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Can the temperature sender that gives the ECM temperature feedback, be used for the temperature gauge also? Currently, I have two senders, one for the ECM and one for the gauge. I was cleaning things up and wondered if I could eliminate one of the senders.
It's not recommended to split the signal from one sender to two devices, at least not without the use of a buffer, but that gets more involved than just using a second sender.
There are CTS sensors that have 3 pins instead of 2, the extra is for a gauge. But I've never tried to use one...
those 3-wire senders are quite useful, actually... some of the later cars went to a single two-wire sensor and drove the coolant temp guage using either a PCM output or over the datastream. the port for the 2nd sensor sometimes wasn't present either, so either drill/tap or use the 3-wire sensor were the only "simple" options.
Get the 3 wire sender from a 98 Bonneville 3800 Supercharged. Top two pins (Black and Yellow) are the CTS. Bottom somewhat centered pin (Green) is the temp gauge. Hit me up if you need a pigtail and can't get one.
Attachment 6216
FYI - The response curves for the stock CTS and the stock GM temperature gauge senders are different. They look similar but they are clearly different.
Will it work with any aftermarket gauges? Or just GM type?
There are many 3100 and 3400 that use the 3 wire sensor as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonedawgz
What? Everything I've seen says otherwise. The documentation I have seen have shown the resistance curves to be the same between coolant senders and sensors.Quote:
FYI - The response curves for the stock CTS and the stock GM temperature gauge senders are different. They look similar but they are clearly different.
The third pin (to ground) sender is basically the same as the GM gauge senders have been forever so yes it will work with stock GM gauges but sure it will work with an aftermarket gauge if it can be set to the GM gauge response curve.
The upper curve is the CTS ECM temperature sensor
The bottom curve is the Temp Gauge Sender
I thought so too, but was not sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Six_Shooter
What about oil? Or newer sensors? Or newer gauges for that matter?
There's a three wire oil pressure sensor on a 2004 LS engine I'm working on.
For sensor pigtails I get all mine from Fastenal. Here's a .pdf someone made and put on the net that is same as last years copy that fastenal gave me.
Uhhh, take a closer look at that chart. The lower curve is labled as "60 to 66 truck sensor", which I can only assume means 1960 to 1966. Unless someone is trying to drive a truck gauge (and probably other gauges of the era) with a late model sensor/sender, this won't be an issue.Quote:
Originally Posted by phonedawgz
even that isn't a curve as much as a slope, you could get it in a 'good enough' range if you wanted to change it.... you can always put a bit more or less resistance on something like that
but yeah i can confirm that they're pretty much all the same; every gm service manual for every temp sender i've ever read from a fuel injected car is the same chart for resistance vs. temperature