Coolant temp sensor replacement
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,408
Likes: 249
From: Ringgold, Ga
Coolant temp sensor replacement
I have a very small coolant drip after a yr from waterpump replacement. I drained radiator and put worm clamp on lower hose at the elbow.
Pulled my temp sensor out and threads looked stripped. Put Teflon tape and put back in. Thermostat housing looked dry.
Refilled radiator, that took forever, and truck sat for 7 days and my drip is still there. It's coming from up top down outlet tube, down hose to ground.
Sensor area is wet after wiping everything down.
So do I have to drain rad again to replace my sensor?
Wanna try that before I do thermostat and waterpump gasket.
Thanks
Pulled my temp sensor out and threads looked stripped. Put Teflon tape and put back in. Thermostat housing looked dry.
Refilled radiator, that took forever, and truck sat for 7 days and my drip is still there. It's coming from up top down outlet tube, down hose to ground.
Sensor area is wet after wiping everything down.
So do I have to drain rad again to replace my sensor?
Wanna try that before I do thermostat and waterpump gasket.
Thanks
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,206
Likes: 3
From: Oakhust NJ Jersey Shore
If your t-stat hasn't been done in a while I would replace it, or upgrade it with a 203 from fiff-raff, the rubber gasket gets dry rotted and has a tendency to leak when cold, when she warms up it stops, I played around with a coolant leak in that are for awhile and that what it turned out being, I also installed the coolant filter system, since everything was already out, and refilled with ELC, it just may be me but the truck seems to run alittle better, idles smoother! 
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,408
Likes: 249
From: Ringgold, Ga
Update on my coolant drip. Not sure which one fixed it.
Replaced Thermostat gasket and the Coolant temp sensor.
Leak is gone.
Did have drama trying to figure out why BWD and Duralast sensors wouldn't work with my guage.
Googled reset coolant guage and found some threads on various forums about same prob with replacements.
I needed the guage sensor $9. They sold me the PCM guage at both places for $24.
My truck only has the guage sensor. PCM reads from EOT sensor.
So the sensor in the waterpump is the cheaper one for those who may be replacing.
Replaced Thermostat gasket and the Coolant temp sensor.
Leak is gone.
Did have drama trying to figure out why BWD and Duralast sensors wouldn't work with my guage.
Googled reset coolant guage and found some threads on various forums about same prob with replacements.
I needed the guage sensor $9. They sold me the PCM guage at both places for $24.
My truck only has the guage sensor. PCM reads from EOT sensor.
So the sensor in the waterpump is the cheaper one for those who may be replacing.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 10,750
Likes: 1,065
From: Douglassville, PA
I just replaced mine here as well. I don't know the difference but NAPA had one for $20+ and the one I got for $10, which seems to be working fine. I put electrical tape over the top of the new sensor and held it in one hand, pulled the old sensor out, using fingers to get the last few threads and held a finger over the hole 'til I got the new sensor in place. Worked good for me. Oh yea, put pan under area to catch what anti-freeze did get away, which wasn't much. Much easier than draining it down.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 979
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver
I do not believe that there is a PCM sensor for our 7.3 diesels. I believe the PCM sensor begins with the 6.0. The sensor in our device has three conditions- cold, normal, hot. The 7.3 does not actually care enough about coolant temp to measure it or send the information to the PCM. The info is inferred from the engine lube oil temp. Without the coolant temp, we can not know how well the engine oil cooler is working. Not very accurate, is it?
A PCM type sensor has what could be called a variable resistance to electrical current which changes as the temp changes. Many automotive sensors have this variable output in either two wire or three wire configuration. This is a much better monitoring system. For this reason with certain scanning programs, the 6.0 can tell you if the oil cooler has a problem. This can be very important information, since oil coolers which are heat exchangers just like a radiator need adequate coolant flow and oil flow to work properly and save the engine from breaking rings, pistons etc. Larry
A PCM type sensor has what could be called a variable resistance to electrical current which changes as the temp changes. Many automotive sensors have this variable output in either two wire or three wire configuration. This is a much better monitoring system. For this reason with certain scanning programs, the 6.0 can tell you if the oil cooler has a problem. This can be very important information, since oil coolers which are heat exchangers just like a radiator need adequate coolant flow and oil flow to work properly and save the engine from breaking rings, pistons etc. Larry
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Post Fiend
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,470
Likes: 3
From: Pea Ridge, AR
The PCM sensor would be for a manual transmission truck, as they do have 2 sensors and it reports to the PCM.
Those of us with auto's it is just a gauge "switch" sensor. As stated above.
Those of us with auto's it is just a gauge "switch" sensor. As stated above.
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Pitchfork87
1994.5 - 1997 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel
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Dec 24, 2010 05:35 AM