Its been fine for 7 or 8 years, maybe 40,000 miles, and i haven't changed anything but shocks since then. When these sensors fail “open circuit” they send a signal to the car’s computer indicating an engine temperature of something like … For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. It was definitely scarry, and now I see what you mean by unsafe. Fuel delivery, ignition timing and engine performance are among the key elements affected by the information the coolant temperature sensor gathers.Typically, the coolant temperature sensor is mounted in the engine block or cylinder head, near the The tip of the sensor is submerged in coolant. ECT operation has an effect on the fuel system. Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor. That is how I was imagining it to work, but I wanted an explanation from someone else to confirm. There are many things that will make a car stall, then re-start after sitting for a couple of minutes. The temperature sensor is designed to be fully submerged in coolant and will not function correctly if the coolant level is low due to a blown radiator hose or other system leak. It's definitely possible. Because the ECT sensor is submerged in coolant, the cooling system should be drained at this time and then refilled. A coolant sensor is capable to give a temperature feedback from neg 40 degrees to above 280 degrees. Happened in my stupid Ford truck, the T-stat would never close, so the thing would never warm up and ran like junk. Most cars default to the factory air-to-fuel ratio if the oxygen sensor fails, which can cause problems because of non-standard temperature, moisture, or air composition. Or a vacuum leak, …
This was is my 4-runner however, I could see it happening with a LC eventually There's a test you can run on the ECT with a multimeter to determine if it's crapped the bed or not.I had a ECT sensor fail, it would go intermittently and cause the ECM to shut down the fuel pump. Your car computer uses this sensor's signal to lean or enrich the fuel mixture, depending on coolant temperature. JavaScript is disabled. Bad Scans. Still, it’s an intriguing problem. After i replaced everything the car would start and run for a bit and then stall out. The amount of voltage returned by the sensor to the engine’s computer increases along with the temperature of the coolant. Engine efficiency, power and fuel economy all improve as the engine temperature rises.
A faulty coolant temperature sensor may cause an engine to run hot and increase fuel consumption. I figure if the engine was overheating, perhaps burning and on fire, and the ECT sensor had an extremely high reading, the computer would shut down the fuel pump. If the coolant has been contaminated, you should consider having the system flushed.On some cars, the sensor can be easy to access.
These are the most common problems:The ECT sensor, also commonly just called the coolant temperature sensor, measures how hot the engine in your car is. Do you have a factory service manual? TOM: Other possibilities include a bad oxygen sensor, which on an older car can cause the same problem as a bad coolant temp sensor. It could very well be a faulty sensor–the coolant temperature sensor on these cars tend to fail frequently, and they fail in a way that can make an engine get way more fuel than it can use. The ECT sensor tell the computer when the engine has warmed up. The coolant temperature sensor, abbreviated as CTS, in your car is an important device that enables the control unit to give alerts if the engine is overheating or if the temperature within the system is rising for some reason. So, check to make sure there’s no coolant leak before getting a new sensor. Before that, the symptoms occured mainly on start up. You must log in or register to reply here. It might not stall immediately, but as the oxygen flowing in decreases, the vehicle may slow down and eventually stop. If the truck isn't actually warming up then I'd suspect the thermostat. So i replaced alot of stuff over the past month on my 240sx. 3. Bad performance. This is mostly for protection, since a cold engine is more likely to misfire in a damaging way. With 13-plus years of experience in the field, she applies her skills toward writing, consulting and automotive software engineering.See what others have asked about this, or visit the Questions page to ask your own question.Your auto repair done right, only the work you need with no add ons.Our free estimator calculates a custom price for your vehicle repair.Rest easy knowing you're covered by a local warranty.
A common sensor electrical failure is an open or short in the circuit.