engine coolant tempature gauge

[focusva]

hello I was wondering anyone had any suggestions yestraday my engine coolant tempature gauge stop working and the check engine light came on. I think that either the sensor or the sending unit died but I am not which or how to check one died. any suggestions would be greatly appreated

[Sponsor]

[focusva]

well autozone ran the code on the computer it is the sensor. so I got the sensor lord we looked for over an hour and can not find where it is located. any advise would be helpful.

[Blurvfocus]

I assume you mean the sending unit or the dash guage, yes?

I'd go with the sending unit, because the CEL is on. That says that not only is the gauge not getting a valid signal, but it's most likely the computer isn't either, hence the CEL (the computer needs that signal to properly manage the fuel injection, idle speed, etc.). I'm assigning meaning to the fact that these two things happened at the same time. If it was just a defective gauge, the computer would still be getting it's ECT signal and would remain happy.

You can test this like so: Find the sensor and try wiggling the plug (in case it's just a bad connection there). No better?- Then disconnect the plug. Short across the plug's contacts, then go turn the key to the "run" position and look at your guage. It should swing all the way over to "hot". If it does this, the sending unit is probably shot.

Let us know what happens...

[Blurvfocus]

Well, I guess we both hit "submit reply" at about the same time.

My haynes manual says you have to pull the alternator... it's under there. Now you've got your work cut out for you! Sorry.

I never had the pleasure of changing out a focus alternator, from what I'm reading here on these threads, it's a real festival. But maybe you can just loosen it and swing it up or down enough to gain access, whatever. My point is, you don't have to actually remove it from the car. The big problem everyone seems to mention is wiggling the damned thing out of there once it's off. Maybe this won't be all that bad.

[focusva]

okay cool thanks for telling me. oh my that is a job for tomorrow not tonight....everything is so jammed in there.

[viney266]

Let us know what you find..

[focusva]

okay my day gets better. either something nibble or something broke the wires going to the sensor so we need some other parts but my big thing is how in the world does the serp belt go back we loosen the serp belt to move the alternator but going to retighten thing the belt moved and now no one is sure on which way it is suppose to go we know. does someone have a diagram of the serp belt. thank you

[Scott_SVT]

Here's a quick how to on the belt (I assumed you have a zetec, since the SPI alternator is no big deal to get off)


Zetec belt replacement how-to with diagram

[focusva]

thank you very much. what turns out to be a 2 hour job or so turns into a nightmare. does any one know how ot keep field mice out of the engine.

[hEaT]

I put a mousetrap in my engine bay. When I pulled my stock airbox out the resonator was full of acorns and so was the bottom of the airbox. When I got my Volant I noticed insulation eaten out on the drivers side. I stuck a mousetrap under the winshield wiper juice inlet and tied the trap to the part where you pour the juice in. You could probably do something similar on the passenger side of the engine bay. I also make some wire mesh screen that fit into the front snorkel on the intake and the large tube on the Volant box. I would check your airbox because you may be loosing some power if the box is full of acorns and keeping your filter real dirty.