Water Temp Sensor

[Mlarsen]

I've run into a rather interesting issue.

The sensor that's in the car is a 3 pin deal. Which is weird because the sensor I bought is a 2 pin sensor. I'm pretty much stumped at this point. Never really heard of a 3 pin water temp sensor. It's definitely has been hacked in by the previous owner. Anybody have any insight what this sensor is from or why the fuck it's on my car.

[jlevie]

What car do you have?

[Mlarsen]

That might be helpful, 89' 325iX.

[MR 325]

Just to make things clear, are you referring to the computer's sender, the gauge sender, or the sensor on the radiator?

[jlevie]

Okay so the car has an M20B25 engine. The ECT sensor will have two pins and the gauge sensor will usually have a single pin. The ECT and gauge sensors mount in the thermostat housing. The thermo switch (for the aux fan) in the radiator will have three pins

[Mlarsen]

The ECT Sensor.

[MR 325]

Very strange, definitely have not seen that one before. Does it actually have a matching plug connected to it? Do you have a picture available?

[Mlarsen]

Yeah, give me a couple minutes. My car is still hot, I just got to work.

It does have a matching plug.

[Mlarsen]

[jlevie]

Does it look like the connector has been spliced in?

AFAIK, no three pin ECT sensor has ever been used on an M20B25 engine.

[paperplane94]

yeah, that's wrong.

Somebody thought they owned an e31.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-BOSCH-0-...2661%26ps%3D54

[Mlarsen]

Yeah, it's been spliced in. It's weird, I have no idea why someone would do this. Let alone where or what this sensor actually is.

Tonight When I get off work, I'm going to put the correct plug and sensor in the car.

[Mlarsen]

yeah, that's wrong.

Somebody thought they owned an e31.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-BOSCH-0-...2661%26ps%3D54

Dafuq, that's it!
That's weird I wonder why someone would do that.

[paperplane94]

"This Mod will give the ECU more data to work with, +5 HP"

or something to that effect.

[jlevie]

Yeah, it's been spliced in. It's weird, I have no idea why someone would do this. Let alone where or what this sensor actually is.

Tonight When I get off work, I'm going to put the correct plug and sensor in the car.

The sensor rather looks like a temperature sensor from an OBDII E36. If that is what it is it has two sensors, one for the DME and one for the gauge.

Open the splice up and see how many wires are spliced. An E30 harness would only two wires on the branch for the ECT sensor.