Temp sender unit plug

[David_J]

Im having a difficult time here trying to figure this out. Im trying to replace my temp sender unit which has the plug with ONE wire coming from it. The problem is the plug itself is broke and Im trying to find another one. I've been to multiple pick and pulls and haven't found a single one. When I go to the parts stores they tell me the only ones that show up have TWO wires. Will the TWO wire plug work? If not then where can i get the ONE wire plug? Also, is there another sensor somewhere (ECT)? Or is it the same sensor as the temp unit? Im having an auto shop install my lower intake due to a crack around the temp sender unit and Im trying to make sure I have all the parts I need for him to do it. Can he splice in a new plug or would he have to rewire it? I have a 97 XLT 5.0L 2WD

 

[koda2000]

The SOHC V6 has the 2 wire temp sender because the t-stat housing is plastic. The V8 has a 1 wire sender. If you can't find one at the junk yard, you might find one at RockAuto. They list quite a few electrical connectors. If you can't find one on an Explorer/Mountaineer at the junk yard, I'll bet any 5.0L Ford vehicle from that era uses the same connector on the temp sender (Mustangs, Crown Vics, Mercs, F150s, E150s).

 

[David_J]

Thanks Koda. What about the ECT? Where is it? All I see is the temp sender. Here are the pics I have. http://imgur.com/a/EBzFy http://imgur.com/a/1EG74 http://imgur.com/a/3QxIL http://imgur.com/a/cmdnO

 

[koda2000]

On my 5.0's the coolant temp sensor for the PCM is right next to the sender for the gauge (2000's and 2001) not sure were it would be on a '97. It has to be in the coolant stream somewhere. Usually on the intake manifold. One thing I noticed is that, although the 5.0 sender has only one wire connected to it, the plug/connector appears to be the same as the 2-wire plug, with one hole unused. Maybe a SOHC V6 connector will work if you remove the unused wire...? I would think the unneeded wire would be black, as it's just a ground.

 

[SoHK_alumni]

On the 96 and 97 5.0's, the temp gauge sender is on the power steering pump side of the intake manifold, the PCM's sensor is on opposite side of engine near the thermostat.

Best of my knowledge, the one wire and two wire sensors report a different resistance to the gauge, but that might be year dependant. I had to use a 2 wire sensor on my 96 5.0 to get correct gauge reading in the '02 Ranger.

 

[David_J]

What about the sensors themselves? At the parts store it shows the same plug for both the ECT and Temp sending unit. Is there a specific sensor that I need for the ECT or are they both interchangeable? The one I bought is BWD WT724. It seems like it doesnt want to screw in all of the way into the housing. Thats how I cracked my last manifold. Anyone know of the part numbers I need for the ECT and Temp sending unit?

 

[koda2000]

Parts like the sensor and sender are often a tapered thread, aka pipe thread. They're not designed to screw in all the way, nor do they need to. As they're screwed in the taper cause them to become tight, so as not to leak. Over tightening this type of thread will cause the receiving hole to crack. When working on vehicles, words to live by "do not over tighten".

BTW: Do not use Teflon tape, or pipe dope, on the 1-wire sender. It needs to ground to the engine in order to work.

 

[David_J]

Gotcha. Well that makes sense considering I put a nice crack in my old one. What about the 2 sensors? Are they the same? Meaning I can buy 2 of the same sensor and put one in the ECT port and the other in the Temp sender port. Is that right? Also when it's tightened down it still leaves a bunch of threads exposed. But it's pretty snug for sure. It just doesn't look right.

 

[koda2000]

No, they are not the same nor interchangeable. One is a SENSOR and one is a SENDER. Check RockAuto's on-line catalog for part numbers for your vehicle.

 

[David_J]

Ok I found this one http://imgur.com/a/e86c6 which is the one i bought. Rock Auto says its a SENDER pn:TS376. Then there is this one http://imgur.com/a/GITon PN:TX61 which says its a SENSOR. The only thing different about these two is the the tip is flat on the sender and somewhat pointy on the sensor. There are multiple ones to choose from but Im still unsure as to which one I should purchase. This image shows how far the sensor tightens down to http://imgur.com/a/yThvl

 

[koda2000]

The 2 (sender and sensor) may look very similar, but I assure you they are different. I'm not sure why you're replacing both and I don't know why you're so concerned about how far they screw in. They have to screw in far enough and be tightened enough so they don't leak. Period. Any tighter and you run the risk of cracking the intake again. I've been wrenching on vehicles for a long time and I have a feel for how tight these things should be, but it's not something I can explain to you and I don't know if Ford even specifies a torque setting. As you've changed your manifold because you cracked your original one, was the replacement you found out of the same year as your original? If not you should be looking up part numbers based on the year of the replacement intake manifold.

In the second picture you provided, I can actually see the taper on the threads. The threads become wider/fatter as you get closer to the connector end. This is what provides the seal. On the SOHC V6 engines the early sender and sensor used a tapered thread to seal, but later on they changed to an O-ring seal because the threads in the t-stat housing tended to spin in the plastic and leak. The O-ring seal is a much better design for the plastic housing application, but the tapered thread works find for metal-to-metal applications.

 

[David_J]

The new intake I got is from a 97 explorer, part number is correct. I'm replacing both because I already have the new intake to go in and I might as well replace the sensors since I was getting hot starting issues and someone mentioned that the ECT could cause this. They are relatively cheap and easier to put on with the intake out. I am concerned about how tight I should get these because when I replaced my Temp sender on my old intake it leaked from the threads when I had it tightened down until it got tight.(threads still visible). I want to make sure that the shop I bring it to doesn't crack my new manifold thinking the sensors need to be tightened all of the way down. The shop quoted me at $300 for a lower intake install. Kind of a hole in the wall place but has good reviews locally here.

 

[koda2000]

The new intake I got is from a 97 explorer, part number is correct. I'm replacing both because I already have the new intake to go in and I might as well replace the sensors since I was getting hot starting issues and someone mentioned that the ECT could cause this. They are relatively cheap and easier to put on with the intake out. I am concerned about how tight I should get these because when I replaced my Temp sender on my old intake it leaked from the threads when I had it tightened down until it got tight.(threads still visible). I want to make sure that the shop I bring it to doesn't crack my new manifold thinking the sensors need to be tightened all of the way down. The shop quoted me at $300 for a lower intake install. Kind of a hole in the wall place but has good reviews locally here.

The name "pipe thread" comes from the use of the taper thread in fitting water pipes. It specifically allows a way to seal joints between pieces of pipe. If tightened properly the joint should not leak. If it does there may a problem with the threads in the manifold. Although it is not recommended to use Teflon tape or pipe dope you may find a little is necessary to get a good seal. Let the shop that's replacing the manifold install the sender and sensor. They'll be experienced in working with these kinds of threads and if you have leak(s) after the job is done it will be up to them to fix it.

 

[David_J]

Thanks Koda. Ill let you know how everything goes with the install. On another note Im still on the lookout for the single wire plug. Hoping a few junk yards around here have some. I've struck out a few times already. Maybe someone on the forum is willing to sell one?