Odd Coolant Temperature Sensor Occurrence

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ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Odd Coolant Temperature Sensor Occurrence

Post by ARCHINSTL »

The gauge worked fine Tuesday night.
Wednesday night, after a mile or two, I noticed it was still sitting on "zero," and heat was beginning to emanate from the vents. :?
Now, I am paranoid about keeping a eye on the gauge, as that is how my Beloved Sister fried the head on my '83 in '85 when on an extended loan- she was accustomed to the idiot light in her poor Escort.
I stopped, popped the hood - checked all - everything seemed normal. I repeated that a few miles later at the grocery store.
Ditto when I got home - nothing was amiss. The upper hose was hot and the lower hose was cold and coolant levels were as normal.
Today, I checked the sensor and while its blade did not look oxidized/corroded, I simply rubbed it with my fingers - I also very slightly bent the "tab" on the "plug." It was still kinda loosey on the blade, but I did not want to chance bending it more. I let the engine run for 5-6 minutes and the needle moved. OK?
Tonight I took it on a run to the Post Office, and the gauge worked per normal. I again popped the hood and all was OK on coolant levels and again the upper hose was hot and the lower hose was ice cold. And again, no funny noises.

Has anyone else experienced this? I did a search last night and found no similar reports.
Thanks,
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Odd Coolant Temperature Sensor Occurrence

Post by Petros »

I have seen this on other connectors, not on the sender. If you take the female end of the connector and slightly squeeze it with pliers it will grip better and make a better contact.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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marlinh
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My tercel:: 'Everett' Blue 87 4WD Wagon (Rocky 86, recently retired)
Location: Kootenays

Re: Odd Coolant Temperature Sensor Occurrence

Post by marlinh »

I have had the needle sticking on the gauge. Tap the dash and the needle would pop up to normal.
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splatterdog
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Location: Minnesota, USA

Re: Odd Coolant Temperature Sensor Occurrence

Post by splatterdog »

T4 #1 needed a new wire end. Along with general fatigue and corrosion of the terminal the crimp was getting pretty rough and had some broken strands too. I cut back a few inches, just past the hardened area of wire, and ran a new end.
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ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: Odd Coolant Temperature Sensor Occurrence

Post by ARCHINSTL »

It has worked as normal since last Friday.
If it occurs again, I will first try marlinh's suggestion and then splatterdog's; Thanks!
It just seems odd that it worked fine Tuesday night and then at the next drive, it did not; oh well, I sometimes vary in aches and pains from one day to the next ...
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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