Flashforge Creator--thermocouple/heating issue

Hello all,

I am new to both 3d printing as well as the community, but I'm quite excited to be here.

I just bought my first printer, a Flashforge Creator, and I bought it used. So when I first preheated it to change the nozzles (needed to be replaced) and load the filament, I noticed that the right extruder got much, much hotter than the left. The kapton tape literally began to blacken and drip. I stopped the preheat and examined the bottom. I noticed that the right thermocouple seemed disassembled--the heating element wasn't in the metal tab that I assume measures the temperature. Somehow neither couple seems that great--it seems pretty loose, like there's nothing keeping it together. Is this normal? Also, the right extruder extrudes okay, but the left one does not (motor draws the filament, but it seems like the extruder doesn't get hot enough to melt it.

Does anyone have any tips for me? I have searched for information all over the place, to no avail. Thanks!