Temperature sensor, where is it?

[Badmutha]

I've been looking for the sensor for the temperature gauge, which has stopped working. It's not where I thought it should be, but what is on these cars
It's a 1996 400.
Thanks for your help

[V8 Animal]

In the thermostat housing i think.
V8 Animal

[mt10argyll]

Just below distributor

Edited by mt10argyll on Friday 9th May 21:38

[Badmutha]

Thanks, I'll have another look in the morning

[philmccann]

Hi there

It is just to the right of the bottom bolt of the thermostat housing. Apparently it is in the port used for the bypass hose on Range Rovers.

Now be careful, I broke the adaptor it fits into last week and cannot find a replacement.

If anyone knows of one of these adaptors, please let me know.

HTH

Phil

[Badmutha]

Found it! Behind the dizzy.
Just got to find the problem now...I might be back
Cheers

[AntonyJ]

Badmutha said:

Found it! Behind the dizzy.
Just got to find the problem now...I might be back
Cheers

Have you found the right one?
The one behind the dizzy has a two pin plug on, and its signal goes to the ecu.
The gauge sender is to the further to the left and has just one wire , with either a spade or a ring connector.

[Badmutha]

The one I found has a single connector and is blue/green which is the correct colour according to the bible. I've cleaned the connection but the needle still does not even flicker when the ignition is switched on so I've got a bad feeling that the problem could be behind the dash.
Before I start dismantling, has anyone any ideas that it could be something simpler?

[AntonyJ]

Badmutha said:

The one I found has a single connector and is blue/green which is the correct colour according to the bible. I've cleaned the connection but the needle still does not even flicker when the ignition is switched on so I've got a bad feeling that the problem could be behind the dash.
Before I start dismantling, has anyone any ideas that it could be something simpler?

Take the wire off and earth it to the engine, the gauge should rise, if not its dash out time.

[Badmutha]

Take the wire off and earth it to the engine, the gauge should rise, if not its dash out time.
[/quote]

Yes, the needle goes off the scale!! Would this mean the sensor is knackered?

[AntonyJ]

[Badmutha]

AntonyJ said:

Thanks mate,thats a result. I didn't look forward to being upside down in the footwell in this heat.

[blueyonder]

My temp gauge is being tempremental at the moment. Sometimes ist's working fine and the next moment it gets stuck between 50-70 degrees even thought the engine is up to full temp and the gauge should be at between 70-90 degrees!

Is this the sensor that's gone then? If so are they easy to change and where is the best place to get hold of one?

Thanks

[Cider Andy]

There are two temperature senders and a temperature sensor, all mounted in close proximity on the inlet manifold, nearside front corner.

In the first picture is the TVR sender that drives the gauge. It's mounted on the front face of the manifold behind the distributor and below the thermostat housing:



The second picture shows the fuel injection ECU temperature sensor on the left and the unused Land Rover temperature gauge sender. They are mounted on top of the inlet manifold.



The Land Rover sender is not calibrated for use with the TVR gauge but by adding a 120 ohm to 200 ohm resistor in series with it, it will drive the gauge. Some people who have substituted this sender report that it's more accurate.

In any event, adding a resistor and trying it is going to be cheaper than buying a new TVR sender.

[Badmutha]

I've just ordered a new sensor; 16 quid including delivery, which seems very reasonable.

[Badmutha]

blueyonder said:

My temp gauge is being tempremental at the moment. Sometimes ist's working fine and the next moment it gets stuck between 50-70 degrees even thought the engine is up to full temp and the gauge should be at between 70-90 degrees!

Is this the sensor that's gone then? If so are they easy to change and where is the best place to get hold of one?

Thanks

I've just removed mine, a 10 minute job.
Remove the top hose and plug leads to 1,3,5,7 and push aside. You can get an 18mm spanner behind the dizzy but the movement is a bit restricted. Once it's loose you can get your fingers to it around the base of the dizzy and remove it. There is some coolant loss from the hose and also when you remove
the sensor, but not much( you could always drain the system a little.)

I got mine from Dulfords in Devon, they advertise in Sprint.

Hope this helps

[f@-pots]

Ta for that guys, Mines had the swap done by the looks of it as the big ol jobby sender has no connection to it but the wee one on top has a wire to it and my temp guage works fine , woohoo another TVR mystery solved!!

Nick...........