Does anyone know the location of the sensor for the temprature reading in the overhead console.

 

Someone will tell you precisely I'm sure, but it's mounted low somewhere in front of the radiator so you get true ambient temp readings when driving.

If you get stuck in traffic and the wind is blowing just right (from behind you at a slight angle) sometimes you'll see the effect of the warmer radiator air falsely raising the temperature reading, then it will return to normal after you get rolling again for a few minutes.

Tom

 

DaWG ,

Under the black plastic radiator cover, just to the drivers side of the hood latch ( kind of between the headlight and the hood latch area behind the grille surround )

It is not in direct contact with moving air ( sticking out into the air stream ), but then again it is off somewhere between ambient and actual temp ( actual air temp and heat index or wind chill ).

If you need the parts locator drop me an email in my profle, and I can send you a jpg with the location from the manual.

Steve

 

Dawg,
would you happen to know where the temp sensor is located on a 97-99 Explorer. I'm using all the parts from an Explorer for my 150, but can't find this sensor.
Thanks,
Johnny

 

in the front of the radiator on the left side. mounted to the core support. should be black plastic.

 

Yea, it has a tapered end to it. You can see it if you look through the grille.

Thermometers and/or electronic sensors are not affected by wind chill or heat index. These are an estimation of the "feels like" temperature on human skin due to the increase or decrease of evaporation.

XLT_D

 

Exactly correct. Wind chill and heat index are calculations based upon several atmospheric conditions including wind speed and humidity.

RP

 

Then the gauge is wrong.
When I did FIPK testing last summer, taking the temp at O'Hare Airport, and drivng around O'Hare on Irving Park Road, the temp on the gauge was higher then actual air temp, but slightly less then the posted heat index.
Testing was done at 2:00 pm.
I got the temp off the weather station info at O'Hare, and then took the drive to do the testing. Got back and checked the temp again.

It does not read actual air temp, I have checked this through out the fall and into the winter.

Some how the gauge is almost always between the 2 numbers ( if there is a few degress delta between the 2 ).
If it is heat, it is higher then actual air temp.
If it is cold, it is less the actual air temp.

Strange how it is not off the same direction all the time ( i.e. if it were to be consistantly 2* F warmer then actual air temp ).

Don't ask me how this is, as you would think it is violating the 2nd law of thermodynamics ????

 

There is an old saying:
"Man with one watch always knows what time it is, Man with two watches never knows what time it is"

All measurements have some uncertainty to them. That uncertainty can be linear, non-linear, proportional or inversely proportional and in any combination. Naturally, that uncertainty increases as you add more variables. The fact that the error is positive in one case and negative in another is a function of the (truck's) measurement system.

In this case (simply put) we have two different thermometers (NOAA's vs. the truck's) and many different locations (static weather station vs. driving around).

I hope you don't expect too much accuracy from the truck's thermometer.

Even if you were to park next to the airport's NOAA weather station you can't expect both thermometers to report exactly the same temp. (They will from time to time but that's a statistical exercise I'm not qualified to profess).

Have you ever ridden a motorcycle or other similar vehicle? Then you know first-hand how the air temps change as you move around.

Is the truck's temp. sensor wrong?... No.

Your (our) truck(s) thermometer is reporting the correct temperature at that time and at it's location within it's measurement uncertainty error.

All laws of Thermodynamics are in full encforcement here I assure you.


XLT_D

 

XceLent, very well said!!!

 

XceLenT Driver,

When you put it that way, it is just ***** luck that they are between them. That makes more sense then my " I don't WTF is happening" post. If I did this on a regular basis, I might find that it read the exact heat index or the actual temp at any given time.
The other thing not taken into account when driving is the rising heat of the asphalt, and what that is doing to the temp gauge.
The fry an egg on the street thing, this could also be part of the higher then actual temp in teh summer..maybe ???

What I know about the weather, right now it is somewhat cold out, and it is going to be about the same on monday. That is about it

I don't expect it to be anymore accurate then in the right area ( 17*, 90*, etc ).

I use it for my current temp jobs, when I pul on to the job site I want to know if I need coveralls or to bring 3 sweat bands on the job

Thanks for putting it in terms a weather moron like me can understand

Steve

 

SS,

Hey you're no moron, looking at your post count it seems you've helped the members here 4X more than I have.

The heat off the asphaul, from other cars, the truck's engine, sun, etc, is exactly what I mean.

Anyway, "the more you learn, the more there is to learn".
( I don't know original author )

Later...XLT_D.

 

That just means that I am a post *****

BTW : free post !

I learned this from Josh, the best post ***** there is

Thanks again

Steve

 

I just had a plow put on my SCAB and the itas an amazing effect on the temp probe. I was driving home the othernight and looked up at the temp and it read 89 degrees F and eventually climed to 101. I noticed this the other day just after the plow was put on. Seeing as we still have about 3 feet of snow on the ground, and them real temp was about 38, this seemed strange.

Seems any restricted flow of air in the front of the truck really screws up the reading. I figured Ford would have put this sensor somewhere other than the engine compartment.

As I drove down the highwaym I tipped and lowered the plow a bit and the temp went down to about 82. I got home, backed out of the plow and drove down the road and about 40 to 50 seconds later the temp was reading normal.

I was worried that the engine was overheating but the temp gauge in the dash cluster hat not moved at all. Kind of strange.

I'm going to adjust my torrsion bars to get a little more lift in the front so I can drive with the blade down more so as not to effect the temp reading.

 

biggins,

Lowering your plow will have very little effect on getting more air to your radiator. The best way to get more air (and keep your engine from overheating) is to angle your plow to one side or the other. This creates a low pressure area on the side that sticks out further and actually sucks air in. (I know is sounds strange, but 10 years of plowing has taught some lessons.)

As far as your temperature readings go, I could believe that the area behind your grill - but in front of your radiator - did indeed get warmer because you were not getting any air flow. Your coolant temp might not have gone up much because your radiator was cooling properly - but working harder.