| Author | Message | ||
| rich (Dino2400)
Member Username: Dino2400 Post Number: 339 Registered: 10-2001 |
To see if the gauge is bad or the sender is bad or the wiring bad, try this: unplug the wire from the sender. Touch it to ground somewhere - the gauge in the car should peg all the way over (you need the key on obviously). If it does then 99% percent sure the wiring is fine and the gauge is fine and the cheap sender is all you need. BTW, this ground the wire and look at the gauge test works oppositely for (most) oil pressure senders. If you unplug them, the gauge should go all the way and when you touch them to ground the gauge should read zero. Does the 308 have one or two temp sensor/sendors? Some Italian cars have two. One provides the info for the gauge and the other is more like an on/off. Once the car reaches a certain dangerous level (don't know what that is but maybe 220?), this second sendor causes the gauge to peg all the way over (even if all the way is 260 and the car is really not that hot) and may also light up a warning light to capture the drivers attention. | ||
| Lillo Morreale (Morcal)
New member Username: Morcal Post Number: 4 Registered: 3-2003 |
Yesterday did remove the water reservoir from engine compartment because of some leak. Just use a small hand pump ( like to drain wine from a bottle ) to drain the coolant into a plastic container ( about 1 gallon ).Disconnect from the reservoir the 2 pipes and remove the sensor ( under the air filter , in a plastic holder just between the 2 weber pairs ) and no one coolant drop will mess the engine. LilloM. | ||
| Lillo Morreale (Morcal)
New member Username: Morcal Post Number: 3 Registered: 3-2003 |
Yesterday did remove the water reservoir from engine compartment because of some leak. Just use a small hand pump ( like to drain wine from a bottle ) to drain the coolant into a plastic container ( about 1 gallon ).Remove the sensor ( under the air filter , just between the 2 weber pairs ) and no one coolant drop will mess the engine. LilloM.  | ||
| michaelthuber (Mikehuber)
Junior Member Username: Mikehuber Post Number: 80 Registered: 3-2003 |
Here's another suggestion. Take a couple of pairs of Vice Grips and squeeze the hoses coming out of the expansion tank shut before you start. I usually use some soft lining in the jaws, like wood from paint stirrer sticks to keep from damaging the hoses, then pull the sender. Only a very small amount of coolant should drain, if you have indeed closed the hoses. It should create a vacuum that will keep the system closed. | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 5846 Registered: 8-2002 |
You guys are right. Brain fade. The thermostat is under the air filter box. Coming from the driver side there are two large hoses and going to the pass side there are two smaller hoses going to the overflow tank and one large one going down. The Thermo is in that housing. | ||
| Jonathan (Birdman)
Junior Member Username: Birdman Post Number: 64 Registered: 6-2003 |
Matt, I'm pretty sure that only the temp switch for the fans is in the radiator and the sensor for the guage is in back on the engine. Where is the thermostat? Jonathan | ||
| Bob Campen (Bob308gts)
Member Username: Bob308gts Post Number: 689 Registered: 9-2001 |
The one on the radiator is for the fans, you can just drain out the top end of the system by removing the top hose of the surge tank insert a rigid plastic line inside of it and drain into a clean bottle. | ||
| Lawrence Coppari (Lawrence)
Member Username: Lawrence Post Number: 706 Registered: 4-2002 |
Just drain enough coolant so the highest level of coolant is below the height of the plug you are removing. I'm assuming a 308 has a reservoir tank just like a 328. | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 5844 Registered: 8-2002 |
Also, it could simply be connectors. Open the hood and look at the sensor and see if the wires are corroded. | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 5843 Registered: 8-2002 |
Jonathan, I believe the temp sensor is on the radiator in the front of the car. Pass side on the bottom. It's also a good idea to change the thermostat so it opens up sooner allowing the car to run cooler. No matter what, you will have to drain and flush the system and bleed it. It's messy. | ||
| Jonathan (Birdman)
Junior Member Username: Birdman Post Number: 63 Registered: 6-2003 |
Hi Guys, My water temp guage doesn't work. I checked the connections at the guage itself. I was planning on checking the sensor, but the thing only costs $8 so I figured I would just replace it. Now I see that it's buried under the air cleaner on a pipe between the cylinder heads. Here's my question...do I have to drain the coolant before I do this to prevent a gallon of coolant on the engine? The sensor is located near the top of the system. I'm just wondering how much of a mess I can expect when pull that sucker. Obviously I'm hoping that I don't have to drain the coolant. What a pain. Thanks. Jonathan |