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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Low coolant sensor?
        
(Message started by: ro284 on Feb 2^nd, 2011, 8:41pm)

Title: Low coolant sensor?
Post by ro284 on Feb 2^nd, 2011, 8:41pm

I don't appear to have a low coolant display on my
96 2-9! i have a low washer sign , which i feel is rather less important, but i have both on my 24v 97! i lost a brilliant BOA engine because it split a hose, but the wife never saw that! :o There used to be a float sender switch on the Granada's But cant see where it is on the 24v, could someone tell me where the sender is please, i will fit one to the wifes 2-9.
i don't think thetre is one on my 98 2-3 either!
cheers

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by Matt on Feb 2^nd, 2011, 9:08pm

the level sensor is normally fitted in the under side of the header tank

from memory i dont think the 12v's had them, could be wrong though, not sure the dash has the bulb in it either

you could rig one up though using a 16v or 24v switch and connect it to a 12v supply and a led in the car somewhere

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by ro284 on Feb 2^nd, 2011, 9:29pm

Thanks Matt, the 24 does have a working display i-e comes on with ignition.goes off when started, the 2-9 does not have a display, i will have a look for the sender when it's not raining, as you say i could rig one up easy enough, i have a spare 24v, and to my mind it's essential!, i mentioned it because i would rather know there is coolant than screenwash! and surprised this seems to be omitted on the 2-9!
cheers

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by Tompion on Feb 2^nd, 2011, 9:38pm

It was dropped on some of the later cars so your 2.3 may not have it.

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by ro284 on Feb 2^nd, 2011, 9:52pm

Your right Tompion, i just checked, the 2-3 does not have it either, but the wife don't drive that one, i think i may do that one too though, i just fitted a new head! Ta

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by gozz on Feb 2^nd, 2011, 10:19pm

Bob.
I have had numerous 12v funeral vehicles,non of them had low coolant switches.The saving grace with that engine is that it can sing like a kettle,and being the strong cast iron lump that it is,suffers no harm.It's the alloy heads that buckle.
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by ro284 on Feb 3^rd, 2011, 10:12am

Thanks GOZZ, understood, it was a BOA alloy head that distorted! i guess i find it odd that when all the basics are there such as dash, quite possible wiring as well, what would be the saving? a bulb and a sender, that Ford had previously thought neccessary! in my old age i gave myself a treat and for 6 years have owned an incredible. Mazda RX7.The fastest plastic Lunch box. i have ever owned, ;D i mention this as they have an audible alarm if the water level should drop an inch! even the wife would never of missed that! but it worked well, As it is if i lose a hose on my 16v i could lose the entire engine as well! so will re-instate the low level on that one,
Thanks Bob

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by exaktaman on Feb 3^rd, 2011, 10:47am

Hi All,
How would you add this vital missing feature? What parts are needed and from where would you get them?
Regards,
Exaktaman

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by Highlander on Feb 3^rd, 2011, 11:03am

Baz fitted it to his...

on 03/22/06 at 00:22:30, Baz wrote:

The feature of the low coolant level indicator was removed from vehicles built after 11/97. i.e. it doesn't feature on any facelift models as standard (not that I am aware of anyway.) I fitted it to mine because i seem to get through a radiator every few months! The indicators are LED's and on the facelift models, the LED for the coolant indicator isn't even on the circuit board. The common thought that it lights up on the ones not fitted with the level float is actually the washer level LED lighting up. The float is fitted to all tanks, but the wiring and the sensor which clips into the bottom of the expansion tank is not fitted.

The wire is the thin green and white wire which has a joint in the connector fitted to the bulkhead just in front of the windscreen wiper motor. On the facelift cars there are only 3 wires, pre-facelifts have the 4th green white wire.

on 05/07/07 at 09:33:15, Baz wrote:

(Quick edit) the wiring was not in place on mine (so check where I have said below) and the position on the rear of the clocks had a wire going to the shorting out bar! I had to remove all that and using the wiring diagrams, work out which connection it was. That was the easy part!!

I fitted the coolant low level indicator to my S reg and as Highlander says, there is a sensor which "push and twist" fits into the base of the coolant tank. The wiring goes along the side of the car and there is a connection just at the back of the engine bulkhead and in front of the wiper moter. If you look on the little wall there, you will see a small connector which will have either 3 or 4 very thin wires coming and going from it. The level indicator wire is the white and green one.

When I did mine, i took all the wires off an older car and re fitted it to mine, right up to the clocks. I did have to solder a new LED onto the board because there was none on mine. I used a red LED as at the time I was loosing coolant quite quickley and it seemed more appropriate than the standard orangey/yellow

Baz

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by Snoopy on Feb 4^th, 2011, 8:25am

My 12v had the low coolant warning switch its was the later ones that had if dropped.

Mine was a 96 model so it was dropped after then I think from memory it was late 96 early 97.

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by mondeoman on Feb 5^th, 2011, 11:05am

If you get a replacement instrument cluster, then the only thing you need to do it solder a wire to the connector and put in the sensor?

Does that sound right?
That would save messing with the cluster i.e soldering an led and removing the shorting bar?

Simon

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by Mike H on Feb 14^th, 2011, 12:42pm

I'm guessing the sensor was dropped because it was unreliable. That's the trouble with these float/sensor thingies, when you actually need it to work, it won't...

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by Highlander on Feb 17^th, 2011, 11:53am

on 02/14/11 at 12:42:30, Mike H wrote:

I'm guessing the sensor was dropped because it was unreliable. That's the trouble with these float/sensor thingies, when you actually need it to work, it won't...

I dont think so, I can't recall anyone having a problem with one failing, they were just dropped from production.

I have heard of a few float switches sticking on and illuminating the low coolant light constantly but not failing as such with no warning.

i dont understand the reason behind it, I would consider a low coolant warning to be on a par with a low oil pressure warning.

I'm a paranoid 24v driver who constantly monitors the coolant temperature while driving anyway :D

I have in the past fitted coolant float switches and connected the wiring to the washer bottle warning light on later models as a lazy fix

Title: Re: Low coolant sensor?
Post by Baz on Feb 18^th, 2011, 6:39pm

Blimey.... 2006 when I did that was it????

It was a relatively easy fit but I did it the "proper" way using the parts from donor cars to make it a factory fiited look.

The later cars did not have the LED soldered into the circuit board on the dash, but did have the symbol on the plastic window, so soldering was easy enough.

I found it a very worthwhile mod and saved a couple of trips to the radiator shop!