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Temperature Sensor Problem

apsdad

Cherokee Madness
Location
Ohio
Here's the background. 96 XJ; 4.0L; AW4; NP231; Chryco 8.25; A/C. Replaced the entire cooling system about 14 months ago - new Radiator (2 row), New upper & lower Hoses; new Water Pump; new Tstat; even a new temp sensor (the one at the back of the engine). Everything worked fine; ran at just under 210 degrees. Replaced the A/C condensor last summer to fix the A/C system. Everything worked great.
About two months ago, I noticed a small radiator leak that was not at any connection. It would lose a quart in a week and a half. It looked to me like the radiator tank to fin joint was leaking on the passenger side. Took it to the radiator shop and they verified that it was leaking and got me a new radiator.
I put the radiator in, and after filling it, I got a "Check Engine" light that was a "Temperature Sensor Out of Limit" on my code reader. I figured it just needed to burp. The temp gauge still shows it is running at normal temperature.
Took it in for a tranny fluid exchange. My son started driving it as a DD since his wrangler needs to have a new flywheel and it's too cold for that right now. He told me the serpentine belt rode up on the pulleys by one groove, and had to be trimmed narrower. We should be able to replace the belt this weekend.
We're still getting the sensor error after I reset it.
What should I look for, bad sensor?; bad wiring? What? I will check every pulley to see if there is anything wrong there to make the belt jump. But it's not making any funny noises like a bad bearing.
 
Update. I changed the belt and checked all the pulleys. Everything feels proper. Coolant is full. Ran it for a while. The same error code "Coolant sensor input out of range still is there, but now, it cannot be reset. It reappears right after reset.

Do I have a bad sensor?
 
apsdad said:
Update. I changed the belt and checked all the pulleys. Everything feels proper. Coolant is full. Ran it for a while. The same error code "Coolant sensor input out of range still is there, but now, it cannot be reset. It reappears right after reset.

Do I have a bad sensor?
That's a good place to start. The part is not too expensive. It is the one in the t-stat housing you need to replace. You might want to clean and check the connection first, might do the trick.
 
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