Ok so one of the codes that my tbird is showing is a temp sensor code. The parts store says there is 2 and that both of them are different. They said there is one for the computer and one for the dash. I found one on the passenger side that has a 2 wire plug on it. I have replaced it but the code is still there after replacing it and resetting the computer. I found something on the drivers side that looks the same as the one on the passenger side. Is that a second temp sensor? The one on the passengers side was in the heater tubing and the one on the drivers side in in the front of the intake. Thanks for the help.
Is this the sensor you replaced?
(http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr148/jpc647/DSCN0361.jpg)
Yes that is the one I replaced.
This is the other one: Ignore the arrow down on the valve cover, I couldn't delete it. The one right by the spark plug wires is the one for the dash gauge. Mine is brass, there is a single red wire with a head going to it.
(http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr148/jpc647/leakybolt-1.jpg)
OK well I think my car is a little different then that. I see the red wire with the end on it but its not plugged in to it. But right next to were I think it would plug in at is another sensor with a 2 wire plug on it. Looks a lot like the one I just replaced. I have the full digital dash if that makes a difference.
It does make a difference , but the sensor is in the same place
Ok so in my case the one on the driver side is the same as the one in the passengers side?
I don't know if they are the same, but they may look similar. My engine came out of an 87 with a full digital cluster. So the sensor is in the same place. If I remember correctly the sensor has a sort of electrical "diode" on it, so it may look very similar to the one on the passenger side. The parts store will have a "sending unit for a full digital cluster, or for a light". and they will have a listing for one with a needle/gauge. You want the first.
Well the parts store only showed 2 for the car. The one i replaced on the passenger side and a 1 wire one witch mine doesn't have.
What store. Did you ask for a temperature sending unit or the engine coolant temperature sender. The ECT or engine coolant temperature sender should be the same for both cars(I believe) and there should be two listed for the temperature sending unit. One of those part numbers should be TS374. That is NOT the one you need for the full digital gauge. I don't know what the other part number is, but this should give you something to work with.
How were the codes cleared?
I tried a few place reillys, advanced, auto zone. I tolded them I needed the one for a digital gauge. They showed me a 2 wire one and a 1 wire one. I didn't see a 1 wire one so i got the 2 wire one. Then part number is WT5058.
On a car with a digital dash the sender for the gauge and the sensor for the ECM are the same part number ... the two are interchangeable .
Cars with an buttstuffog gauge use two totally different pieces one being the single wire unit the parts store showed you the other is the same as the 2 senders you have
I hope that is not confusing you more:hick:
Nope that is what I needed to know thanks.
Thanks Hypo. I wasn't sure, but they looked similar. So if I were you, if the code didn't go away, use the sender you removed in the first place and try that on the drivers side. See if it changes anything, before spending another $20 on another sender. That would be my advice at this point.
I would of liked to try that but the old sensor was so brittle it broke when I unplugged it.
If you have a code for the temp sensor it is the one for the EEC NOT the one for the dash. The temp sensor for the EEC is on the heater core pipe on the passenger side.
Also FYI: is you pull codes before the car is warmed up the car will throw a code for the temp sensor being out of range 9 out of 10 times.
The sensor on the heater core pipe is for the EATC or whatever it is called. It is to see what the coolant temp is. The regular heaters do not have this sensor.
Unless it is something that changed on the 87-88 cars. None of my 86's had a sensor there, but neither were the EATC.
The EEC temp sensor has BK/W and LG/Y wires. This is the one that can give a code.
The digital dash temp sensor has R/W and BK/W wires.
The EATC sensor is on the heater hose near the firewall
not on the heater pipe. The EEC-IV engine coolant temp sensor is the one on the metal heater pipe. The sensor on the driver's side front of the intake manifold is for the dash temp gauge. The circled sensor is the EEC-IV engine coolant temp sensor.
Thanks to jpc647 for the picture.
Sorry, had a brain fart there. Ignore me.
OK I replaced the one for the computer and I found out the one for the gauges is most likely good. The gauges takes forever to move but I just think that has to due with a stuck open thermostat. Since I really don't drive very far it never warms up. But now for the real question if the temp sensor for the computer is bad will it make my climate control not work when I turn the heat on?
OK Just wondering. I seen on the wiring diagram that the climate control and that temp sensor both go to the computer. I know on sum cars that the heat wont fully kick on until that car is warmed up.
Well you won't get warm air, really warm air anyway, until the car warms up. On the 5.0, my advise for changing the T-Stat, the lower bolt is the biggest PITA you will encounter. When you get it out, either replace it with a hex or slotted bolt, or with a hacksaw cut a slot in it to use a screwdriver to be able to install and remove it.