I am about to purchase a 97 F150 Lariat 4X4 for a good price. Few things wrong with it. Exhaust leak, Window leak and window motors. None of those bother me too much. One probem that does is the coolant temp gage always is pegged out at max hot. I know it isn't overheating b/c it always reads this way, even when you first start it. Can this be a sensor or is it more likely the inst. cluster?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

More than likely its the coolant temp sensor cause when the cluster goes bad other obvious problems appear. FYI a 97 also has a cylinder head temp sensor too.

 

Thanks. How difficult is it to fix exhaust studs? I searched and it looks kinda difficult.

 

I'm assuming as in broken ones. Yea it's kind of a pain. If you're not experienced at all I would probably let someone professional with the experience do it. The heads are aluminum and have a steel bolt. Not a good combination to begin with. You have to have really good hard drill bits and then make sure you drill dead centered. Even then, it can be tough to get the broken piece out because of the seizing between the aluminum and the steel. To say nothing of the fact you are working under the fender well in a difficult position. Not work I would want to do every day, that's for sure.

 

Ive had to have them fixed on 2 F150's of mine, and also a family members, coworkers too if I remember right. Ran about $350-400 every time at an exhaust shop.