Engine Temp Sensor Diagnostics

[wake74]

1995 318ti, with M42 engine. I can't get water temperature gauge in car to work. When key is moved to on position, it moves about 1/2 a needle to the full cold line. I have pulled intake to access sensor. New sensor, in boiling water, no change. When I remove the sensor, and loop a wire between the two terminals on the socket, no change (should go full hot I think). When I put the dash into diagnostic mode (hold dash button, turn key to start), the temp gauge will cycle all the way to hot at the same time as the rest of the gauges. Rest of the gauges are fine during normal operation.

I'm not even sure where to go from here. I don't know of any other wire junctions to check.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Glenn

[spidertri]

M42 has two temp sensors, one goes to DME the other to the dash. Which one did you check?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...05&hg=11&fg=15

[wake74]

The rear one which I believe is correct for the gauge. I also tried shorting the front one as well just to check if the wiring was swapped. Neither made the gauge swing. I read that the connectors are color coded to match the senders (blue and black) but both my connectors were blue.

I am really at a loss for what to check next as the wires disappear into the squid making tracing all but impossible.

Thoughts?






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[wake74]

Closing out my thread. Something was wrong in the cluster. I swapped in a used cluster and have a temp reading now.