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I've been trying to locate the coolant temperature sensor on my 1981 with the L81. I can't find a diagram that calls it out. I thought maybe it's located on the driver side towards pistons 1 and 3, but that might be the oil pressure sensor I'm looking at (shown in the disorienting photo I attached). So I decided to take the easy way out and post for my first time on here.
By the way, this a great resource. I've gotten a lot of help off of here already, so thank you!
Well hmm. The sensor in the picture I posted is between the 1 and 3 pistons, but it has a black wire, not green. So the mystery thickens. That's probably it. Thanks for the response!
It is between cylinders 1 and 3.
Should have a green wire connected to it.
Craig
The temperature sender is in the left head between cylinders 1 and 3. The sender for your oil pressure gauge is located in the top left rear of the block, next to the distributor. Your 81 also has a sender in the right side head, between the number 6 and 8 cylinders. That sender controls your radiator's auxiliary electric cooling fan.
Well hmm. The sensor in the picture I posted is between the 1 and 3 pistons, but it has a black wire, not green. So the mystery thickens. That's probably it. Thanks for the response!
Is it black, or just stained and/or dirty? The sensor in your picture is the one for the temperature gauge, but I couldn't tell from the pic if it was black or green. The temperature wire is usually green, but GM might of changed it for 81, or a previous owner may have changed it. I lent my 81 Shop Manual and Assembly Manual out to a friend recently, so I can't can't confirm it's green right now.
Is it black, or just stained and/or dirty? The sensor in your picture is the one for the temperature gauge, but I couldn't tell from the pic if it was black or green. The temperature wire is usually green, but GM might of changed it for 81, or a previous owner may have changed it. I lent my 81 Shop Manual and Assembly Manual out to a friend recently, so I can't can't confirm it's green right now.
By the way, welcome to the Forum!
I can confirm that the wire is green.
My car is an ‘81 also.
The wire is probably discolored from the age of it.
Yup, you guys called it. The wire was just discolored. So that's a mystery solved. That does mean that I'll need a pigtail, but at least I'll be able to cross that off the to-do list for the car. Thank you all!
Coolant Temp Sensor location on '81
The temperature sender is in the left head between cylinders 1 and 3. The sender for your oil pressure gauge is located in the top left rear of the block, next to the distributor. Your 81 also has a sender in the right side head, between the number 6 and 8 cylinders. That sender controls your radiator's auxiliary electric cooling fan.
