hello
...i have a 85 dodge b150 van with 318 engine, i recently replaced radiator, waterpump, thermostat 185 degrees, fan clutch and tempature sensor, and idid all this because lately my tempature gauge would go up rapidly (very fast) when i turned on my a/c, so i thought i had an overheating problem, at first i replaced waterpump, fan clutch, and radiator and new hosesto be safe, once i did all this the tempature would still go up when i turned the a/c on, i was told by a friend that i should also replace the tempature sensor, i replaced the temp. sensor and the temp. gauge still gos up with the a/c on or not, at this point i have no idea what my sweet dodge needs, i found a radiator cap at autozone with a tempature gauge on it, after i replaced my old new radiator cap with this new cap and ran the dodge for a hr itshowed 200 degrees but my temapature gauge inside the van showed 3/4 plus, i would like to know if i need a new tempaure gauge and what should be the normal operating tempature of my dodge, this dodge never ever ran hot before and i would leave it running all day with a/c on here in florida, please help, how can i find out if my tempature gauge inside the van is faulty should i buy an after market gauge at autozone,but i would rather solve this problem and use my original gauge inside the van...
thanks and good day
peter

 

There are two temperature sending units. One is for the computer to monitor engine temperature and the second one is for the gauge. Are you sure you replaced the onefor the gauge, and if so did you get one for a gauge or possibly one fora warning light by mistake?

 

hello alloro
...i have no idea, i got the sensor from autozone, the location of the sensor that i have replaced is under the a/c compressor, also i just ran the dodge for over 1 hr with a/c on and my radiator tempature cap did not go over 220 degrees but my gauge inside the van was way up over 3/4 almost to the top, maybe you can tell me the location of the 2 sensors and i will go buy new ones, and how can i tell if i have a warning light sensor vs. the gauge sensor is there a visual difference between them, i thank you for your time, also what is normal operating tempature for my sweet dodge...
thanks and good day
peter

 

Not positive about your year but usually both are near the thermostat. The one for the gauge is behind the alternator,to the left of the 3/4" heater hose, which is to the left of the 2" hose,and the one for the computer is to the right of the 2" hose (and under the A/C compressor). Sounds like you might have replaced the wrong one. Once fully warmed up, coolant temperature is generally within 10 degrees of the thermostat rating, although 220 is not unheard of on a hot day driving down the highway with the A/C on. With Autozone you need to specify that you want the one for the gauge, otherwise their computer coughs up the other one by default.

 

hello allorn
...just looked at my dodge, and near the thermostat there aretwo sensors they are behind each other with two wires, she is an 1985 b150 van with 318 v8, and if i stand infront of the dodge and look at behind the alternator and under a/c compressor, that is the sensor i replaced it has 1 wire, what does this sensor do the one under a/c comp. , i am confussed...
thanks and good day
peter

 

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words!

Here is the Autozone page for the temperature sensor for the gauge.
http://www.autozone.com/R,APP262187/...ductDetail.htm

Here is the Autozone page for the temperature sensor for the engine computer.
http://www.autozone.com/R,APP224439/...ductDetail.htm

Now which one did you install?

 

hello alloro
...looks like i instaled the first sensor you showed, the temp. sensor for gauge, but i look at my parts package box and it shows part # tsu23 which i installed and it should be part # tu22, just like you said maybe i was given the wrong sensor, i will go back to the store and get the correct sensor and hope it works, once again thank you for your time and information...
thanks and good day
peter

 

hello alloro
...just got back from auto zone and was told that i was given the correct tempature sensor part #tsu23, i went back to the dodge to mess with her, once it got her up to regular tempature 200-220 dergrees, the temp gauge was way up, so i tried to remove the single wire from the sensor and the tempature gauge started to go down, so i have no idea now, i will try one more time and get another tempature sensor from napa or the dodge dealer, as for the two sensors that are near my thermostat they have what looks like vacum hoses attached to the side, when i am inside the dodge they are located to the left of the thermostat, i looked in my book and i can't find the two, no idea what is wrong with her, but i still think its the tempature sensor with the sigle wire, i hope so because i want that gauge to work...what do you think...can there be anything else wrong with her...
thanks and good day
peter

 

Yes, it's the one with the single wire. You wouldn't be the first person to buy a bum sensor.
That sensor with the vacuum hoses is for controlling the EGR valve. It prevents vacuum from getting to the valve until the engine is warmed up. It has nothing to do with your gauge.

 

hello again
...i went to napa and got a new temapature sensor, i replaced the sensor and almost same thing happens, my temp. gauge go's up over half way when the dodge it at 170 degrees, so i thing i am just going to purchase a regular aftermarket temp. gauge to be certain i do not overheat, i alsonoticed when i turnend on my a/c , lights and other accesories my voltage went down from 13.2v to 9.8v, i went and installed a new voltage regulator and now its at 15v and when i turn on all the accesories it go's down to 13.2v, i would like to know if i have to many volts or is this ok, i also noticed my ground wire from the battery to the engine was hot so i installed a new additional ground wireto the engine, i would like to know if i should install a ground wire to the body of the dodge, also is there a place that only sells dodge van parts, i need a door seal for my sliding door and i can't find one, only dealer at high price of $200 or so, otherwise she is in good shape, she will be going to georgia soon...
thanks and good day
peter