Ranger overheating...possible Sport Trac cluster swap is problem???

i recently installed a set of gauges out of a 2002 Explorer Sport Trac in my 1995 Ford Ranger Splash with the 3.0L v6. after i installed the gauges, the temperature needle goes to the HOT and when i cut the truck off it stays in same position where i cut the truck off (it wont drop down to COLD like normal). when i installed the gauges , the needle was buried in the hot position i noticed. starting the truck when the truck is cold (ie hasnt been running for awhile), the needle will go from where the reading it was last at, drop down to the normal range and then as im driving it will go to HOT and the CHECK GAGE lights pops on. none of this happened when i had the stock gauges in the truck. ive added oil, checked the antifreeze and the gas as recommended in the owners manual in my truck and all is fine. could the Sport Trac cluster be setup different? im not sure what engine the Sport Trac had that the cluster came from. should i put the stock gauges back in because it wasnt doing it before i did the cluster swap?? ive got a 500 mile trip im making in a week with the truck and i need to resolve this issue ASAP. thanks for the help!!

i would DEFINATLY put the factory cluster back in and see if it does it, sounds like you need the sender off the sport trac, they had the 4.0 SOHC.

man that sucks!! i really like these gauges too. i guess i will mess with it later on this week when i have time. oh maybe another option is to get the temperature sensor for the Sport Trac and put it on my truck? would that work as well?

k i got an idea. i took my stock cluster apart for shits and giggles. im wondering if i took the temperature sending unit out of my 95 Ranger cluster and swap it in the 02 Sport Trac cluster if that would work?? any thoughts on this??

thats what I was guessing, I would try that first.

ya that was my next suggestion. try that and see if that works.