I have sorted out many problems on my new '94 already, but now I need to know where I might find the temperature gauge's weaknesses. I am in the unfortunate position of knowing I have a Haynes manual that covers the car but not knowing where the damn thing is! So the temp gauge in dash doesn't work yes I can find no sign of blown fuses so I am sure the sensor is broken or simply unplugged, but I need to know where to look!?!? Thanks!
Temperature gauge?
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
Oh GAWD, I think I found it and what I am seeing is a small section of metal pipe in the line from the heater core. There is one multi wire deal and one single and it is in one hell of an obscene place, sort of under the coil pack (if that is what that is where the plug wires originate). Unfortunately for me it looks like it is fine to a visual inspection and I can check again about fuses but I am pretty sure none are blown.
I guess the other relevant question would be is there some sort of idiot light for this? If there is I sure see no sign of it with key on engine not started. I suppose also if there was it would REALLY be an idiot light if it depended on the same sensor LOL.
Nope, there isnt any idiot light, just the gauge, driven by the variable resistance in that 'one wire' sensor. Its a lot easier to reach once you undo the clamps and pull off the large rubber inlet air duct. (But then the engine wont run very well if at all.) Folks have have problems with it for several reasons:
1. Normal aging of the sensor or crud in the tube where the sensor screws in.
2. The connector gets weak and doesnt make good contact with the sensor.
3. The tube the sensor mounts into should be on a bracket that bolts to the transmission bell housing. If someone replaced the starter, and didnt put that bracket back under the bolt - your temp gauge wont tell you much.
4.. I had a gauge that would read too high - if the engine was running - but would read correctly the instant I stopped the motor, and turned the ignition back on. This was due to a bad ground wire at the negative terminal of the battery. I took all of the wires coming to that weird thing on the negative post of the battery, and soldere them together, and ran a wire to the bolt where the ground wire is clamped, next to the battery. Bingo - the gauge read correctly.
As a test: With the ignition key on, if you ground the wire that connects to that sensor - the gauge should shoot all the way to Hot. When its disconnected from the sensor, it should read all the way 'Cold'.
I think there are a couple of different sensors with different resistance values used in the various Escorts, so if you replace it, be sure to get the right one for your year of car.
By the way; earlier 2ng gen. Escorts with automatic transmissions had a 3rd sensor on that piece of tubing - it was used as input for the transmission 'torque converter lockup' function.
1. Normal aging of the sensor or crud in the tube where the sensor screws in.
2. The connector gets weak and doesnt make good contact with the sensor.
3. The tube the sensor mounts into should be on a bracket that bolts to the transmission bell housing. If someone replaced the starter, and didnt put that bracket back under the bolt - your temp gauge wont tell you much.
4.. I had a gauge that would read too high - if the engine was running - but would read correctly the instant I stopped the motor, and turned the ignition back on. This was due to a bad ground wire at the negative terminal of the battery. I took all of the wires coming to that weird thing on the negative post of the battery, and soldere them together, and ran a wire to the bolt where the ground wire is clamped, next to the battery. Bingo - the gauge read correctly.
As a test: With the ignition key on, if you ground the wire that connects to that sensor - the gauge should shoot all the way to Hot. When its disconnected from the sensor, it should read all the way 'Cold'.
I think there are a couple of different sensors with different resistance values used in the various Escorts, so if you replace it, be sure to get the right one for your year of car.
By the way; earlier 2ng gen. Escorts with automatic transmissions had a 3rd sensor on that piece of tubing - it was used as input for the transmission 'torque converter lockup' function.
OK I assume you mean the sensor gets ground from the mounting bracket? I hope so because the bolt that holds the bracket on was WAY backed out so I tightened it down, but I can't see any life in the gauge yet. It was semi warm but it was about 44 Fahrenheit and not that warm, so I suppose I will see when I drive it which I am about to do now.denisond3 said:
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
