Temperature Sensor Question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Spring Texas
Temperature Sensor Question
My Corvette is a 71 with a small block. I noticed that it has 2 temperature sensors. One is on the drivers side in the head almost inline with number 1 and 3 sparkplugs. The connector on this sensor is a round post. The other sensor is on the passenger side inline with number 6 and 8 sparkplug (flip the head around and the same hole is there). The second sensor has 2 spade connections but the connector has them jumpered together (ok, this is strange).
My question is: which sensor goes to the temp gauge and what in the heck is the other one for? What would happen if I didn't connect the second sensor?
My question is: which sensor goes to the temp gauge and what in the heck is the other one for? What would happen if I didn't connect the second sensor?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,135
Likes: 2
From: Dayton Oh
Bill: On my 79 L82, the one on the driver side is the sender for the temp guager and the one on the passenger side controls an aux electric radiator fan. No sure about your 71. I remember seeing a post or two about this and you might try doing an advance search. Anyways, here's a bump.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
The one on the drivers is for your temp gauge. It should be a single green wire that has a fabric heat shield over the wire. The one in the passenger head is for the TCS system. It is a primative emission control that controls the vacuum advance. Thesensor is just a on off switch to tell the TCS system that the car is up to temperatire. Unless you are an NCRS guy you can leave it out or just remove it and put in a plug in the head. Most if not all have been long gone and not used.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
The one on the drivers is for your temp gauge. It should be a single green wire that has a fabric heat shield over the wire. The one in the passenger head is for the TCS system. It is a primative emission control that controls the vacuum advance. Thesensor is just a on off switch to tell the TCS system that the car is up to temperatire. Unless you are an NCRS guy you can leave it out or just remove it and put in a plug in the head. Most if not all have been long gone and not used.
Here's the NCRS paper on the system if you are interested.
http://ncrsrmc.org/Downloads/Mar-2006-Newsletter.pdf
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Spring Texas
Here's the NCRS paper on the system if you are interested.
http://ncrsrmc.org/Downloads/Mar-2006-Newsletter.pdf
Thanks for the article. It was real interesting. Explained a bunch.
It seems that my car doesn't have the solenoid described in the article. So, I guess the passenger side gets a plug.
Now, here is the question that remains to be answered. Which of the two sensors is the correct sensor for the driver’s side? The parts store couldn't tell me. The parts computer list 2 sensors but didn't tell what side they go to.
The part numbers are WT357 and WT359. Which of these is the switch type and which is the temp gauge type?
Anyone know?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 0
From: Moon Township PA
It seems that my car doesn't have the solenoid described in the article. So, I guess the passenger side gets a plug.
Now, here is the question that remains to be answered. Which of the two sensors is the correct sensor for the driver’s side? The parts store couldn't tell me. The parts computer list 2 sensors but didn't tell what side they go to.
The part numbers are WT357 and WT359. Which of these is the switch type and which is the temp gauge type?
Anyone know?
Which temp sending unit do you need? Pull yours out and take to the store to compare. The two senders on your car have completely different connectors. The TCS sender has two spade connectors mounted 90 degrees to each and from an "L". The one on the driver's side has a single connector.
Gary
Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 702
Likes: 1
From: Sealy TX
St. Jude Donor 06-'07
Go to Letric Limited (www.lectriclimited.com) P/N 06400759 TEMPERATURE SENDING UNIT, all (correct resistance and connection, produces accurate gauge display) $19.00 
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Spring Texas
Go to Letric Limited (www.lectriclimited.com) P/N 06400759 TEMPERATURE SENDING UNIT, all (correct resistance and connection, produces accurate gauge display) $19.00
I had been discussing this using PM and forgot you guys don’t know that these temp sensors are going in after market Dart Sporster heads. The Sporster heads have 3/8th holes and the stock heads have ½ inch holes for the temp sensors. The part numbers of the temp sensors for the 3/8th inch holes are WT357 and WT359.
What I don’t know is the WT357 the replacement for the 06400759 or is the WT359 the replacement.
I do know the connection isn’t the same. The stock connector is a post type and the replacement (which ever one it is) is a spade connector.
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