Help Name This Part

[andrewjoelpeters]

Now that I'm slowly realizing how unbelievably helpful this forum is, I"ll probably be posting a little more often. With inspiration from BrownBadger, could someone help me name this part? Looks like some sort of sensor that broke off at some point.

[irowiki]

Automatic transmission?

That's either the temp sensor for the automatic transmission, or the temp sensor for the emissions computer (you have a california car)

With that said, the plastic should come out of the sensor then you could put a new end on the wire and connect it up.

[andrewjoelpeters]

Yep, automatic transmission. Didn't even realize this thing had an emissions computer...

[irowiki]

I'll check my manual when I get home to make sure.

[dlb]

Yep, automatic transmission. Didn't even realize this thing had an emissions computer...

the 'computers' in these cars are extremely simple. they pretty much look just like a relay, just a plastic box that some wires plug in to. in our second gen tercs, it is found just behind and above the glovebox and usually has a sticker on it that says something like 'emissions computer' or 'ECU'. i'm not sure if it will be in the same location for a first gen but there's a good chance of it.

just thought i'd mention it in case you're ever bored and want to crawl around in super uncomfortable positions and get intimately familiar with your whip.

[Tercel__jon]

Thanks for the location DLB, Ive been casually looking for it since I ripped all my emissions controls out. Does it control anything important like the choke? (saw a wire coming from it to the choke in the wiring diagram)

[irowiki]

It controls the heater between the carb and manifold that helps prevent icing (unless you took that out too).

It shouldn't control the choke?

If I remember, the computer on a california 1st gen was by the driver foot area by the door.

[dlb]

no prob, jon. the ECU controls the most annoying emissions parts: the heater paul mentioned, the EBCV, the weird charcoal canister purge system found on the US and automatic tercs, i forget what else. it does not control the choke, it draws power from the ignition IIRC. the current causes the bi-metallic coil in the choke warm up, which causes it to expand or contract (can't remember which), which gradually pulls the choke open. it's such a silly, simple system, but so reliable and easy to inspect. i love that stuff.

i feel like we in canada are lucky in that our manual trans tercs have no ECU. all of the carb emissions stuff is vacuum operated, save for the choke and fuel cutoff solenoids.