I just got a 96 ex, car is completely stock. My coolant gauge looks like it does whatever it wants. Looks like it will be cold sometimes, it will go up and then shoot down a little, rarely ever stays in one spot for more then a couple minutes. I would just like to know if the car is actually getting close to overheating or whats going on. Rad fan does work, have checked that.

Side note, I am also getting a code p0117 which is a cooling system related code.

I have searched quite a bit about the coolant temp switches and sensors. It looks as if there is 3 different ones, one that is in the thermostat housing, one by the distributor with 2 wires (green/black and red/white wires), and the single prong one. http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/u...cture_4477.jpg, that picture helped me find them on my car lol

I found part numbers off autozones site one a SU4006 which says its one of the temp sensors (idk which one, the thermo housing or one by the dist), and a TU121 which is that single prong switch.

Should I just replace them all, any advice will be greatly appreciated. Any part numbers as well would be helpful.

 

For P0117, focus on the 2-wire ECT sensor (and its 2 wires) below the distributor.

To get the correct part, tell AutoZone you need the 2-wire ECT sensor, not the 2-wire radiator fan switch.

The fluctuating temp gauge is a separate issue. Start by topping off and bleeding the cooling system.

 

the only thing that has anything to do with the gauge on your dash is the single wire sender.

The part you need is the temperature sender. It has one function and that is to operate the gauge.

Standard Part # TS172 or a TS 172T <-- The "T" version is the same part just a cheaper part with less of a warranty... Supply your local parts store with that number and replace it and enjoy your gauge being accurate rather than a idiot.

 

Seems premature to assume that the sending unit is bad. The problem could also be air in the cooling system, a bad wire, or a bad gauge.

 

Yeah with that code and your fluctuating temp sounds more like air in the system and or leaking coolant causing it.

 

Well I got around to burping and topping off the system late yesterday, just ran the car with the rad cap off and the heat on full blast and just filled it slowly. Hopefully that is good enough, I drove the car around for a good 30min and the needle stayed perfectly in the middle the entire time, didn't move a bit.

I cleared the p0117 code after I did that and has yet to come back, would having air in the system pull that code?

 

yeah i was thinkin the sender but i goofed and didn't read the post thorough like i should have and just now realized it was obd2!! LOL my bad buddy!

glad you got that joker fixed!