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Old 01-12-2017, 07:03 AM
Harbor_Handed Harbor_Handed is offline
Ford Tough
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 274
Default Re: Do I really need a new radiator?

Thank you very much, guys, lots of food for thought here.

Regarding scanning software, I don't have any console lights on at all. Don't codes only come up when there's a light on (check engine, etc.) that you're supposed to investigate by scanning?

Cowboybilly9Mile: My ranger doesn't have a metal radiator cap like that. It's totally missing from this model. It only has a plastic reservoir with a Min & Max line. My coolant level was 2/3 between Min & Max. Does anyone feel that my gauge issue might simply be solved by filling to the Max line? I guess I'll buy some 50/50 mix and try that filling it to Max before anything else, and see if anything changes.

In researching this issue, it seems like it's extremely common for the gauge on this vehicle to stay low. Some posts I've read, people have talked about driving it for many years this way, and they just accept it. The vehicle drives great. God, I hope those little bubbles in the coolant are not indicative of a head gasket leak. Ugh...

Also found out that on my vehicle, the thermostat is located where the lower hose connects - not the upper hose, as in many others. If filling to max line w/ 50/50 coolant doesn't change anything, I think I'll take it to a local radiator specialist shop and just see what they can tell me.
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2003 Mazda B2300
2.3 L DOHC
4 Cylinder, Automatic Transmission
168,000 miles on Odometer as of Mar 2020
25 mpg on mixed hwy/city driving

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