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Topic: coolant temp sensor (Read 925 times) previous topic - next topic

coolant temp sensor

ok, so my heater core blew a month or so ago and in the course of looping hoses to get around until i could replace it, i managed to blow all 4 of the small molded hoses... at $15 a piece i couldnt justify buying them when standard heater hose is $1 a foot and i needed less than 8 feet to run the hoses straight from the pump to the heater core... so thats what i did...

i removed the steel tubes and put a pipe plug where it threaded into the intake and put my temp sensor in the port where the water return line for the EGR spacer went into the block...i'm thinking this is where i messed up...

i went from getting 20+ mpg before all this to less than 10 after. it doesnt seem like my car is running rich, but i suppose it could be... is there not enough coolant flow to this area to get a good temp reading for the computer?
Currently Birdless but never Foxless

86 Mustang GT

coolant temp sensor

Reply #1 –
I say, get the molded hoses, replace the heater core,and have it running as it should before the dead of winter gets here. The whole process can be done in a couple of hours. It's not as bad as most people make it out to be. When you try to "rig" things to work, you often end up worse off than doing it right the first time. It'll cost a little, but it'll be done right and give years of good service. $80.00 or less (if you shop around) and it's all done. Just do it and get it over with.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

coolant temp sensor

Reply #2 –
Yep.  That is your problem.  The back ports on the intake do not get ANY flow.  The rear ports do NOT cross over from bank to bank.  Can you put the temp sensor where you put the pipe plug and put the pipe plug in the rear port?

I'm kinda surprised you didn't notice a difference in driveability.

coolant temp sensor

Reply #4 –
Just order them for a mustang gt, or go to a junkyard if you are that hard up. You do not need molded hoses as a temp fix. I would have just looped them around in a circle instead of what you did. You may also want to check you MAP sensor vacuum line. If that is unplugged, you'll get bad gas mileage and have black sooty exhaust. It will also burn out your cats.

Put the threaded pipe back on, just get a length of 5/8" hose and just loop it in a circle and you will not need the molded hoses. The heater core can be done in about 3 hours if you do it right. Print off the pictures on coolcats to walk you through.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

coolant temp sensor

Reply #5 –
o everything is fixed and working except the temp sensor... i'm going to buy a pipe plug to plug the port the sensor is currently in and get an adaptor to go from 1/2 npt to 3/8 npt first thing in the morning.

i did the heater core in 45 minutes in the dark with a flashlight....not NEARLY as hard as people like to make it out to be.
Currently Birdless but never Foxless

86 Mustang GT