Christine wrote:
>>the temp guage on the dash hasn't moved
>>from 'cold' - which i know isn't true !
>>is it possible that with the heat caused by the fan-belt break the
>>means of measuring the temperature might have broken ?
>>if so, where should i be looking under the bonnet to fix it ? "
Chris: The quickest and most surefire thing is to just change the sensor,
which is located on the thermostat housing and easily found -- it's right at
the front of the engine where the hose from the radiator connects, and has a
wire going into it. If I remember right, you just screw it out and screw a new
one in. I'd wrap a little teflon tape on the threads first to prevent leaking.
I've usually found this kind of breakdown is accompanied by damage to the
thermostat, too. Like the sensor, it's a cheap part and as long as you're in
there anyway, I'd change that as well for a fresh one. Don't forget to scrape
off all gasket/sealant residue (a single-edge razor works fine), and to
install a new gasket even if the old one looks OK. I usually apply a thin coat
of flexible gasket sealant to both sides of the gasket. One more thing --
follow the thermostat directions closely so that you put the thing in facing
the right way.
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