S50 which water temp sender?

[M3PO]

I know this has been beat to death but I can't find a solid answer.

I think the temp sender for my gauge is bad. And up to this point, I have ruined two senders trying to re-tap them for my S50. I can't find one that "just threads in" like everyone says.

Can someone please give me the correct part number that will thread into my S50?

[M3PO]

They all seem to be M14x1.5 and not M12x1.5

[mpowerful]

The only thread in solutions are aftermarket. Check markert motor works website. You can get one there.

[justin_l_]

The only thread in solutions are aftermarket. Check markert motor works website. You can get one there.

This guy is wrong, s50 is OBD1 and has two ports in the head for sensors. Remove the one for the e36 gauge and run the one for an e30 gauge. It can be found here or at most local part stores. http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-...or-12621710512

[mpowerful]

Shit. Missed the m50 part. Yeah he is right^^^^^

[mpowerful]

S50...same difference...damn im having a morning.

[M3PO]

This guy is wrong, s50 is OBD1 and has two ports in the head for sensors. Remove the one for the e36 gauge and run the one for an e30 gauge. It can be found here or at most local part stores. http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-...or-12621710512

I have an old E30 sensor in there now, but I had to rethread it. I've tried twice to order one that will just thread in but I've ruined two new sensors.

Do you know for sure that this is the right one?

[Roysneon]

Is this an S50B30 from a US car? If so there is no reason that a brown top e30 sensor from an M20 or M42 should not thread in in place of the E36 guage sender.

[M3PO]

Is this an S50B30 from a US car? If so there is no reason that a brown top e30 sensor from an M20 or M42 should not thread in in place of the E36 guage sender.

Yep, I pulled the S50 from a 1995 M3 here in the US myself. I have not been able to find one that simply threads in. They have all been too big.

Just a thought, I wonder if my S50 has an S52 head on it?!

Edit: I know the block stamp says it's a 3.0L

[M3PO]

The FAE sensor posted above appears to have M14 threads and not M12 like I need. :-/

[M3PO]

Well, I said screw it and I am going to delete the throttle body heater BS and run a REAL water temp gauge.

When I wired my X20, I ran a few extra wires under the intake manifold, through the harness, through the X20, and under the dash to add gauges. I guess now is the time.

[M3PO]

I think I may have figured out why my sensor won't thread in.

So my S50 has three water ports on the head. Right now, the front one is the throttle body heater, the middle one is the ECU sensor, and the rear port has the re-threaded E30 sensor.

Can anyone confirm for me that this is NOT correct? Is the front port larger?

[M3PO]

No body can tell me what size the three water ports on an S50 head are? Is one bigger than the others?

[zcenterb]

I can't speak to the size of the threaded holes, but i know my two sensors, cluster and ECU, were in the front on the engine closest to the radiator (i believe my cluster one was closest to radiator while the blue top ECU sensor was the second one back) and my throttle body heater was the one closest to the firewall. But as far as i knew the E30 sensor should thread right in the where the stock s50 sensor is (so the front most one). My be wrong though, i haven't switched my sensor over yet.

[M3PO]

Well, I deleted the throttle body heater loop today. All three of the ports on my S50 are M12x1.5. I ordered ANOTHER sensor and it doesn't fit in any of the three ports so I'm stumped.