Help Finding Temp Sender/Sensor

rchamberlin · **Posted:** Tue Jul 01, 2014 9:10 am

My water temp gauge does not work and I'm trying to find a replacement temp sender/sensor. I know that might not be the issue, but if it is I can't find the replacement on the volvopentastore.com site.

My engine is a VP 4.3GL-PEFS. I think I've looked through every section and can't find it either. I also talked to my dealer and he couldn't find anything either.

The closest the dealer or I could find is on the cooling page, part #30 shows a "switch". It's $70+ which seems like it might not be it.

Does anybody have any ideas on where to look for this thing?

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Tue Jul 01, 2014 10:59 am

First, do you have the "VDO" gauge cluster? If so, that is prob your problem. If not, go to any NAPA store and get the sending unit. DO NOT buy engine pieces/parts from the VP.com site. Unless you want to pay 10x the cost of a fairly cheap auto part. Go to NAPA with your engine info, they have a marine catalog that they can cross reference parts. And it won't cost an arm and a leg.

LouC · **Posted:** Tue Jul 01, 2014 11:02 am

The temp sensor for 4.3s is usually on the left front side of the intake manifold. I could not find a section of the on line catalog that had a pic of that, but l looked up a different model engine and it was there. I'm not sure if some reason they changed this, but look at your engine, see if there is a temp sender screwed into that area.

And I agree the parts prices on that site, are INSANELY expensive. I could buy 2 brand new Sierra or Arco marine starters for what they charge for one!!

different model #, same year range, part # 10, but its probably the gauge the senders rarely go bad......

http://www.volvopentastore.com/Intake-M ... _id.791177

rchamberlin · **Posted:** Tue Jul 01, 2014 11:59 am

NiagaraChillin wrote:

First, do you have the "VDO" gauge cluster?

Sorry I should've specified that I do NOT have the VDO cluster. It's been replaced (before I owned it) by the exact setup as this one. The gauge has fuel, oil pressure, water temp, and voltage in one gauge.

NiagaraChillin wrote:

If not, go to any NAPA store and get the sending unit. DO NOT buy engine pieces/parts from the VP.com site. Unless you want to pay 10x the cost of a fairly cheap auto part. Go to NAPA with your engine info, they have a marine catalog that they can cross reference parts. And it won't cost an arm and a leg.

LouC wrote:

And I agree the parts prices on that site, are INSANELY expensive. I could buy 2 brand new Sierra or Arco marine starters for what they charge for one!!

Thanks, I'm just trying to see if I can find the part # somewhere, but I didn't realize that NAPA would have a marine catalog to cross parts. I assumed I'd have to have the part # to get it crossed.

LouC wrote:

The temp sensor for 4.3s is usually on the left front side of the intake manifold. I could not find a section of the on line catalog that had a pic of that, but l looked up a different model engine and it was there. I'm not sure if some reason they changed this, but look at your engine, see if there is a temp sender screwed into that area.

Thanks for that. I'm going out to get the boat tomorrow so I can swap my failing water pump, so I'll take a look then to see if it's there.

LouC · **Posted:** Tue Jul 01, 2014 2:37 pm

Keep in mind that Volvo does not make many of those parts, that is a stock GM item no doubt and I bet the OMC or Merc equivalent of the same thing would work the same.

LouC · **Posted:** Tue Jul 01, 2014 2:44 pm

And if you have an ohmmeter and a thermometer that you can dip into hot water, you can remove yours and test it. Specs from my OMC shop manual:
448 ohms at 100*
128 ohms at 160
46.6 ohms at 220
they say to use oil and heat it over a flameless source but that sounds a bit dangerous to me, I use a pot of water suspend the sending unit in it and I have an old fashioned radiator thermometer to check. I use that set up to check thermostats too.

rpengr · **Posted:** Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:26 pm

LouC wrote:

And if you have an ohmmeter and a thermometer that you can dip into hot water, you can remove yours and test it. Specs from my OMC shop manual:
448 ohms at 100*
128 ohms at 160
46.6 ohms at 220
they say to use oil and heat it over a flameless source but that sounds a bit dangerous to me, I use a pot of water suspend the sending unit in it and I have an old fashioned radiator thermometer to check. I use that set up to check thermostats too.

Yes, it would have been nice if they gave the ohms at 212 instead of 220.

I haven't figured out an equation to solve other temperatures, but plotting these three known points on a curve, seams to indicate that 212 degrees (boiling water at sea level) would be about 340 ohms. EDIT: plotted the curve incorrectly. Correct answer is 53.3 ohm

Ray

tymorrissette · **Joined:** Tue May 31, 2011 10:03 am **Posts:** 225

Here is the equation based on that 3 point curve:

y = 2836.7e^-0.019x

X= temp in degree F
Y= resistance in ohms

rpengr · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2014 10:55 am

tymorrissette wrote:

Here is the equation based on that 3 point curve:

y = 2836.7e^-0.019x

X= temp in degree F
Y= resistance in ohms

Nice Job!

I started with your equation, then adjusted to get a perfect fit on all three known points. Had to add a constant:

Y = 1893.93e^-.01684X + 96.43

Therefore, Ohm reading at 212F (boiling water at sea level) calculates to 53.3 ohm
(Also, 32F calculates to 1105 ohm)

rchamberlin · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2014 12:51 pm

LouC wrote:

The temp sensor for 4.3s is usually on the left front side of the intake manifold. I could not find a section of the on line catalog that had a pic of that, but l looked up a different model engine and it was there. I'm not sure if some reason they changed this, but look at your engine, see if there is a temp sender screwed into that area.

And I agree the parts prices on that site, are INSANELY expensive. I could buy 2 brand new Sierra or Arco marine starters for what they charge for one!!

different model #, same year range, part # 10, but its probably the gauge the senders rarely go bad......

http://www.volvopentastore.com/Intake-M ... _id.791177

There's nothing in the intake that I can see.

Could this be it:

It's screwed in to the thermostat housing. If you look at the exploded view here, it's part # 30 called a "switch".

Jdpber · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2014 1:28 pm

yes that is it.

rchamberlin · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2014 2:22 pm

OK I'm still trying to figure this out and would appreciate any advice ...

(Keep in mind I still need to test the gauge/wiring but this sender nonsense is driving me nuts and I want to figure out what's happening)

The picture I posted has one connection point that's a spade connection with a tan wire connected to it. I looked up the part number on the VP site (3850397) to find a picture. This auction on Ebay shows a picture of something completely different with a different connection.

When I was at my dealer picking up my new water pump, he let me borrow one that looks like the one in the Ebay ad. I have a couple of wires that aren't connected to anything back in the engine compartment and I couldn't remember what the connector was. I took it home and the loose wires don't fit.

So my question is, do I order the one that's supposed to be in there, or try to find one to replace the one that's in there now? This is all assuming it's not the gauge or wiring.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2014 2:33 pm

take your sender to Advanced auto parts hand them the sender and tell them i need one of these. i paid $11 last wednesday for mine. The worker opened a bunch of boxes and got me one. if you hold tight until i get home i can get you the part number.. it was a 30 minute job start to finish for me and the sender works like a champ.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Wed Jul 09, 2014 7:59 am

this is the sender that i used and it worked great. $11 at advanced auto..

rchamberlin · **Posted:** Wed Jul 09, 2014 8:33 am

Jdpber wrote:

this is the sender that i used and it worked great. $11 at advanced auto..

Cool thanks for showing me that. Theoretically a sender is a sender right? Meaning if it works in your boat it should work in mine? Assuming that's the issue?

www.iFourWinns.com

Help Finding Temp Sender/Sensor

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