Post Moved from KA-T Forum (its a habit to post in there)

Ok, this problem has marauded me for about 3 weeks now, and I am stumped enough to ask everyone else:

I keep getting a check engine light, and when I blink it out it comes out as code 13 or 98, both of which are the same, coolant temp sensor. The logical thing to do is replace the sensor, I did, and it shot out another code on me. Whenever it blows a code, sometimes it will get a funky idle, it will surg when stopped from ~500-1100~ rpm back and forth, and if you hit the throttle and keep on it, it hesitates then revs and shoots black smoke out (unburned fuel). Now, I figured it was in the temp sensor I got, so I took the one off my other KA project engine and put it on my car, as well put the other harness connector that connects to the sensor on my car and spliced it in. It ran for awhile and then just shot a code on me tonight. I am completely frickin stumped on this, and the only thing I can thing of is the wires from the ECU to the sensor are damaged or are bad or something. I know it has to be the wires, because it has a good plug, and good sensor on it, therefore, unless the computer is screwy, it has to be the wires because they dont daisy chain into anything, they just go back into the ECU.

This is becoming a huge pain in the back for me, especially now since I am about the sell the car, I have to get this fixed ASAP. Anyone have ANY clue to whats going on? The only way I think I can for SURE fix it, is to run new wires from the sensor and splice them directly into the ECU.

I know someone out there has the answer, and I am about ready to try anything.

BTW, It is a 95 SE 5spd, and not a Cali model. Oh, and I already searched high and low for an answer, even called some places and asked about it, nobody knew.

Rick Merinahttp://www.ka-t.org <----Thats engine is for sale!

You did replace the 2 wire sensor correct?

Unfortunately there is no simple answer to this question. It sounds like you have an inermittant wiring problem. It could be anywhere in the harness. One of the places I have seen it happen most though are where the pins connect to the wires. You are just going to have to walk through the harness.

OK, The car just did a really weird thing tonight as I was driving home. The check engine light came on, the battery light came on, and my e-brake like came on even though the brake wasnt on, it wouldnt rev past 4k rpm, the indiglo's went dim, but my headlights and hi-beams worked and everything, but then the car wouldnt start, it acted like it was a dead battery and just clicked. Could this be a ground problem?

Rick

Could be, but more than likely your alternator failed. You can always try checking continuity across the cables to see if they are good.

Yeah, my alternator belt actually broke, and that is all fixed, but it was still giving me a temp sensor code so my neighbor, who is a subaru mechanic, and myself tracked the problem down to the ground wire on the sensor, so we ended up putting a new ground wire in, which it has had no problems since with temp sensors, but now, it has a bad hesitation problem, when you let off the throttle and then hit the throttle again it hesitates for a second and then goes, it is also having a hard time aclelerating after 4800 rpm, I think its either in the fuel delivery, or a vaccuum, or a combination of both. Anyone have any ideas what the problem with this might be?

Rick merinahttp://www.ka-t.org

EDIT: I am also getting a code 41 and 43 now, which are Intake Air Temp Sensor - 41, and Throttle Position Sensor - 43. It just started doing this AFTER we fixed the coolant temp sensor.

Rick

Have you repalced the coolant latley or done any work on the cooling system? If so what?

no and no, and the coolant temp sensor is fixed and fine, now im having problems with the TPS and intake air temp sensor. going to have a look at it tomorrow and if worse comes to worst, im going to just run a bunch of new fricking wires and splice them in at both ends.

Rick

95_240sx: Did your check engine light come on intermittently, completely at random? Would it stop if you turned the car completely off then on again?

No, it came on and was always on until i blinked out the error code.

Rick

did u ever figure out the problem my s13 is acting up it want idle at all and sputters and backfires with a major loss of power and is running rich, could the temp sensor be causing all of this?

Something similar happened to me. Two weeks ago I heard the typical sound of a loose belt in my 95 pickup truck. I tried to find which one of the belts caused the sound but found nothing. Last week the sound was constant and harder, but I was 5 miles from home and in a highway. Suddenly the alternator belt broke out and the break and battery red lights showed up, the interior and exterior lights of the truck dimmed down, but the truck kept running like nothing happened.

I noticed that the heat sensor needle was at its maximum and I reduced the speed, but I decided not to stop to cool off the truck because I was afraid that if I do so I won't be able to turn the motor On again, so I continued going home.

Luckily I reached home, that night was amanzingly cold -we are in Winter but February nights are warmer this year- and I pulled the hood to check the engine. I heard the cooling system boiling like a volcano ready to burst out. That boiling sound really scared me. On the next day I replaced the belts and tried to start the vehicle,but I had to use a battery charger because the battery was almost dead. Fortunately, it appears that nothing else has been affected by the boiling coolant liquid, still I think it was very close to damage something.

If your case is similar to mine, then I guess that in your coolant system there is something else damaged besides the temp sensor.

By the way, several years ago when I wasn't doing my own repairs in my cars yet, in a frozen morning my radiator burst out and I bought those radiator leak patchers that look like sand diluted in water. It did work for a while, until one day I noticed some kind of color vapors coming from the exhaust, and I made a comment about what was going on with my car to a friend. He laughed and told me that because I used such radiator patchers sold in auto parts stores, that I already have messed up with my car.

And he was right, my car started having similar symptons like your car, and I disconnected the small metal lines going under the throttle to find out that the famous liquid patcher was stuck inside them, I had a big job in front of me, too big for a guy who in those days didn't have the tools, neither the manual, etc...I donated the car.

Perhaps the hot coolant has caused the release of particles inside the system, I am not an expert, but I have had that painful experience mentioned right above with the coolant system, that if my truck develops symptoms like your vehicle, I might consider to inspect the whole coolant system first.