DarrensCamaro

iTrader: (6)

Hey guys I was told that I have a bad coolant temperature sensor in my 1992 Camaro Rs. I was wondering if anyone could tell me where this sensor is located and if it is difficult to change on my car.

Thanks in advance!

trans_x1985

it should be on the driver side of the engine....in between 2nd and 3rd cylinder on that side....

89RsPower!

More information needed, for example what engine and type of induction? What sensor do you specifically need? The actual CTS that sends the information to the pcm? The sending unit for the temperature gauge? The fan switch? Just making sure you actually are refering to the cts..
Above trans1985 described the location of the sending unit for the gauge on most v8 third gens.

DarrensCamaro

iTrader: (6)

It is a 1992 Camaro RS 305 v8 TBI. The actual sensor the reads the temp and sends it to the computer is what I am assuming is bad...

trans_x1985

i keep forgetting about that one for the computer....it should be in the thermostat housing...isn't it?

jaykar

iTrader: (1)

Or in the manifold next to it

Later

89RsPower!

Yep it's located toward the front of the intake manifold next to the thermostat housing on a tbi car. What makes you think it's bad? Driveability issue?

DarrensCamaro

iTrader: (6)

when I first recieved the car ( I have only owned it for a month now )the car would idle around 600-800 RPM's. Recently the car is idleing around 1000-1200 RPM's. Also the car has been running a little rich. I pose a thread asking why this was and what someone thought it could be, someone thought the CTS was going bad which means that the computer thinks the engine is cold causing it to push more fuel into the engine trying to warm it up causing the high idle and running rich. So I thought I take a shot in the dark and replace this sensor to see if it lowers the idle and helps it run better. Do you think this is a possibility or could it be something else? And thanks for the info on where I can locate the sensor.

-Darren

Saber

iTrader: (2)

Same thing happened to me, replaced the CTS and it was fine. But now im dealing with another idle issue caused by my TPS and IAC, so im not too sure if it was an intermittent problem and the TPS and IAC were the original problem or if the CTS was infact the reason. EIther way the sensor is like 20$ from advance and all you need is a wrench so its worth a shot.

jbates346

Darren are you able to hook up your car to a scanner? Sounds like your guess it right. I just replaced that sensor also, and for $18 it was worth trying. Getting a good reach on the sensor took longer than actually replacing it. Good luck, let us know how it goes. Btw, a deep socket with a 3in ext works the best. Have fun.

DarrensCamaro

iTrader: (6)

I have had it hooked up to a scanner and believe it or not the car threw no codes. I'm going to try to replace this sensor tonight or tomarrow night. Sounds like others had the same problem and this is what was causing it. I'll let everyone know if this is my problem as well.

DarrensCamaro

iTrader: (6)

Ok guys I went to replace the sensor last night, got all my tools out and then realized I have no Idea what this thing looks like. So before I started tearing apart the wrong thing I thought I'd look online to see if I could find a picture of what the sensor looked like or where exactly it was on my car. I looked on the drivers side down in the manifold area and wasnt sure which one was the coolant temperature sensor? Does anyone have any pictures of this or know where I may be able to find a diagram online of the position of the sensor or what the sensor itself looks like? I'm going to take a look at it again tomarrow during the day to see if I can figure it out or I just may have to take it in...Thanks in advance as always!

Saber

iTrader: (2)

I dont have a pic on me and my car is parked in the garage on campus so i cant run out and snap one of it but ill try and explain it, im asusming you have a 305 tbi. Look right at the thermostat housing on the front part of the intake manifold. Facing the car the sensor is on the left side of the housing, less than 3-4 inches from it as a matter of fact. Its sticking out of the intake manifold vertically and has a wired connector hooked up to it. Thats the CTS, there really is not another sensor in that location, when you take it out make sure you have not started your car for a while, cause coolant will come out.

****Edit*****
Managed to find a pic of it, its dark but you get the location down

DarrensCamaro

iTrader: (6)

Thats on the right side of the engine right? (the drivers side?) Also I dont need to drain any of the antifreeze out do I, before I start?

Thanks

Saber

iTrader: (2)

no its on the pass side, slightly, that pic is taken standing from the drivers side slightly, and no you wont need to drain coolant, depending on how warm the engine is some will bubble out but you dont need to drain anything. Watch out if its warm though coolant will gush out like a fountain, and it will be hot.

DarrensCamaro

iTrader: (6)

OK it must be just me, but I looked again tonight and I do not see any sensor on the passenger side at all. For some reason my car does not look like the picture you have up there. Is it possible this has been removed from my car? Ill take pictures in the engine bay tomarrow to show you guys what I am dealing with. Thanks

nimrod_sixty9

You have the same L03 I have in my 91, it should be in there. If not, then theres your problem. Just recently descovered mine is broken in half. I took it off and then the car ran horrible, connected it back and all was fine. Should I do anything with mine?

DarrensCamaro

iTrader: (6)

Hey guys I just like to thank everyone who helped me out on this thread! I was a idiot and finally found that CTS and replaced it. It worked like a charm and now the engine is running great and idleing correctly and no longer running rich! THANKS!

-Darren

SKIDOG74

could a bad coolant sensor make the temp gauge stop working?

Ron U.S.M.C.

The coolant temp sensor sends info to the ECM.
A different coolant temp. "sender" sends info. to the gage.
My gage sender is located here and only one wire that "slides on from the side" of the tip of it. It can be nocked of fairly easily or needs to be cleaned and tightened up.

SKIDOG74

Josh Sharp

the coolant temp sensor could be bad good way to check rather it's bad or good is check your temp gauge inside the car on the dash My car showing its running 220 + I took a temp gun and ran it onto the thermostat bell housing see how hot it really was it showed I was running around 180-194 which I have a 180 Thermostat in the car.

I would run some temp test before replacing it gives you good idea how hot the car really getting..

Ron U.S.M.C.

As mentioned above testing the car with a info red temp gun is always a good idea. It will tell you the actual temperature compared to where the gage is running.


Just call a shop and ask if they will use there lazar temp gun to test engine temperature and how much it will cost. May do it for free because it takes them less than a minute to do it.
Or buy a gun for yourself. There nice to have.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...ex/?q=temp+gun

Josh Sharp

my gauge in the dash for temp is out I ran test on top and lower hose and comes out my gauge say its 260 max out in the red as it was over heating
I'm just going to figure out how to wire an aftermarket gauge for temp on my car... that way I can tell what it's running.

JRobling

M G Brewer

I am hoping this could be what's giving me all my idling troubles.
I have replaced:

-MAF
-MAF burn off relay
-MAF starter relay
-IAC
-TPS

I will post up if this is the fix for me.

M G Brewer

Replacing the ECM/chip fixed my issues.

Jimvbob

he is talking about the one in front of the air cleaner, next to the thermistate housing. it has two wires going to it, i have both on my 305 tbi, one in front of the air cleaner on top the intake manifold, and i have one on the drivers side of the block, between cylinder 1 and 2