93 K1500 sensor

[bacon_taste]

Just got the truck out of the garage after a year, and check engine light was on. Looking under the hood, the sensor circled in the picture was unplugged. It looks like the female end on the intake is broken off and just has 2 bare metal posts sticking out. Anyone know what sensor this is?? The two wires going off to the right are grounded to the intake on the bolt for the radiator hose, and were like that when I bought the truck.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[hatzie]

Knee jerk says it's the CTS or ECTS depending on what acronym you want to use.

The wire nuts installed by the PO are a nice touch...

 

[bacon_taste]

Knee jerk says it's the CTS or ECTS depending on what acronym you want to use.

looks like thats what it is. guessing you just unscrew the old one and put a new one in?

 

[hatzie]

Yup just R&R. If it was a single wire I'd say don't use teflon tape or paste but this one has a reference ground or +5v reference connection from the ECM... either way it's not depending on an electrical connection from the engine. I'd lean toward the blue or yellow Gasolia petroleum resistant Teflon paste rather than tape because it's neater. The Blue stuff is used on LP and Natural gas lines and it eventually dries and lightly locks the thread against vibration similar to blue Loctite. The yellow stuff remains tacky. Either will work here.

 

[454cid]

Yup just R&R. If it was a single wire I'd say don't use teflon tape or paste but this one has a reference ground or +5v reference connection from the ECM... either way it's not depending on an electrical connection from the engine. I'd lean toward the blue or yellow Gasolia petroleum resistant Teflon paste rather than tape because it's neater. The Blue stuff is used on LP and Natural gas lines and it eventually dries and lightly locks the thread against vibration similar to blue Loctite. The yellow stuff remains tacky. Either will work here.

I use the paste too, but mine is white. I think I have two tubes, one newer and I assume water based, and the older one has an oil carrier. I don't think I've seen yellow. I think I used blue on something, but only because I was at my uncles, and that's what he had... I can't think of what I was working on, Though.

Edit: It might have been on the differential fill plug, where I used the blue stuff.

I don't like using tape.

OP, get rid of those wire nuts. That seems like it's asking for a corroded connection to me. I would probably use crimp butt connectors with the heat shrink cover, and dip the wire ends in dielectric grease before hand.

 

[hatzie]

The oil based stuff works nicely. I stay away from the water based stuff. I have all three types in my arsenal from running plumbing for gas, oil, and water in my older homes and vehicles over the years. It's cheap and it works

If you want your wire splices to last... use what's called Environmental Splices with the proper crimp tool not a pair of Vise Grips. They're used in Avionics repair. They look like an unshielded butt splice but they have two gauge holes in the centre to verify the wire is inserted past the crimp point. You can also see loose strands move in the gauge hole when you move the wire if you didn't crimp it properly.
You slide your length of adhesive lined heatshrink up one wire, crimp the connector on, inspect your crimp and slide the heatshrink back down and shrink it over the top. The main difference between this method and the pre-assembled weatherproof butt splices is you can get a good look at the crimp before you give it the business with the heat gun. I have zero re-work with these.
Some folks put a dot of flux on the gauge holes and touch the connector at the gauge hole with a ball of solder on the tip of their iron but solder isn't necessary or approved of in commercial automotive and rail wiring and absolutely not allowed in Avionics wire splices.

 

[454cid]

If you want your wire splices to last... use what's called Environmental Splices with the proper crimp tool not a pair of Vise Grips.

I can't imagine using vice grips to crimp a connector. I have a couple of sets of wire cutter/crimpers. I think one is an Ideal, but probably still pretty cheap. I was connecting a new pigtail for my new fuel pump. I mostly used the connectors that came with the pump. I was hoping to find some 3M connectors locally, but came up empty. I'll have to do a search for "environmental splices" before I do another electrical project. Thanks for the wording.

 

[east302]

Someone sure went through a lot of trouble to avoid replacing a $20 sensor. It kind of looks like RTV was used where it threads into the manifold; a new sensor would have sealant already applied.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hatzie]

I can't imagine using vice grips to crimp a connector. I have a couple of sets of wire cutter/crimpers. I think one is an Ideal, but probably still pretty cheap. I was connecting a new pigtail for my new fuel pump. I mostly used the connectors that came with the pump. I was hoping to find some 3M connectors locally, but came up empty. I'll have to do a search for "environmental splices" before I do another electrical project. Thanks for the wording.

You wouldn't believe the things I've seen done and the bodges I've repaired. Vise Grip crimps are tame in comparison to some.

This is a video on doing these splices. I have a knockoff of the $250 DMC ratcheting crimp tool but even the $110 knockoff is kinda pricey for Joe Sixpack. You can crimp these with a Klein 1005 Crimp and cut tool if you're careful to not overcrimp and cut off the wires.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[454cid]

I like that double crimp. Sometimes I have an issue with the wire pulling out of the connector. I had that happen with my fuel tank harness, so I had to cut off the connector and that wire ended up short. My crimpers are definitely cheap compared to what he was using.