Water temp gauge install

[dbratboy92]

I see allot of posts about after market gauges. Personally it never bothered me that my sonic only had a idiot light, until I had to replace my cylinder head because the light never turned on. Upon repair I learned why the light never turned on. Because both coolant temp sensors on the car are insulated from the engine in plastic housings. One is in the outlet housing and the other is in the t-stat housing. What that means is if there is no coolant in your engine because of one of the numerous leaks that 1.4 liters are known for, as the engine heats up the sensors will actually cool down. This is basically a PSA. As a dealer tech I highly recommend adding an aftermarket gauge. But I don't suggest putting one inline with one of those splice adapters,or tapping of of your current temp sensors. You need a gauge that comes with its own form of sensor and that sensor needs to be either in the block or
Head. So if your engine has no coolant the gauge still heats up. An oil temp gauge isn't a bad idea either. There are definitely more places to mount a oil temp sensor than a coolant temp on the 1.4 has anyone done this if so where did you mount your sensor? And what hardware did you need.


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[JTee2017]

Aren't there TWO wires connected to each temperature sensor? One would be signal and the other the ground. . . . right?

 

[dbratboy92]

Aren't there TWO wires connected to each temperature sensor? One would be signal and the other the ground. . . . right?

That is a good question I have never probed one. I know most sensors on the GM's are supplied power and, or have a 5 volt reference going to them.


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[Blue Moon Sonic]

I see allot of posts about after market gauges. Personally it never bothered me that my sonic only had a idiot light, until I had to replace my cylinder head because the light never turned on. Upon repair I learned why the light never turned on. Because both coolant temp sensors on the car are insulated from the engine in plastic housings. One is in the outlet housing and the other is in the t-stat housing. What that means is if there is no coolant in your engine because of one of the numerous leaks that 1.4 liters are known for, as the engine heats up the sensors will actually cool down. This is basically a PSA. As a dealer tech I highly recommend adding an aftermarket gauge. But I don't suggest putting one inline with one of those splice adapters,or tapping of of your current temp sensors. You need a gauge that comes with its own form of sensor and that sensor needs to be either in the block or
Head. So if your engine has no coolant the gauge still heats up. An oil temp gauge isn't a bad idea either. There are definitely more places to mount a oil temp sensor than a coolant temp on the 1.4 has anyone done this if so where did you mount your sensor? And what hardware did you need.


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This would be a nice thing to have. Sometimes wonder if I can even rely on the ultra-gauge for the water temps because that data comes from those two sensors. That would mean that it's actually getting skewed.

 

[dbratboy92]

This would be a nice thing to have. Sometimes wonder if I can even rely on the ultra-gauge for the water temps because that data comes from those two sensors. That would mean that it's actually getting skewed.

No it would be accurate if there is coolant in the car. The problem is when you have a leak in my case the outlet housing failed

. Then the sensors will cool down or stay the same tempeture as your engine cooks. I warped my head and blew my head gasket and those sensors never turned on the light.

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[dbratboy92]

You can see the sensor isolated from the engine. Putting a sensor in your hose amplifies this problem


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[Tormach]

That damn water outlet, same thing happened to mine.. I plan to find a place locally to see if they can cast one out of aluminum. I already know I'm probly going to have to replace it again in the future.

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[dbratboy92]

That damn water outlet, same thing happened to mine.. I plan to find a place locally to see if they can cast one out of aluminum. I already know I'm probly going to have to replace it again in the future.

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As a gm tech I am always replacing 1.4 turbos, intakes, t-stats, and coolant leaks elseware.


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[Gimpster]

I've noticed on my car the engine moves around quite a bit. Like I can SEE the shifter moving around quite a bit. Possible that front-to-rear engine rocking is putting additional stresses on this stuff?

 

[Natesriv]

I'm spliced into my upper radiator hose. No issues...coolant sits at 225-250 all day long.

 

[Maddmatts]

There is some advance warning if you're using something like an ultragauge. When coolant starts getting low, the reported coolant temp will constantly and noticeably fluctuate.

It normally sits pretty steady at 103C. But when running low on coolant it starts cycling between 90-110C.

 

[dbratboy92]

There is some advance warning if you're using something like an ultragauge. When coolant starts getting low, the reported coolant temp will constantly and noticeably fluctuate.

It normally sits pretty steady at 103C. But when running low on coolant it starts cycling between 90-110C.

I'm thinking an inline coolant pressure gauge seems like a good idea. Maybe use a lower pressure oil pressure gauge or a boost gauge. If your pressure suddenly drops you know something's wrong.


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[dbratboy92]

I've noticed on my car the engine moves around quite a bit. Like I can SEE the shifter moving around quite a bit. Possible that front-to-rear engine rocking is putting additional stresses on this stuff?

I work at a Buick dealer so most of the 1.4s I see are in encores and they don't move around as much like on my sonic. But most of the coolant repairs I do are due to the plastic they use getting brittle. They must of borrowed the plastic formula from Volkswagen. Our engines are German design. And most of the parts are made in Germany.


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[Tormach]

Do the encores have four mounts or three like the sonic..

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[dbratboy92]

Do the encores have four mounts or three like the sonic..

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Idk, I can answer that question for you on the morning. They have the same mount over the deep belt as the sonic though. Also changing a turbo is much easier on a sonic and Cruze than on a encore. The mount for the ac compressor completely blocks the coolant line from the turbo to the block on the air box side. It wasn't until the second encore turbo I did when I discovered with some fines you can get that banjo bolt by removing the cat instead of the compressor and mount.


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[dbratboy92]

Do the encores have four mounts or three like the sonic..

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You would think the encore would be easier to work on being it is bigger with the same engine but the engine bay is much more cramped


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[Gimpster]

That's a real bummer, but ... not too shocking I guess. My wife is all about VAG products, and ... yes I have swapped my fair share of plastic junk that breaks on it.

I work at a Buick dealer so most of the 1.4s I see are in encores and they don't move around as much like on my sonic. But most of the coolant repairs I do are due to the plastic they use getting brittle. They must of borrowed the plastic formula from Volkswagen. Our engines are German design. And most of the parts are made in Germany.


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[Blue Moon Sonic]

You can see the sensor isolated from the engine. Putting a sensor in your hose amplifies this problem


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Oh man, I'm definitely going to stop at my local dealership and grab this part just in case. Maybe we can petition BNR to make a billet aluminum one. Though, I'm probably going to do a full flush and get rid of the Dexcool.

I work at a Buick dealer so most of the 1.4s I see are in encores and they don't move around as much like on my sonic. But most of the coolant repairs I do are due to the plastic they use getting brittle. They must of borrowed the plastic formula from Volkswagen. Our engines are German design. And most of the parts are made in Germany.

Well, Glad I'm not the only one who noticed this. That would actually explain why my high pressure fuel pump bolts for my Golf are exactly the same as the coil pack bolts on the sonic. God damn that is too hilarious.

 

[dbratboy92]

Oh man, I'm definitely going to stop at my local dealership and grab this part just in case. Maybe we can petition BNR to make a billet aluminum one. Though, I'm probably going to do a full flush and get rid of the Dexcool.

Well, Glad I'm not the only one who noticed this. That would actually explain why my high pressure fuel pump bolts for my Golf are exactly the same as the coil pack bolts on the sonic. God damn that is too hilarious.

I'd buy two. I am sick and tired of brittle plastic


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[Gimpster]

It doesn't look like a particularly complex piece... if nobody wanted to spend the time modeling it for CNC, I think it could be done with just a flange + couple pieces of pipe. It wouldn't have the sweet curve anymore though, that's for sure.... if I was making it.

I'm seeing that low volume parts like this on the Sonic are a bit of a non-starter though. Maybe I'll surf ebay and find a used one and see what can be done.