Hi guy's I'm new of this forum. Nice to meeting you guy's

I had just bought a Xr6 Ute it's a 97 model . Everything is fine. However, can't see the water temperature is make me worry.

The last owner said has change the dashboard, but still the same.
May I ask , could be a sensor problem?? or some thing else??

Thank you

97 would be an XH ute? Modelled off the EL?

They have a coolant temperature sensor in the thermostat housing with a plug with two wires leaving it... It runs to the computer and the computer then sends the temp information to the cluster via a data line...

So it is possible the sender isn't sending the temp to the computer, as such it'd never know it was at operating temp and you would getting maximum fuel economy... Or the computer is getting it fine and not sending it to the cluster...

documents.php?d=12 This is from our tech docs... It explains how to get the computer into diag mode... Fairly simply procedure... Get to screen number 2 and the bottom line will show the coolant temp the cluster is seeing in digital (information from the computer)... If it registers right (starts at 30 degrees and starts to climb to 90 odd at operating temp) then the needle in the cluster is buggered... If it sits at 30 and never changes or shows nothing then the cluster is probably fine and getting no info...

documents.php?d=52 Again from our tech docs... It explains how to get codes from the computer... Simple as grounding the right pin in the diag connector and counting pulses with a test light on another pin... If you get code 783 then the serial link to the cluster is open or short circuit (carries the temp signal)... Codes 116 or 117 tend to imply the sensor is faulty, either the wires between the sensor and the computer are open or shorted, or the sensor is faulty... You investigate then by unplugging the sensor and using a multimeter to continuity between the wires in the sensor plug and wires in the computer plug (computer is behind passenger kick panel)...

You can also check your ECT sensor here documents.php?d=42
This shows the ECT is feed into pin 7, if you look at the plug and get the 7th pin in from the corner, match the wire colour to one in the sensor plug to confirm the pin... Set your multimeter to DC volts and push the probe into the back of the plug carefully to contact the metal pin inside... hook the black lead to body ground and measure the volts, as per the table in the above, 20deg is 3.1V, 40 deg is 2.2V and 100 deg is 0.5V... If you see this value changing as the motor warms up then you'd have good wiring and sensor, if you see high volts or no volts then you have a problem with either the sensor or wiring... Checking at the same wire colour on the sensor end of the circuit then, if you have changing voltage as the motor warms up then the sensor is fine and the wiring is damaged, if you still have no changing voltage the sensor is buggered...

It's likely (can't quite remember) that one wire will be green/yellow or red... That wire will be 12V all the time (battery feed) and the other will be the wire that runs back to the computer (just can't remember the colour now...

If you need more clarification sing out... Do these in any order... Easiest to diag mode on the cluster first and confirm it is getting no digital signal (proves the gauge is OK)... Probably check the voltage at the sensor plug as above and see if it is working... If it is working then you'll be chasing wiring problems, either before or after the computer... Then you'll need to extract the codes to know which side it thinks is faulty...

Cheers,
Tim

Thank you so much for ur exhaustive data!!

That's help me alot, I'll do it tomorrow to check what happen with it!
Thanks again!!

If something doesn't seem right or you can't get your head around it just sing out and if I don't see it first then one of the other handy dudes on here will offer some advice...

Cheers,
Tim

You can pull the plug off the temp sender while the engine is running - both thermofans will then run at full speed.
Proves wiring and computer are okay.

Thank you for all advice!

To Snap0964, I had try what u said, and fans are running , all GOOD.
To TimmyA , I follow all the method u said . After checked , should be the sensor damage, because it's keep at 30 degrees , even after 5min's . Also, as Snap0964 said, the fans are running fine.

Thank you so much guy's
May I ask the last question ?? Where I can find the parts?? Repco or Super cheap auto?? I know they do have general part's . Sorry, I'm amateur of motor repair

Cheers

Yeah either should be able to help... Both would carry tridon stuff and they'd list the sensor... Look up the tridon website and see if you can find it...

Cheers,
Tim

Part number is:
TCS011 Coolant sensor

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Genuine-STAN ... 27cf18e35b

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ford-Falcon- ... 2340aa30e6

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fuelmiser-Co ... 3a9b7f2308

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tridon-Coola ... 3a9c7442df

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fuelmiser-CC ... 2c92e46b0c

Thanks SWC, I had already order the parts. Should be arrive tomorrow .
I'll report to you guy's after install it hope can fix the problem

Sorry guy's

I had replace the coolant sensor. However, the temperature still stood firm at 30 on dashboard
the meter also nothing changed

Had try snap0964 suggest, plug off sender , and those fans running fine.
Also , when running idle about 5min's , the fans is work


Sensor has replace & computer fine, what thing could be wrong??

Thank you

documents.php?d=12

Check if the data is getting to the Inst cluster.

Have you put the cluster in diag mode and confirm it is definitely only seeing 30 degrees?

If so then it sounds like the PCM is seeing the sensor fine and your cluster isn't so either a brake in the data wire to the cluster or a faulty cluster or PCM...

Run the test I linked to you to check the PCM for codes, and see if it throws about the serial data code for a problem with the link to the cluster...

Cheers,
Tim

Hi Timmy ,I had try ur method, run in to the diag mode. The dashboard shows 30 degrees.
NOTHING CHANGE after running engine about 5min's.

I also simply chick those wire, looks OK. Should I install a after market water gauge

May as well find and fix the problem with the other one?

If you pull the codes from the computer, I linked the page in my first post to you... Extract the codes and see what you get...

Or remove the computer and cluster and identify the serial data wire and check it for continuity, if it fails then easiest thing to do then is probably cut the old one out and run a new one...

Otherwise it's your car... If you want to mount a gauge somewhere then by all means go for it...

Cheers,
Tim