so, ordered a coolant temp sensor from the dealer and i thought it would have a plug on it, it does not. instead i get this small little sensor that has a little metal extension with a hole in it and my mechanic says it should have a plug like this one.
https://www.carid.com/original-equip...SABEgIKj_D_BwE, which one do i replace? i'm going to get the one i posted a link for, but do i replace both or just the one with the plug that hooks up to the ecu?

 

The little one is for the coolant temp gauge. I call that one the coolant temp sensor.

The one with two prongs is the Engine Coolant Temp Sensor (ECTS) that connects to the ECU. A failing ECTS will send confusing readings to the ECU and usually result in hard to start conditions.

 

question is, will it also cause a stalling issue and spray to much fuel, as you know i've had that problem for awhile.i remember replacing the ects when i first got the max 14 years ago and it threw a code for it. no codes right now. should i check and replace the pintle caps and o-rings on all of the injectors just to be sure? i don't think the ects is bad unless your going to tell me that it might not be throwing a code, although the first one did at 10 years old. where to get a reliable injector o ring and pintle cap set? i have no codes on any of the injectors right now either, i think i'm also going to do the fuel filter being as that the plugs are black and cars been running rich.

 

Spraying too much fuel is probably the fuel pressure regulator or a stuck open injector. Or maybe you aren't combusting it all (spark plugs coil packs) or have a bad A/F upstream O2? Are you misfiring or just have fuel smell? If it's just smell is it coming from the tailpipe, evap area behind the rear drivers side tire, or under the hood? Intermittent or never goes away?

Make sure fuel rail is torque specd and the intake manifold for vacuum leaks

 

I have a 1995 and It will run fine until it hits opperating temp it will stall and doesnt want to start back up until it sits for quite a while could this sensor be the cause . Thanks .

 

sounds EXACTLY like what happens to my max. do you get any smoke at start up or fuel smell out of the exhaust? check for codes?

 

Replace both of them they're cheap enough..

 

Just to be clear, and I'm not trying to be a smart-a**, know-it-all 'er nuthin, but ...

This is what's commonly known as the coolant temperature sending unit and allows the dash temperature gauge to work. It's failure or malfunction will not impact engine operation or drive-ability. It'll just make your temp gauge quit working:


This is the ECTS (engine coolant temperature sensor) that communicates with the ECU and that can, upon it's failure or malfunction, impact engine operation and drive-ability:

 

Maxride, sounds like you need to replace your ects sensor. It's fairly inexpensive.

It adjusts electrical resistance in ohms as the engine warms up. The ecu uses that information to adjust how much fuel to feed the engine.

The ects might be telling the engine that its 40 below. So the mixture might be way too rich.
Even corrosion on its contacts might do that.

 

i will find out soon enough, hopefully replacing on Wednesday.

 

My 95' has the same symptoms. I figured everything that I have to touch is getting replaced.

Here's my parts list:

egr guide tube
egr valve
egr bpt valve
egr solenoid
fuel pressure regulator
fuel filter
all new gaskets
fuel injectors
fuel injector o-rings
blow by hoses
egr temp sensor already replaced
ects sensor
o2 sensors already replaced (need to have the tested)

Installed brand new exhaust from the headers down. Cat has failed and I'm getting a rattle from it. This cars been a pain since last summer...

 

Skywalker, that's quite a list.
I would have the injectors rebuilt at InjectorRX.com
Great fast service.

I cleaned the egr guide tube and system like I did.
I tested the solininids. No sense replacing good ones. They are not cheap.

You are on the right track though. You car will run well for a long time once you are done.

 

Last summer I went ahead and replaced the front/rear valve cover gaskets. Slapped it all back together and my car ran like ****. It's been running like **** since. Thought my coil packs went out so I had replaced those. Problem continued. This time I figured instead of guessing or wasting time I'll just replace everything I touch. Prior to the valve cover job the vehicle had 0 issues. Well it leaked out the valve cover.

Now that I have all these parts I just need to find time between work and family to get it done.

Good luck to everyone that's experiencing these idle/fuel/stalling/sputtering issues.