed for it, BUT will it have the same flow specs that the OEM valve has??.....it looks to be a very simple job to replace it but would like to know that I'm not wasting my time and money on buying one from a parts store rather than the dealership........appreciate any advise on this.......thanks
  • mike_deansmike_deans Member Posts: 1
    Greetings!

    I just recently took advantage of the generous 0% finance terms and switched my 3.0 Edge for a new 4.0 XLT Off Road (and lower payments). One of the attractions of the truck I selected was the Mach MP3 CD player and the capability to create my own CDs.

    So far I haven't been able to get a single MP3 CD to work with the unit. Has anyone here any info or experience with the Mach MP3? What works, what doesn't, anything may help to identify the issues.

    Thanks. Mike
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    I took a MP3 cd up to the dealership a while back, and it works just fine. A burned CDR, just straight .MP3 files, and asside from not picking up the inbedded tags, it played fine. Might try different media or software....

    nebula, most autoparts stores will carry a suitable replacement. Just make sure it is not a generic replacement, but one specifically designed for your truck/engine. If you go with a well known name (Autozone, O'Reilly, or Pep Boys in my area) you should be fine.
  • tukeanutukeanu Member Posts: 10
    Hi, I'm new here. I used this site (the Ranger v.s. Tacoma posts) to research a new vehicle purchase about two years ago. I bought a 2001 XLT ext. cab 4x4 Off Road fully loaded with the 4.0L sohc and 5 spd man trans. The deciding factors were rear doors and price, quality took a rear seat (no pun intended). After living through two nightmares (Ford and the dealership) I finally got my truck. After a year and a half of ownership there are still a few things not right with it and instead of reading all fourhundred and some posts here I thought I would just ask you guys about them and hope for some answers. The problems are as folows;
    -Loud clunk when A/C compressor engages (not always though)
    -Seems to be lots of play (clunk sound) in the driveline when transitioning between power on and power off. Even smoothly. Keep in mind this is a standard transm. If I am VERY careful with my shifting I can avoid it.
    -I get a buzzing or rattling sound when the engine is cold and the rpms go above 2700. Disappears when engine warms up. Dealer says it must be a loose heat shield but couldn't find it. It has been EXACTLY the same for 1.5 yrs as well. Could be piston rap or valve clatter? You have to listen closely to hear it but it's always there.
    -Driver's side floor is wet under rubber mat. Probably windshield seal.
    -Tailgate requires extra push on upper left to get that side to latch upon closing. I can live with that (Ford quality control asleep at the wheel).
    The engine buzz and driveline clunking are my two biggest concerns. I know the driveline thing has been discussed here already. What do I need to know about these problems prior to going back to the dealership? Thanks in advance guys.
  • frey44frey44 Member Posts: 230
    The driveline problem can most likely be resolved by getting the newly designed all aluminum driveshaft. I had the esame problem on my 2000 Ranger, and the new shaft did the trick: here is some info I have posted beofre (a TSB) that you may find helpful:
    Driveline - Thump/Clunk Noise
    Article No.
    01-11-11

    06/11/01
    ^ NOISE - "THUMP"/"CLUNK" HEARD ON LIGHT
    ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR WHEN
    BRAKING AND COMING TO A STOP - SLIP/STICK
    SENSATION AT REAR DRIVESHAFT SLIP - JOINT
    SPLINES 4X4 SUPER CAB ONLY

    ^ DRIVESHAFT - "THUMP"/"CLUNK" NOISE HEARD
    ON LIGHT ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR
    WHEN BRAKING AND COMING TO A STOP - SLIP/STICK SENSATION AT REAR DRIVESHAFT SLIP - JOINT SPLINE - 4X4 SUPER CAB ONLY

    FORD:
    1998-2001 RANGER

    This article is being republished in its entirety to update the model year applications for the service parts required.

    ISSUE

    Some 4X4 Super Cab vehicles may exhibit a low frequency "thump" type noise/vibration on light acceleration from a stop, and/or when coming to a stop with light to moderate braking. This may be caused by axle wind up during acceleration or deceleration and creating a stick/slip condition at the rear driveshaft slip-joint splines causing the "thump"/"clunk" sensation.

    ACTION

    Replace 3.5" steel driveshaft with 4.0 "aluminum rear driveshaft. This requires installation of a revised fuel tank skid plate. for vehicles built before 1/15/2001 equipped with the 4X4 Off-Road package. Refer to the following Service Procedure for details.

    SERVICE PROCEDURE
    1. Reference yellow balance mark on existing steel driveshaft. Using chalk, paint-pen or equivalent, index a mark on the rear axle flange in-line with yellow mark on driveshaft. This will enable the new driveshaft to be reinstalled in an original balanced state.

    2. Remove existing steel driveshaft from vehicle.

    3. Using the previous reference mark on the axle, align the applicable revised aluminum driveshaft yellow mark to the axle flange mark. This will assure correct orientation of the new service driveshaft.

    4. Install new service driveshaft and t6rque all eight (8) fasteners to 88-119 Nm (65-87 lb-ft).

    5. Remove fuel tank skid plate for vehicles built before 1/15/2001 equipped with the 4X4 Off-Road package.

    6. Replace with new service Skid Plate (1L5Z-9A147-AA).

    7. Torque fuel tank skid plate fasteners to 34-46 Nm (25-34 lb-ft).

    8. Verify condition has been corrected by accelerating from a stop, and/or with light to moderate braking when coming to a stop.

    Parts Block
    OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES: NONE
    SUPERSEDES: 01-9-6
    WARRANTY STATUS: Eligible Under the Provisions Of Bumper To Bumper Warranty Coverage.
  • bishof1bishof1 Member Posts: 1
    Hello to All
    I have a chance to buy a 2002 Ranger Super Cab 4D with auto, air and all the goodies. It is also the FX4 Off Road with running boards, bed liner, towing pack etc. It only has 1800 miles and price is 19,500. Based on what I see posted here this seems like a very fair price. I know the 2002 brand new have the 2500 rebate but this still seems good after factoring that in. Any thoughts?
  • frey44frey44 Member Posts: 230
    FWIW, my thoughts. MAKE SURE that the FX4 you are buying does NOT have an axle problem, or an inadequate repair of original truck that may have resulted from an axle problem of earlier versions (well publicized). Also, make sure you test drive this truck adequately at highway speeds at various speeds such as 55 - 75 to make sure the ride is acceptable to you (IF you use your truck on the highway). Also, as I have posted many times, these Ranges have had many driveshaft balance and warpage problems. Look to see if the model you are buying has an aluminum (silver) 4 inch driveshaft. If it does, it has already been corrected. If not, carefully observed for thump-klunks and driveline lash from a dead stop, AND floorbaord vibration at highway speed (becoming very annoying after about 20 minutes of driving).
    So make sure you test drive this vehicle LONG ENOUGH to be convinced it is tip top. Also, make sure it tracks straight (another infamous 4x4 toe-in Ranger quirk..these trucks don't tend to want to "self-center" their steering very well, and tend to wander more than many are used to. They are very sensitive to road camber, and tend to pull when driving on a cambered lane...no biggie when you get used to it.) The price is very reasonable, but also be warned that these trucks depreciate very fast...you can use this as leverage to knock another 500 bucks off of the price. Good luck. That is a cool looking truck.
  • suckerfish0suckerfish0 Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a Ford Ranger 2002 XLT, 3.0 manual, and it has been shaking ONLY IN IDLE since the day I bought it; however I didn't notice it until the day after. So I brought it back. The dealership hooked it to a computer and told me there was nothing wrong with it, but when I look under the hood, the engine looks like it has a bad case of heart burn. It rumbles and shakes so much you can see the truck shake from the outside. Ford is giving me the run around. I saw the same thing happen in post #37, but that was a long time ago. Before I file a lemon law suit, is anyone else out there experiencing the same problem, and/or know a solution?
  • midnight_stangmidnight_stang Member Posts: 862
    There might be a throttle adjustment screw that you can adjust. On the throttle body, or just follow the throttle linkage. See if maybe 100-200 more RPM's could fix it. Also a good time to remove the air intake snorkle. That may help it breathe easier enough to reduce the shaking.

    Things like that do not produce codes, typically. Sounds like the dealership was just trying to get you in and out. The trick is to ask if there is any remedy for the issue with a knowledgable 3.0l mechanic. As time progresses, and the engine gets broken in it may go away, or get worse.
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  • calamityjanecalamityjane Member Posts: 4
    Howdy all!

    Finally got my '92 Ranger 4.0L on the road a few weeks ago but I've been chasing a problem I can't find.

    While cruising down the road under constant speed (or any other driving condition), the temp gauge sits at about 20% of full scale. Every once in awhile, it will climb to about 60% in 1 or 2 seconds. It sometimes stays there for almost a minute but often starts dropping again quickly, taking about 10 o 20 seconds to drop back to around 20%.

    I have had 3 different thermostats in it (1 non-Ford part), changed the fan clutch and the temp sensor but it always behaves the same.

    These excursions do not correlate with acceleration, speed, rough road, or any other condition I can think of.

    I ran this morning with the heater on (been too hot to try that until now) and could not swear to any change in temp from the heater when the gauge went wacky.

    I suspect the electrics of the temp gauge circuit but have not purchased the service manual yet to start tracking it down.

    I was hoping to take my first long trip in the Ford this weekend but my confidence level in it is still lower than my '92 Jeep with more than twice the mileage.

    Has anyone else had a similar problem and what did you find???
  • dle01dle01 Member Posts: 37
    I'm having a problem with the emissions system on my 99 Ranger (3.0 V6/Auto). A while back the check engine light came on and I noticed the truck running rough. The symptoms were a surging or hesitating sensation when travelling at a constant speed - most noticable at between 25 and 40 mph. There was also hesitation when accellerating from a stop.

    While the truck was in for a regular oil change I had the shop (a Goodyear ASC, not a Ford Dealer) diagnose the problem. They diagnosed a faulty EGR valve and selonoid (sp?) which I had them replace. To make a long story short, the truck has been back to the same shop 4 times and the problem is not fixed yet. Each time, the truck runs better for a day or two and then the light comes back on and the symptoms return.

    First, has anyone had this problem and if so how was it resolved? Second, do you think I will have better luck at a Ford dealer? I've already spent $200 on this problem with the Goodyear shop, and they have never charged me for subsequent visits. However, I am beginning to doubt that they are able to properly diagnose and repair this problem.

    Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

    p.s calamityjane -- perhaps it is time to replace that gauge. I had a similar problem with a boat, and after trying lots of things out of caution it turned out to be the instrament. If it still reads hot with a new thermostat and a new gauge, you know you have more serious trouble.
  • nebula30nebula30 Member Posts: 20
    I have a '99 Mazda B3000 (3.0L V6) with 34,000 miles on it....my ck engine light has also come on like yours.....an independant shop diagnosed it and told me low flow from the EGR valve....they didn't replace it because the guy said one of their own mechanics had done that on his truck and ck engine light came back on as well.....I THINK I may have an answer for the problem though....My truck also has the "skipping/hesitation...sputtering at higher speeds.....

    My best friend had a '00 Ranger that had our same problem and a dealership fixed it for him.....they replaced a different component on the EGR system....a "DPCE....????.....it sits right on the front of the manifold intake....looks to be very easy to replace....2 screws and 2 hoses to remove and replace....BUT I bet the part can only be gotten through a dealership...I'm going to go let the dealership diagnose mine and replace it.........I had taken the EGR valve off and "cleaned" it....left battery cables off for a while to reset the light....and 2 days later light has come back on.....Maybe we can both get this thing fixed.....good luck to you
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    My story about the temp gauge, on a 94 4L automatic.

    Earlier this summer, I noticed when the AC was off but in MAX or RECIR I got quite a lot of rather warm air out of the vents. I looked at the TEMP control cable and it seemed to be working fine and the 'door' seemed to be closing completely. Thinking that maybe the seals around the door have deteriated in 8 years I thought of something else to try to help the AC.

    I bought a manual cutoff value and put it in one of the heater hoses. My old 1966 Ford had one of these. And since my 94 Ranger did not have a vacumn operated cutoff, like some new vehicles, I decided to do the manual cutoff, opening and closing it in spring and fall.

    continued....
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Well, ever since I put the manual valve in one of the heater hoses, and it is closed of course, my temp gauge has been doing somewhat like yours is doing.

    It will come up, then surge up to about 3/4 gauge, then drop to almost the bottom. It will do this about 3 or 4 times. And then, especially if I am on the highway and the outside temp is hot, it will stablize at the 'usual' position which is about the N or O on 'NORMAL' Except one cool morning I was driving it and it continued to cycle up and down.

    I think it has something to do with the heater core being in the 'bypass' flow of water, which allows the heater to heat up faster in winter. When I cut this bypass off, for some reason, and because of where the sensor is located, it see a different flow of water for some reason. I think when the thermostat opens a flow of overheated water comes out of the engine and hits the sensor. Then, the cool water from the radiator hits it. If the 'bypass' flow through the heater was working, I think these temps are evened out some way, and the gauge is more stable.

    Or, maybe we have an air pocket in the engine and this is what causes it? Cutting into the hose I lost very little antifreeze, but could have still gotten air into the hose.

    Are your heater hoses hooked up properly? You said something about 'getting the truck back on the road'. Is it possible you have a completely blocked heater, which gives you the same 'system' as I do with a cutoff valve in a hose closed off?

    I'm just living with it, especially since after a few cycles it stablizes. Since I intend to open the valve in a short when the outside weather cools off, I will see it it gets back to 'normal' then.
  • dle01dle01 Member Posts: 37
    Thanks for your advice nebula30. When I take it in I will have them check that part. I appreciate your response.
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