CEL read

[brute]

I just used vfaq to read my Galant's CEL. It did L-L-S... 21... Engine coolant temperature sensor. My car is running fine, warms up to about half-gauge, and stays there. What's this engine coolant temperature sensor? Where is it located?

Sorry I don't have a logger to log coolant temperatures for you, but DSM Link should be in around Christmas.

BTW: I was thinking about my car running normally, and the only thing bad I can think of is the cold starts. It takes a couple (3-5) tries to get it to start up and idle normally. Would my coolant temperature sensor going bad possibly make the ECU think it's warm all the time, so it runs warm timing? But since the engine is actually cold, the timing would make it hard to start? Once it's warmed up, it starts and idles like a champ.

 

[1997GST]

Means the car is running in open loop mode versus closed loop mode. Timing and fuel are effected by this. Sounds like a wiring issue

 

[donmagicjuan]

Derek,

The engine coolant temperature sensor is what the ECU uses to determine coolant temperature. The device that controls the meter in your dash is the coolant temperature sending unit, a separate component.

The coolant temperature sensor is the larger of the two sensors in the thermostat housing, and is the one facing the firewall. To remove it, you'll have to drain the coolant slightly. There's a check for it in the Haynes manual (section 6-9 in mine) to confirm it is the sensor that's faulty and not a wiring problem.

Hope that helps.

 

[faracon]

I dont' know if you've had yours unplugged anytime lately, but I ran into the same code after my engine swap. All I did to fix it was unplug the sensor and was the connection out with electronics cleaner. Then it worked fine when I plugged it back up. Good luck.

 

[spyderturbo007]

To remove it, you'll have to drain the coolant slightly.

Well.....Not if you're lazy like me and stick your finger over the hole really quick.

 

[donmagicjuan]

Hah! That's pretty good, but then how will he test it?

 

[brute]

I found out the problem. There's two connectors. Left (2 wires) and right (1 wire). Apparently the right (1 wire) is the temperature sending unit, and the left (2 wires) is the actual temperature sensor. With that said, I look down there and find that both wires going to the left connector are just sitting there, out of their connector. I did my best at the junkyard, but ended up buying the wrong couple things. So now I have crimped two spades on, and attached them to what I presumed was the right ones. Then I drove back to college for the week. My CEL was still there so I either have a different problem or I should switch the spades.

 

[donmagicjuan]

Derek,

If you didn't already do so, you either have to clear the code from the CEL or reset the ECU. Otherwise, it could take quite a while for the condition to extinguish on its own, even though the condition has cleared.