ECU temp sender and temp gauge sender.....

[w4hsa]

How do you undo the bloody wires from the senders without removing distributor??

Hard enough to get your hands in but can't get them apart.....clues anybody???

Am i right in assuming if electric fan is not be activated by sender then the fuel mixture will be compramised by ecu guessing engine temp?

cheers ANdy

 

[frank]

i use a screwdriver to release the clip andy (you can usually hear it go "click") then i flick the connector off

 

[w4hsa]

Hi franc, thanks for responding.

I lloked at the sender for the gauge - its a black plug with a single wire, couldn;t see where to press??

Also couldn't see enough of ECU temp send as obstructed by gauge sender but I felt all around it and again could feek anything to depress to relaease??

How hard is it to remove distributor (had cap and wires off today)??

cheers ANdy

 

[frank]

you squeeze the tab near the wires mate (like this injector clip) and that lifts the little pawl further down. the dizzy is just 2 bolts and it pulls out, and the driveslot is off centre

 

[w4hsa]

Thanks Frank,

I can see the 2 bolts that hold distributor (1 at back, 1 slotted for adjustment at front) but what about the bolt on top of rocker cover?

If I mark distrib position and put it back to the mark will the timing remain unchaged? do I need to mark rotor arm position as well?

cheers Andy

 

[frank]

yeh, just scratch a mark on the slot and pull it out andy, and i usually lift the cam cover to refit the offset drive back in to position

 

[w4hsa]

Hi Frank and any other knowledgable types....., would value your opinion.

Girlfriends K11 got warm in traffic, checked fan blades stuck then moving but stiff (dont think they have rotated in a while). Checked resistance across motor = open circuit.

Purchased good second hand fan, tested on battery, spins nicely.

Fitted to car, engine warms up goes up nearly to red, fans not cutting in.

Removed relay fed 12v across it, fans spin.

Put 12v across switching circuit, relay clicks nicely............................

Conclusion is coolant sensor is not telling ecu that engine is hot therefore ecu not firing relay????


but, no engine check light and engine runs well, goes well and does about 40mpg????

your thoughts please?

 

[pollyp]

bridge the 2-pin ecu coolant sensor plug to simulate 0ohm = very hot and the ecu should should the fan on

 

[w4hsa]

Hi polyp, yes thats what I thought (but car is not back until weekend).

What confuses me is no check light (comes on, then start engine goes off as normal)

Also runs fine, 40ish mpg, good exhaust colour etc??

 

[frank]

bridge the 2-pin ecu coolant sensor plug to simulate 0ohm = very hot and the ecu should should the fan on

that,s what my 95 blue k11 would do, but this 97 one does,nt do it for some reason (same applied with a previous member iirc)
and the eobd1 system is pretty primitive andy, the mil light function is very basic

 

[w4hsa]

So is the concencus to fit a new temp sender unit and that should sort it?

Anybody got an idea of price / partnumber etc

 

[frank]

So is the concencus to fit a new temp sender unit and that should sort it?

Anybody got an idea of price / partnumber etc

the tailpipe colour and mpg does,nt suggest a faulty sensor to me andy, unless you have the japspec (different colour/rating one) fitted by mistake

 

[w4hsa]

Car is bog standard 1.3Gx. Mpg is an estimate as my girlfriend tops up 'now and again' lol and to be honest tailpipe colour??? Not sure but no black smoke that suggests choke on.

Any other tests I can do?

 

[frank]

tailpipe colour???

yes you said exhaust colour, mine,s a fetching shade of dark grey (its been sooty black at times, during fueling alterations)

 

[w4hsa]

Snap. that looks the same as mine (I think) and emissions were good at last MOT in October.

So what else can I check - can I check ecu signal somehow? both in (from sender) and out (to relay)?

or any other fan related problems you have experienced??

cheers Andy

 

[frank]

So what else can I check - can I check ecu signal somehow?

i think thats your next step tbh mate, data lead eh http://www.ecutalk.com/ for example

 

[w4hsa]

Ok time to remove sensor plug which means distributor removal.

Anybody got a step by step guide so I don't muck up the timing and get ear ache from the gf lol

 

[w4hsa]

Update.....

removed distributor and temp sensor, sensor changes resistance value as it get warmer but decided on replacing with a new one (as they are fairly cheap).

Put it all back together..........wait for it............no change : (

So, started to suspect wiring.

Working on the principle that the ECU grounds the fan switching circuit when temp sender is hot?......anyway tested this theory - relay clicks, fan cuts in!

First question is it likely that ecu is not earthing the fan switching circuit?

Is it more likely to be the wiring?

Where do I go next with this.......

cheers ANdy

 

[frank]

yes, according to haynes the ecu signal to the fan relay is earth andy