Temperature gauge sensor

[Reverend Frog]

Quick question chaps - picked the car up from the garage today and now my coolant temp gauge doesn't work. Where is the sender located so i can check if it's been plugged back in properly? car is fuel injection

[ianaudia4]

The sender is located on the coolant flange on the front of the engine.
The spade connector may have just become detached Rick.

[Reverend Frog]

Can someone please circle in this pic of my engine bay where this would be? and what colour wire is coming out of it etc?

had a wee look myself and as expected can't see anything that looks like it fits the bill

[Tim_R]

Follow the radiator's top hose back to the engine and you will see the flange with the sensor in it, it's got 2 wires coming out of it in your photo. Hope it's something simple and just not connected properly.

[Reverend Frog]

Cheers Tim,

this boyo here?

[Tim_R]

Yup, thats the one.

[Reverend Frog]

Checked the plugs and these all seem fine, but the gauge is still not working. I am assuming that the garage, when changing my clutch cable, have knocked something or damaged some wiring or something. it does look very flimsy but it worked before it went in for repairs last week.

Does anyone have any suggestions? There is always a chance the gauge itself has broken, but I think that's unlikely as the fuel gauge and rev counter still work.

there isn't a fuse for this is there? (he asked hopefully)

[ianaudia4]

Rick, I would be tempted to ask the garage to repair it as it was working beforehand!

[Reverend Frog]

Rick, I would be tempted to ask the garage to repair it as it was working beforehand!

Yeah, I was thinking that, but I am slightly wary of having to take it over there again and potentially losing use of it for a day or two.

but i will probably have to

I wonder what it is.... i am lost with car electrics anyway

[ianaudia4]

Hopefully it is something simple mate, I would love to be able to help you out with that lovely GTi!

[go-for-it1]

Take the spade off the sensor and earth it, switch on ignition and if temp gauge goes to maximum then gauge is ok and its the sender which is duff.

[Reverend Frog]

Once again I'm going to check before i do anything :)

is this the spade connector you mean? (below)
and by earth do you mean holding it against the engine block or the bodywork? I believe you can also introduce an earth using a multimeter, can't you? I really am a novice with this kind of thing

[Nate]

yes, just pull it of and hold it against the engine and it should show hot on the gauge

[go-for-it1]

The blue ringed photo - That's not the spade for the temp sensor, photo looks like its on the oil filter/cooler. I was at work when you sent the pic with the "this boyo here" comment so couldn't see the photo and didn't realise you had a plug with 2 wires on the sensor but that is the plug you need to take off and if you connect the 2 terminals within the plug with a bit of wire it should show full deflection to hot on the gauge if it is good.

[Reverend Frog]

The blue ringed photo - That's not the spade for the temp sensor, photo looks like its on the oil filter/cooler. I was at work when you sent the pic with the "this boyo here" comment so couldn't see the photo and didn't realise you had a plug with 2 wires on the sensor but that is the plug you need to take off and if you connect the 2 terminals within the plug with a bit of wire it should show full deflection to hot on the gauge if it is good.

Cheers mate, like I said it is a very flimsy piece of wiring so i expect something has broken in it. I'd rather that than have to replace the gauge anyway.

the red LED embedded in the gauge still flashes when I start the car up, if that mean anything.