Last night I pulled my codes off my ecu because my 87SE has been acting wierd. It has taken longer for it to fire up when turning the starter over, it has felt more sluggish in the last week, and when you hit the gas it will do a quick hesitation then start going. I think I pulled the codes properly although this is only the second time I tried. I got 1red and 3green, in what I think is the diagnostic mode. So I look in my haynes manual to see where this is and it says to see the "timing belt" section to see how to get to it. Do these symptoms sound like the sensor has gone bad? Is there an easier way to get to this sensor? What are some tale tell signs that this sensor is going/or is bad. Any help would be great. Thanks.
Carson

 

Are you sure you pulled the codes correctly? Also have you checked that the wiring that goes to that connector is ok? I dont now how to get it out but I would Imagine it is a pain. Since its in the middle of everything. Near the water pump. I have never had to take this out, but I do know pulling the heads is a pain..well for me it is. Why dont u have a shop look at it?


-hec

 

yeah I think I may do that but I wanted to some imput too....I dont know what sort of symptoms I should expect from a faulty cylinder head temp sensor.

 

Symptoms of a bad CHTS, bad fuel mileage, excess richness, smoking, maybe hesitation, probably be a good idea to take out the voltmeter and do some testing to make sure it's bad. Also I'd try resetting the ECU, drive around and see if the code returns.

S

 

I think I am getting terrible gas mileage, but someone can correct me if I am wrong because I am really not sure what I should be getting. I use the car mainily as a commuter for work about 30mi/day of city/rural driving. Last time I filled up the car I was almost to the E mark and I had only gone 230 miles....I think it took me about 13 gallons (about 17.6mpg) to fill up...which I think sux. the car is not smoking and I am not sure if it is running rich or not but I am defintly having hesitation. Also will autozone or advanced auto pull your codes for you?

 

Do you commute on the freeway, or on surface streets. My car gets about that, but I drive 3 miles one way on surface streets. My mileage will go up much higher if I just drive on the freeway.

S

 

When I first pulled that code my car was doing what yours is. I only got 230 miles per tank also. But from the time I pulled the code to the time black smoke and 8mpg took place, was about 4 months. My mechanic said that he didn't want to take off the timing belt so he took all the other stuff off, when he got to the timing belt he left it. He told me he just pulled the back cover enough to get the sensor out. So you might not have to do a timing on your car. I have the part number in one of my other threads. I 'll get you the part number and everything.

 

most of the driving is on back roads with stop lights every so often, only about 2 miles on the freeway....and how can you check the sensor with out taking it out? And how hard is it to get to the timing belt in a 87 SE? I may just do everything at once.

 

I think you can test it at the ECU I believe without having to pull the sensor.

S

 

does anyone know if they can scan your ecu at autozone or advanced? if so where do they plug in? Thanks.

 

I think its the SMJ harness. It's under the sterring wheel. The should be able to get to it easy. It is just plugged into the scanner and bam your ready. Mine is blue I think so it should be easy to spot.

 

ok thanks for the info...I will check when I get a chance...so does anyone know if advanced or autozone will scan it for you?

 

If you do it yourself check this out.
http://z31.com/repairs/chts.shtml

 

The CHTS is part #22630-01P01 thats for the sensor
The harness is 24078-16E00
You should pay about 50 bucks for both.

 

Is your car an automatic? Mine only gets about 190 - 200 miles to the tank.

Tho if I remember correctly, it only takes about 11 gallons to fill it from the
empty mark - I don't think my gas gauge is quite right. Better to have it tell
me less than I actually have than more tho!

Mine doesn't smoke at all (except after hot starts for a few seconds, but
since the weather has cooled down some, that has stopped, for now, but
I do smell gas inside the car for a few seconds after hot starts now)...

But it has most of the other symptoms...

Last time I checked the codes, everything came up clean... let us know
how things turn out if you have the codes checked.

Scott

 

ok, I am about to fill up and this time I have gotten 275 miles to the tank(not sure how many gallons because I have not filled up yet). I dont know whats going on....50mile difference between tanks of gas doing the same driving? The only thing I have changed is the TPS, and it was replaced with one from the junkyard....so I dont even know if it is good. Also the other day I was sitting at a light in neutral and my rpms droped down to about 300 and the car was trying to cut off but it cought its self and went back up to about 1,000....what could this be? I have a MAF on my car that I got at a junkyard, I am thinking about putting the original one back on to see if that makes any difference....and my car still feels very sluggish...you really have to get up in the RPM band to get decent power. Also should'nt the idle go up after you turn the AC on to support the extra load? When I turn mine on my idle will drop down to about 600 and stay there. Any help?
*I still have not made it by AutoZone to have my codes pulled....and my 87 is a manual

 

Well maybe it's the way I drive, but I have an auto and can get around 220 miles per tank--usually very little highway driving. But when I go on road trips that are all highway, I can easily get over 350 miles per tank. I can drive from Rochester NY to Philly on a single tank. It also feels like there isn't much power at below 3000 rpm, then it really picks up.