Chevy 350 Water Temperature Sensor Location: Know the Exact Location of CTS
Your chevy 350 car engine has started consuming more gasoline than expected, or your exhaust pipe is emitting black smoke consistently. Do you know what these symptoms are indicating? Yes, your car’s water temperature sensor has broken or is defective.
In such a situation, without having a second thought, you are thinking of changing the defective sensor, right? I know you are. But, it is quite predictable that the question circulating in your mind is where the chevy 350 water temperature sensor location is.
Almost all the Chevrolet 350 engines have the coolant temperature sensor in the cylinder head near the thermostat, and, often, it’s on the thermostat housing. Many cars, however, have a second ECT sensor in the radiator or other parts of the engine.
Okay, let’s not make any unnecessary delay because I know you are eagerly awaiting to learn more about it. Let’s dive into it.
Where Is the Exact Location of the Chevy 350 Water Temperature Sensor Location?
In mechanical terms, the name “Water Temperature Sensor” is not actually the correct one. Many acronyms have been coined for this sensor, but the most common ones are CTS (Coolant Temperature Sensor) and ECTS (Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor).
In almost all the Chevy 350 car engines, you will find the engine coolant temperature sensor in the cylinder head, near the engine’s thermostat. But in numerous cases, you may also find it exactly at the thermostat housing.
You know what? Usually, you find the ECTS (Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor) in almost every car engine in either of these two locations. However, you can see a second ECT sensor in the radiator or different parts of the engine in many cars.
If you are still facing difficulties locating the ECT sensor precisely, I believe going through the repair database or repair manual will definitely help.
Why is the Coolant Temperature Sensor Located in the Thermostat or Near the Thermostat?
Before you come to know the answer, prior knowledge regarding the functions of the Thermostat and the Coolant Temperature Sensor (CTS) is necessary.
The Function of Thermostat
The thermostat in the automobile is an essential component of the car’s cooling system. It is basically a valve that can be found in your vehicle’s cooling system.
Actually, the thermostat is responsible for regulating the amount of coolant recirculated back into the engine. At the same time, it also performs the circulation of coolant, the amount that is cooled by the radiator before it is recirculated back into the engine.
The function of Coolant Temperature Sensor (CTS)
Now, let’s talk about the function of the ECT sensor. It basically measures the temperature of the engine and the coolant and sends this data to the Power Control Module (PCM), the brain of the engine operating system.
Based on the data of the ECT, the power control module sets how much coolant should be regulated throughout the coolant system and the radiator. The calculated data is sent to the thermostat so that the thermostat can circulate the desired amount of coolant required.
Analysis
So, if you analyze the data provided above, you can infer why CTS is located at the thermostat or near the thermostat. Yes, you got it right.
The thermostat regulates the flowing of coolant in the chevy 350 car engine. On the other hand, CTS’s job is to measure the coolant’s temperature circulated by the thermostat, throughout the entire cooling system, to the radiator and the engine.
That is why the ECT sensor is located at the thermostat or near the thermostat so that it can measure the coolant’s temperature regulated by the thermostat and send the data to the powertrain control module.
Does All the Chevy 350 Car Engine Have the Same Location of the Coolant Temperature Sensor?
If you don’t find the coolant temperature sensor at the thermostat or near the thermostat, don’t think the engine doesn’t have the CST. A coolant temperature sensor can also be found anywhere in the engine connected to the cooling system.
At Radiator
As said earlier, sometimes, in many cars, a secondary CTS can be located at the radiator. It is because the radiator plays the most vital role in the cooling system. The presence of CST at the radiator facilitates the function of the cooling system.
However, the placement of the CST in this regard varies based on the use of the car. For instance, commuter cars, used for daily necessities, have the CST located at the thermostat. Only one sensor at the thermostat becomes sufficient for commuter cars, as they don’t have to confront severe heating issues.
On the other hand, cars used for drag, track, or off-road racing have a secondary sensor located at the radiator for more accurate temperature readings. The radiator is where a sensor can measure the most accurate temperature of the engine and coolant liquid.
At Any Other Place Within the Cooling System
Moreover, it is also pretty much expected if you find the CST at any place in the cooling passage of the cooling system. As the CST is a crucial component of the cooling system, different manufacturers put the CST at any place within the cooling system based on their engine design, formation, structure, and placement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Symptoms of broken or defective Coolant Temperature Sensors are visible and understandable. Because of the defective CST, you may have to face overheating issues of the engine, poor fuel economy, emitting black smoke, always the engine’s check light turned on, and bad car idling.
According to most experts, the optimal temperature range for an internal combustion engine is between 195 to 220 degrees Celcius. Complying with this range, the temperature range of the coolant should also be the same.
Remember that this range varies depending on the vehicle’s state; it can go up or down. For example, turning on the air conditioner or heater significantly impacts the engine’s temperature.
Remove the plug from the sensor, and attach either of the leads to the DVOM probes. Check the Ohm or resistance values, and evaluate how they stack up against the specifications provided by the manufacturer.
If the values do not coincide, it indicates that the sensor is broken. If the resistance value is infinite, this depicts a gap or open circuit within the sensor.
Final Insight
Well, that was all. I hope, from now on, you don’t have to worry about the chevy 350 water temperature sensor location (also known as Coolant Temperature Sensor (CTS)) anymore.
So, if you are facing any symptoms of the broken sensor, just look for the CTS at the mentioned places.
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