Hi there, I am having problem with my jeep overheating. Can anyone tell me where the coolant temp sensor is on a 97+ 4.0 engine? The one for the gauge

 

thermostat housing.

 

I have that sensor in place an still nothing on dash. My understanding is that sensor is for the electric fan

 

Nope, it's a multifunction temp sensor. It feeds info to the gauge and to the ECU. The ECU then controls the Efan.

 

Actually, on '97 up, the ECU tells the dash gauge needles where to point and the warning lights when to light.

 

Gauge not working you mean ? On 96 ? Change this one ...

 

That is the sensor I need but i have a 97 engine someone put in a 96' and there is no port in the block for that sensor. That is where it is on my other 2 xj's but they have original engine. This one has been swapped

 

I was hoping they moved it so I wouldn't have to buy an inline setup to put it in the radiator hose (money is extremely tight right now so anything I don't need I don't want to buy, which is why I haven't done it yet but I need to get gauge working now)

 

Thanks for the info guys

 

Don't no if you can splice into that or not with wireing from rear sensor wiring.Theres no plug in where it was supposed to go...

 

I would have to run extra wiring to make it work

 

Or do this with correct 96 sensor and extend wire ....

 

What exactly am I looking at there?

 

......or make one of the these (copper nipple, brass bushing, JB Weld) to be installed in the heater hose close to the t-stat cover, along with extending the sending unit wires. For the most accurate reading, the sending unit needs to be installed in the coolant flow.

 

A tee installed where the sensor you changed and the missing sensor installed with extened wire from old sensor location ..better than no gauge at all.