Engine Temp Gauge / Blowing cold.

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

A couple of things:

The water pump went on my '98 2.5 (190,000km) contour yesterday.

1 - The temp gauge needle went way beyond the red and it remains stuck there. I managed to change the pump today but I can't really test it out if I can't see the engine temp.
Any idea's how to "un-stuck" it?

2 - I did run it for 5 minutes with the heat running, but I wasn't getting any heat... Do I have to burb it more? (yes, I completely drained it)

2) You might have an air lock. You may have to help the air out by massaging the hoses while leaving the cap open (with the engine running). And it might help if you leave the cap loose (so air can leave the system easier) while driving for the next day or two. Leave a bottle of 50/50 coolant in the trunk for the next few days to refill the tank.

Did you retrieve all the pieces for the water pump (if it broke into pieces)?

1) Check the ECT gauge sender unit. It is the "bronze" sensor under "Co" in the word coolant in this picture. Per Haynes, if temp. gauge in dash reads hot after engine is started from cold, disconnect senderâ�?��?�s electronic connectors. If the gauge reading drops, replace sender. If the gauge remains high, there may be a short in the wire to the gauge. Sometimes overheating will break the sender unit.

Additional test from Autozone.
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/1b/c3/79/0900823d801bc379.jsp

Unplug the wire from the sender, the gauge should drop to cold if it "feels" like it. Mine did

. (The old sender shorted out when the engine overheated, pegging the needle hard.) Then I connected it to the new sender unit and it is working fine a year later. "M" in Normal is the trigger point for the low speed cooling fan.

Originally posted by Tony2005:
2) You might have an air lock. You may have to help the air out by massaging the hoses while leaving the cap open (with the engine running). And it might help if you leave the cap loose (so air can leave the system easier) while driving for the next day or two. Leave a bottle of 50/50 coolant in the trunk for the next few days to refill the tank.

Did you retrieve all the pieces for the water pump (if it broke into pieces)?

1) Check the ECT gauge sender unit. It is the "bronze" sensor under "Co" in the word coolant in this picture. Per Haynes, if temp. gauge in dash reads hot after engine is started from cold, disconnect senderâ�?��?�s electronic connectors. If the gauge reading drops, replace sender. If the gauge remains high, there may be a short in the wire to the gauge. Sometimes overheating will break the sender unit.

Additional test from Autozone.
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/1b/c3/79/0900823d801bc379.jsp

The ECT has nothing to do with the gauge. You need the gauge sending unit which is the one circled in blue in the picture (sorry Tony, I modified your picture). It's not uncommon for them to go bad after overheating. A new one is about $15. from Autozone. Simply unplug yours and see if the gauge goes to cold. If it does, replace the sending unit.

Originally posted by Tony2005:
...Check the ECT gauge sender unit. It is the "bronze" sensor under "Co" in the word coolant in this picture. ...

????
The picture by Chongo is correct. It shows the Engine Coolant Temperature sensor. And so is my description of the ECT gauge sender unit.

You modifying the picture shows the ECT gauge sender unit circled in blue.

Originally posted by Tony2005:

Originally posted by Tony2005:
...Check the ECT gauge sender unit. It is the "bronze" sensor under "Co" in the word coolant in this picture. ...

????
The picture by Chongo is correct. It shows the Engine Coolant Temperature sensor. And so is my description of the ECT gauge sender unit.

You modifying the picture shows the ECT gauge sender unit circled in blue.

I guess I mistook your supplied picture. At first glance it looks as though you are stating the ECT as the gauge sending unit. Sorry.

Originally posted by Figols:

Originally posted by Tony2005:

Originally posted by Tony2005:
...Check the ECT gauge sender unit. It is the "bronze" sensor under "Co" in the word coolant in this picture. ...

????
The picture by Chongo is correct. It shows the Engine Coolant Temperature sensor. And so is my description of the ECT gauge sender unit.

You modifying the picture shows the ECT gauge sender unit circled in blue.

I guess I mistook your supplied picture. At first glance it looks as though you are stating the ECT as the gauge sending unit. Sorry.

No problem. Others have made the same mistake before but you were the first to do something about it, i.e., put a blue circle to make it clear. Guess whose picture I will use from now on if I want to suggest checking/changing the ECT gauge sender unit?

Ok, thanks for all the help.

I managed to get the air out finally and I've got heat now! I ended up jacking the resevoir side and leaving it like that overnight...did the trick.

I also tried unplugging the Sending Unit and my neddled dropped hard, so I am replacing that. HOWEVER, I'm having a heck of a time finding one with a single prong (as shown in picture). Some parts dealers can't even find "Temp gauge sending units" in their systems and the 2 that I did find had a "double prong" connector. FORD is ordering me my single prong unit @ 3x the price! Oh well...

I'll post my conculsion when I get everything sorted out...stay tuned.

I ran into that confusion too. Glad your needle dropped to cold! When you fix the sender, make sure the cooling fan triggers at M, and you will be done.

For the 1996, Autozone has it as Wells TU205 for the Temperature Gauge Sender (Switch). Have them check if this is the correct one.