Where is the Chevy 350 Coolant Temp Sensor Location?
Engine issues are something you have to take very seriously. Temp sensor issues are one of those engine issues, especially for Chevy 350. The problems are so common that the model already has gained a bad rep because of this.
Whatever you want to do with your temp sensor, you’ll have to locate it first. That can be a little complicated if you’re used to driving other models or are a beginner. If you can’t find your Chevy 350 coolant temp sensor location, here’s where you can look.
Where Is the Coolant Temp Sensor on Chevy 350?
Surprisingly, the answer to this question isn’t exactly simple. The location of your coolant temp sensor depends on the ownership trail of your car.
If the car is brand new, then you can follow the general directions. But if you bought it from someone else and they have a little DIY tendency, the sensor might have a different connection.
For brand-new cars, you can skip everything and look around the cylinder heads. The cylinder head connection is the manufacturing default for Chevy 350 models. You’ll find the sensor on the right-hand side of your cylinders. It sits directly under the coolant pipe and is nestled between cylinder heads 1 and 3.
That is for a normal flow engine, though. If you have a reverse flow engine, look for it around the passenger side cylinder heads.
If you suspect DIY history, you’ll have to look a little deeper. A lot of people connect their temp sensor to the intake manifold. In that case, look for the sensor near your water outlet. Steves Nova Site users suggest the same, too.
Pop the car hood, locate the engine block and look for the L-shape pipe. Your coolant temp sensor will be near the pipe in both cases. If it is firsthand, the sensor will be right behind the pipe. If not, look for it on the opposite side of the engine block.
How to Know If Your Temp Sensor Needs Replacing
Okay, everyone knows the temp sensors in Chevy 350 aren’t built to last forever. You’ll probably have to replace them sooner than you expected. But before you replace your temp sensor, you’ll have to be sure that it was the root of the problems.
There are a bunch of symptoms that’ll tell you when your temp sensor needs replacing. Some of them are-
- Engine overheating
- Black smoke
- Check engine light
- Fuel economy fall
1. Engine Overheating
This is the most direct and obvious symptom. If you see your car computer constantly sending an overheat signal, chances are your temp sensor is messed up. A messed up temp sensor will keep sending false reports to the computer, sometimes permanently.
Your car computer only receives what reading it gets. So when the temp sensor keeps sending an overheat signal constantly, the computer shows you the engine overheat warning permanently.
2. Black Smoke
Black smoke from the exhaust pipe? Could be a faulty temp sensor. People usually don’t take that direction but it is possible.
Failed temp sensors don’t just send overheating signals, they can send false cold signals too. This can confuse your car computer and it will start mixing fuels outside the standard mix. With all the extra particles in the mix, the engine can’t break it down properly.
Since there are unbroken particles, they act more like crude oil. The chamber can’t absorb or burn them properly so you’ll see a heap of black smoke coming from your exhaust pipe.
3. Check Engine Light
This is the most obvious sign you’ll see, but it doesn’t really narrow the problem. Check engine light coming on means you have to check your engine for issues. The issue can be in the temp sensor or not, but you can never be too careful.
4. Fuel Economy Fall
When your temp sensor fails, the heat report your computer gets will be all messed up. Sometimes a bad temp sensor will keep sending false cold signals to your car computer. This means you’ll car will mix more fuel and burn more to keep the engine temperature right.
As your car starts burning more fuel than it needs, your fuel economy will fall.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The coolant sensor is located in similar places for most modern cars. The sensor is located right behind the coolant pipe. If you don’t know where that is, check between the cylinder heads of your car. Most of the time it is under the air intake pipe near the right cylinder head.
The temp sensor sends signals to your computer regarding engine issues. If the sensor goes down then you’ll keep receiving wrong warnings and signals. Your computer will act based on those signals. But since they’re false alarms, all it will do is mess up your fuel balance.
You’ll get pretty explicit signs if your coolant sensor goes down. Your car will keep getting the check engine light. It will also stutter when it is on idle and you can experience engine overheating too. Another sign of temp sensor failure is black smoke from your exhaust pipe.
There isn’t a set number for this but you can get a range. According to most car experts and mechanics, you’re good if your engine temperature runs 195-220 degrees. A 1-2 degree difference is okay but if the temperature is way off, then you should probably head to the mechanics.
Final Verdict
Temp sensors are important to keep your car running. Whether you need it for repair or something else, you’ll have to know your Chevy 350 coolant temp sensor location first.
Make sure to turn your car off and let it cool for a while before you try getting to the sensor. That way you won’t have to worry about burning yourself on the engine eat.
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