Would the in dash temp gauge work if our coolant temp sensor was bad?

 

The thermostat? yes, the guage in the cluster would work, but it would probably be fluctuating drastically or it would show you over heating or something like that.

 

Not the thermostat. Im talking about the coolant temperature sensor.

 

There are two of them , possibly three, located @ the front of the intake manifold. One to the gauge, & one to the ECU.

 

Where is the gauge and ecu's sensor located?

 

Like I said at the front of the intake manifold!

 

On a 22re the temp sensors for the computer are located at the front of the intake pointing towards the radiator. The temp sensor for the gauge is q small one behind the thermostat housing facing up.

 

I looked all over my engine compartment, and there was nowhere in there that I could find an arrow like that pointing to anything.

 

What the **** are you saying???????????????????????????????

 

:rofl:

 

I know where the coolant temp sensor is at the front of the intake manifold, that is the one im talking about. it seems to me though if that goes bad the coolant temp gauge in the dash would still work.

 

Gauge probably would work but a said above, it woul probably fluctuate

 

Hey Kristian43, di you ever figure out what was wrong with your gauge. My guage works but it inst very accurate. its always reading colder than it should be.

 

Mine fluctuates, when I'm at a stop it goes down then when I drive it goes up to about the middle of the gauge... Oil temp does the same... :/

 

Oil temp? Do you mean oil pressure? Cause that will drop at idle and pick up when you accelerate.

 

Well turns out theres two temp sensors one for gauge(did not replace) and one for the ecu(did replace) i ended up replacing the temp sensor for the ecu and so far have had no further issues. Maybe it was it. Not sure.

 

I know this is an old thread, but I am having a similar problem with the temp gauge always reading way too cold even when the engine is hot, except I have the 20R engine (1976 longbed pickup). A few weeks ago when I was flushing the coolant, I drove it around with just water and the temp gauge fluctuated wildly. Once I put fresh coolant in, it was back to reading cold temps all of the time.

I have searched throughout the Haynes manual and cannot find any references to a temperature sensor for the coolant/engine, let alone a part # or location. Can anyone please shed some light on this?

 

Where did you find your temp sensor

 

It's very possible that your thermostat is stuck open. I had the same issue. My temps were not even registering in the range of the needle they read so cold. I replaced the thermostat (confirmed to be stuck open) and the temps are reading within the range.

I have 2 trucks at the moment and the old one with no issues and possibly old coolant reads where the needle points to the leftmost part of the temp icon in the gauge. The one with the fixed thermostat and new coolant reads a little colder than that. How accurate / consistent among trucks do you think they are supposed to be? I only have two reference points.

Anyway, try replacing the thermostat.