Distinct

I've hit an all time low in car repair. Bought the engine coolant temperature sensor from the dealer yesterday and decided to do the replacement last night. Getting some misfires and AW indicates this is a cheap potential fix. It's only $6.47 CAD for the part and another $1.00 for a replacement o-ring. It's in a weird and awkward place on the back of the engine by the firewall. I have to remove one side of the accordian pipe to get at it. The lighting is not that great in the garage and I can't get it out for the life of me, then remember there is a retaining clip that I need to remove, the minute I pull the clip, hot coolant comes gushing out and burning my hands. There is coolant everywhere and the nice steamy smell is just rising up and giving me a chemical facial.

I'm pissed at myself for not letting the engine cool down enough. Then I'm trying to replace it, I forget to remove the original o-ring, so I can't get the sensor seated deep enough. I can't get the clip to go back in completely, I just move the sensor a small bit and the clip goes falling into the engine's abyss. So now it's 11:30 p.m. and I need that clip. I cannot start the car because I figure the water pump pressure will spew coolant everywhere. So I spend an hour looking all over with a ****ing flashlight for that clip. I'm banging the plastic shroud underneath praying that it fell all the way through. No luck. I'm stuck. I had to get CH888 to go to the dealer at 8:00 a.m. this morning, buy the clip (I ask him to buy two just in case) and bring it to my house where I proceed to complete the repair before work.

The clip is $0.50 and that ends my bad evening.

Runs so smooth and perfect now though.

Visti

Especially on a weekday. You know something WILL go wrong somewhere! That sucks man. I just my switch in the mail today. No o-ring though. Do i really need a new one or can i use the old one? How do you go about not spilling coolant everywhere?
Thanks

CH888 what a good friend!

VA_Esfour

Man sorry to hear that atleast you fix the problem

RKA

I knew a mechanic that opened up a radiator on a car he thought was cooled down. It wasn't. 3rd degree burns over his face, upper torso, arms and hands.

Don't do that again!

Oo.et.oO

that sucks. i've added lights to every garage i've had. most of them rentals. worth it.

Distinct

The pliability of the rubber was pretty much gone, though no coolant was leaking out of it anyways, so I'm sure you can reuse it if you want to.

Distinct

I don't get to work on cars as much as I used to when I was younger. So I got too excited and didn't wait long enough. Big mistake. I can still smell coolant in the engine bay.

Visti

What size is it? probably going to do it tonight

MingsS4

Thanks for the hints, I was going to replace mine today!

Let's see now...
1) Buy green sensor, o-ring, and extra clip
2) Let engine cool completely
3) Open radiator cap to release pressure <-- ?
4) Carefully un-clip sensor, then remove.
4a) Be sure to get the old o-ring out.
5) Install new sensor

AudiS4guy - NorCal

know exactly what you mean...its all just a learning experience though.