Yep, that would be the feller.

You can unbolt the a/c compressor from its mount, (but, leave the lines on....) and move it out of the way to gain access to the temp sensor.

 

It pains me to say, but I have bitten the bullet and taking in to a mechanic next week. I don´t have private parking so the van is in a public open air car park, and therefore not a great place to working on it (and less so as it is winter)

 

Yeah, working on 'em outside, in winter, is a non-starter for me as well......

 

So, it looks like the van I bought could be a bit of a lemon (F**k!!!!). The mechanic has unbolted and moved the AC compressor to get to the sensor, and has changed the sensor. However, apparently there were no wires connected to the old sensor and he cannot seem to find the wires.....as if at some point in the past somebody has just cut them out. Would anybody by any chance have a wiring diagram to show the wiring for the bloody sensor and all of its connections to the ECU etc.?

 

Have a look here. Yes, it's a russian site, but, perfectly safe. Should have wiring diagrams for ya.

 

That was brilliant help. Thank you. I managed to get the wire colours from the diagram then went to the mechanics place. He told me he doesn´t normally touch electrical wiring as he is colour blind, but we found two cut and free wires on the top of the wiring loom that were the two colours stated in the electrical diagram, so the sensor is going to be rewired today supposedly. Plus he told me he had found a way around removing AC compressor etc to get to the sensor. May be useful for others. Using a small mirror and a deep socket that he fabricated himself, he managed to remove it from the inside of the cab.

 

If you can bend that way..... I know I sure can't.

 

So, after two months wait (I definitely went to the wrong mechanic) I finally have my van back. It turned out that apart from the black temperature sensor looking in bad shape, there were no actual wires connected to it. So the mechanic phoned me one day to go and take a look. Luckily I downloaded a wirinig diagram from the internet. Anyway, in the harness there were two cut wires not connected to anything, and they were the right colours for the coolant temperature sensor. Finally the mechanic hooked them up and now the van runs like a dream. It starts really easily, the engine seems to be alot smoother and no sputtering, and it doesn´t seem like the engine is going to cut out at Stop signs. Amazing the havoc that a coolant temperature sensor can cause

 

Without the temp sensor, the PCM thinks then engine is -40 degrees, and positively DUMPS fuel. If it runs at all, it'll run like crap.