Notices
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks 1987 - 1996 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350 and larger pickups - including the 1997 heavy-duty F250/F350+ trucks

Throttle position sensor

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 2, 2006 | 11:38 AM
  #1  
Iron Horseman's Avatar
Iron Horseman
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Princeton, WV
Throttle position sensor

Where is it and what does it look likeon a 95 F150/302.
 
Reply
Old Mar 2, 2006 | 11:46 AM
  #2  
low92flareside's Avatar
low92flareside
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 500
Likes: 1
From: Penndel, PA
Little black sensor on the bottom of the throttle body with I think 3 wires running to it (black, orange and green). Do a search on TPS, you'll get tons of info.
 
Reply
Old Mar 2, 2006 | 12:29 PM
  #3  
Iron Horseman's Avatar
Iron Horseman
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Princeton, WV
Many thnks my friend. Got it located and just bought one. Thanks again. David.
 
Reply
Old Mar 2, 2006 | 06:38 PM
  #4  
MustangGT221's Avatar
MustangGT221
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Club FTE Gold Member
Make sure you set it when you install it, you can't just screw it on and call it a day.

I prefer to take the throttle body off, put the sensor on and leave the screws snug. Plug it into the harness, slide some paper clips into the ground wire and signal wire, then turn the key on and check the voltages.

You need to set the signal voltage to be about .96v at idle and it should go to about 4.5v at WOT. Make sure that when you open the throttle there are no voltage spikes.

Tighten the screws and install the throttle body, re-check voltages to make sure it hasn't moved.

Don't let the paper clips touch w/ the key on.

You'll have a ground wire, a signal wire, and a 5v reference wire. I forget which color goes to which, black is obviously ground.
 
Reply
Old Jun 5, 2006 | 11:35 AM
  #5  
DeathRowe's Avatar
DeathRowe
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
From: Pennsylvania
mustang, how do you go about "setting" the voltage?
 
Reply
Old Jun 5, 2006 | 11:42 AM
  #6  
andym's Avatar
andym
Post Fiend
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
Likes: 38
From: Bonita Springs FL
I would like to know this as well. The TPS I bought had no adjustment screws on it whatsoever.
 
Reply
Old Jun 5, 2006 | 11:49 AM
  #7  
low92flareside's Avatar
low92flareside
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 500
Likes: 1
From: Penndel, PA
ok, its been a while, but i'll give it a whirl...


the TPS screw holes aren't perfectly round. they are slightly ovaled to allow for very little adjustment. basically as Mustang said, with the key in the on position engine off, probe the ground and signal wires, rotate the TPS every so slightly until the proper voltage shows up at idle position. tighten the screws down. check it again at idle position, if still good, check it a wide open throttle.

haynes or chitons should be able to tell you what color is what.
 
Reply
Old Jun 8, 2006 | 04:23 PM
  #8  
MustangGT221's Avatar
MustangGT221
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Club FTE Gold Member
One of the TPS sensor holes is an elongated hole to allow you to move it. The voltage output to the computer at closed throttle should be around .95ish volts. There is some variance there - but the computer likes that voltage the best...between .9 and .98 volts. If you look at SCT computer tuning software, they tune for that voltage as well.

It should be about 4.5v at full throttle and there should be no voltage spikes throughout the movement of the TPS sensor. It's a potentiometer so when they go bad sometimes they do that.

The TPS has three wires, ground, 5v reference, and signal. The signal wire will have the .95-4.5v, the 5v reference wire will always have 5v, and the ground is ground.

Attach a voltmeter to the pins at the computer 60 pin connector corresponding to the TPS signal wire (haynes manual has them, or many other sources) and check it's voltages.

Your not really suppose to just slap a TPS sensor on the TB and drive it w/o setting the voltages right, or atleast checking to make sure they're right.

Now there are tolorances where the TPS would work ok even at say .80v at idle...but like I said the computer seems to like the .95v-ish area the best.

The TPS is a very important sensor so it should be set right.
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

 Brett Foote
story-2

Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

 Brett Foote
story-6

2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026

 Brett Foote
story-9

5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time

 Joe Kucinski
Old Jun 8, 2006 | 06:01 PM
  #9  
bohiaa's Avatar
bohiaa
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 588
Likes: 0
From: Bellville TX. Wof Houston
some were adjustable and some were NOT


If yours has oval shaped holes it's adjustable if Not then NOT
 
Reply
Old Jun 9, 2006 | 04:26 PM
  #10  
MustangGT221's Avatar
MustangGT221
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Club FTE Gold Member
They all have some play in the screw holes - they have to. It really doesn't take much movement to change the voltage.
 
Reply
Old Jun 11, 2006 | 07:50 AM
  #11  
96f150's Avatar
96f150
Fleet Mechanic
25 Year Member
Liked
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,713
Likes: 2
From: In my House
I believe the only 5.0 throttle bodys that were adjustable, were in the mustang. I have never seen one on a Mass-Air setup either.
 
Reply
Old Jun 12, 2006 | 03:23 PM
  #12  
EPNCSU2006's Avatar
EPNCSU2006
Lead Driver
20 Year Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,555
Likes: 40
From: Concord, NC
If you can't adjust it, you can always open up the holes a little more with a drill bit...
 
Reply
Old Jun 16, 2006 | 01:42 PM
  #13  
MustangGT221's Avatar
MustangGT221
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Club FTE Gold Member
Originally Posted by 96f150
I believe the only 5.0 throttle bodys that were adjustable, were in the mustang. I have never seen one on a Mass-Air setup either.
88+ mustangs were MAF.

SCT tuning software is for MAF and they have a specific point in their software for adjusting the idle TPS position.

It's not the throttle body that provides the adjustment, it's the TPS sensor.

It only takes a smidge to change the voltage, and when I say smidge, I mean a real smidge...
 
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:34 AM.

story-0
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE
story-1
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

And it might be even better than that.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-18 19:26:42


VIEW MORE
story-2
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

Slideshow: Does lowering an F-150 Lobo RUIN the ride quality?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-18 19:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-3
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE
story-5
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

Slideshow: first look at the 810 hp 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road!

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-12 12:50:07


VIEW MORE
story-6
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know about the 2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-07 17:51:06


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

Slideshow: 10 most surprising Ford truck options/features in 2026.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:17:22


VIEW MORE
story-8
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026

Slideshow: Here are the top 10 Fords coming to Mecum Indy 2026.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:49:49


VIEW MORE
story-9
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 worst Ford truck wheels of all time

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 16:49:01


VIEW MORE