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Where is water temp sensor? + radiator question

NewKleer

By NewKleer,
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NewKleer Mentor

NewKleer

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Is the water temp sensor the same as the thermostat? Whats the sensor (presumably) in the bottom of the radiator? (mine has wires chopped off).

Is engine temp measured from the thermostat (its the one in the housing @ coolant return to radiator, ie where top hose connects to engine?)

Tomorrow the silviline should be back on the road after a month on the sidelines getting the radiator replaced.

Another question, is it aluminimum or copper (or neither) radiators that are most susceptible to "electrolysis" that ive heard about that can wreck radiators with loose currents?

Thanks in advance.

Peter

blind_elk Grand Master

blind_elk

Posted
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Where the top radiator hose connects on to the engine, there are 2 plugs - a single wire (temp gauge in the instrument panel) and a 2-wire (temp sensor for the ECU).

The thermostat is actually where the bottom radiator hose joins to the engine. The connector in the bottom of the radiator is a thermo switch for the A/C fan, which normally sits out front of the A/C radiator.

NewKleer Mentor

NewKleer

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so thats 3 different sensors, 2 on top hose for dash temp and to ecu, and one on bottom hose, thermostat, so what is the purpose of the thermostat if the dash and ecu are taken care of by the top two?

and where does that sensor in the radiator go? also where do you typically get the water temp from when hooking up a water temp gauge?

blind_elk Grand Master

blind_elk

Posted
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The thermostat is not a sensor, it is simply a device that controls water flow depending on the temperature of the water.

The thermo fan relay in the bottom tank of the radiator goes to a relay in the bank beside the RH strut tower.

For a water temp gauge (presumably after-market) you need to get a sensor that is compatible with the gauge. You will have to create a place to mount it, but generally near the top radiator hose is ideal (near where Mr Nissan put his sensors).

NewKleer Mentor

NewKleer

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so you typically wont/cant use an existing sensor to get water temp? (im not sure where the thread where mr nissan put his sensor, i cant even find a user called mr nissan here)

thanks

Trust33 Grand Master

Trust33

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Umm if you use a temp gauge like autometer that reads the temp from the water itself then all you need to do is T it up off a heater hose running allong the firewall.

But electrnic ones i dont know.I would like to know where to hook a sensor up if you were to run a thermo fan for the radiator though.

Im curious do thremo fans come with an inbuilt temp activation switch?Or do you need to make a relay up yourself?:D

NewKleer Mentor

NewKleer

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Umm if you use a temp gauge like autometer that reads the temp from the water itself then all you need to do is T it up off a heater hose running allong the firewall.

thanks - didnt think itd be as simple as that.

I would like to know where to hook a sensor up if you were to run a thermo fan for the radiator though.

Im curious do thremo fans come with an inbuilt temp activation switch?Or do you need to make a relay up yourself? :D

isnt there a sensor just for this in the bottom of radiator, the drain plug? mine has had its wires cutoff...isnt the stock air con thermo fan controller by this? (as my car is a conversion i cant check)

normally when u buy a thermo fan u have to buy a switch and setup relay seperately, if the car didnt already have this done from factory.

Trust33 Grand Master

Trust33

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Yeah mine doesnt have it but it does have the plug i suppose a temp sensor would be easy enough to source to fit and then just set up a relay to suit.

I gave autobarn a call today and they said that a thermo fan does not come with the relay.It has to be bought separate,it's temp adjustable and costs $90 and i think the fans are davies craig from $120.

NewKleer Mentor

NewKleer

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are there any downsides of having the fans permanently on, aside from longer warm up times?

btw check ebay out, should be able to get a thermo fan for less than that, and maybe ask whoever sells them about thermo switches, cause 90 seems a tad much also

blind_elk Grand Master

blind_elk

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Can I suggest that you stick with the standfard viscous clutch assembly that Nissan put on the engine. Unless you want to spend hours investigating air-flows and the like to ensure the radiator still cools the water.

I tried it a while ago, and I found that the engine would overheat on a slight incline at 110kph on a coolish (low 20s) day.

It's not worth the couple of kw gain to have your engine expire from overheating.

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