Coolant Temperature Sensor and Housing

[Joe DeVola]

2004 Explorer

I replaced that plastic piece of junk housing for the coolant temperature sensor a few months ago. Some coolant started leaking again near this housing and I think it is the temp sensor. Can just the o-ring be replaced? When I replaced the housing, I reused the old sensor and o-ring which I believe are both original - 10 years old now.

 

[swshawaii]

coolant temp sensor leaking. can i replace the 0-ring?
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=324170&highlight=coolant+sensor+ring

 

[Joe DeVola]

coolant temp sensor leaking. can i replace the 0-ring?
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=324170&highlight=coolant+sensor+ring

Thank you, sir. That is wonderful.

 

[Joe DeVola]

Update

Explorer 2004

I tried to replace the o-ring with the specified ring. Once installed on the old sensor it was too large of an outside diameter and it wouldn't fit in the port on the housing. True story.

So I went to one of my local parts store and bought a new sensor. Brought it home and it was too large of an OD to go in the port. True story.

Now seeing that there is a second port on this housing, I removed the plug in the second port and put it in the port where the ECT goes. It was a correct fit. I got my digital calipers out and sure enough the old ECT with a new o-ring and the new ECT were larger than the OD of the plug that is the proper fit.

I decide to go to a 2nd parts store and they had an ECT that was a smaller OD than the 1st ECT I bought. I took it home and it seems to fit. Everything is back together and my housing is now leak free.

All a true story. We're talking about an difference in OD from two different ECT sensors of about .020".

I hope this helps someone.