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Need Help! ECT sensor location?

2K views 22 replies 3 participants last post by  smurf stang 
#1 ·
I recently acquired a 91 ford mustang gt, and i have trouble starting the car after a 20+ min ride. It cranks for about ten seconds until the engine finally turns over. And when it does it idles kind of funny, but it still drives. I've been browsing the internet and i found out that it might be my ect sensor. I've checked my car dozens of times but i can't locate the ect sensor or the connector plug. The car has no heater tube, the thermostat housing doesn't have a threaded port to connect the ect sensor to, and i've also checked the intake manifold but no luck. Please help!
 
#2 ·
Well your ECT sensor is located on the hard line running along side your lower intake manifold on the passenger side.

Also have you run your codes? This is a simple and easy way to help start the diagnostics. It could be a few things......
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the swift response, but could you be a little more specific when you say hard line of the lower intake manifold? Would this require me to jack the car up and look from under? or remove a few parts? Sorry, i'm new to this kind of stuff.

---------- Post added at 11:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:03 AM ----------

Also, no i haven't run any codes
 
#5 ·
So this changes things a bit here......it seems like you car has a small conversion going on.
 
#6 ·
I've learned that my problem is not likely sensor related because the fuel system was swapped to a carburetor. Someone suggested that my problem might be vapor lock so yesterday after I drove for about 20 minutes, I poured cold water over my fuel lines and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Once I came out to crank the car it started up noticeably easier but it still wasn't the "start-up" I'm looking for. Today after work I plan to buy some heat sleeve and fiberglass and cover my fuel lines in it, then reroute the lines as far away from any heat sources a possible. I'll keep you updated on my progress.
 
#7 ·
Let's just use this thread so that you don't have to reply to both.

I'm not totally sure but I think that someone manufactures an electric fan timer module.
Again, I would look into what temperature thermostat is being used in the cooling system. If it is a 195 degree thermostat, I would install a 185 degree thermostat and see if that helps any. It is an inexpensive and easy thing to try.
Also, identify which carburetor you have, and learn the procedure for setting the fuel level in the fuel bowl. Too high of a fuel level can cause hard starts as well.
 
#9 ·
Sorry I got back to you guys so late. I was waiting on a thermal gasket to ship to me. So I?ve solved my heat soak issue but now I wanna start looking into another issue I?m having. My car accelerates pretty quickly. However once I get to around 20 mph I feel a huge hesitation and it slows down a bit. After the hesitation it?s smooth sailing from there on out. Please help.
 
#12 ·
By "stand-alone" I meant a distributor that does not require inputs from the PCM to function.
Edelbrock carbs can be tuned fairly easily. You will need a Edelbrock tuning kit to match whichever carburetor model that you have. There is a lot of information regarding how to tune an Edelbrock carb, so you will have to do some reading and learn a bit about carburetors.
It sounds like the primary metering might be adjusted a little bit too lean.
 
#13 ·
I?m sort of familiar with the basics of adjusting an edelbrock carb. I recently took the carb apart to adjust the float levels and float drop. They were way higher than the recommended levels. Now my car is having trouble starting. The previous owner swapped the stock engine out for a 350 I believe. So I think the recommended carb adjustments might not apply to my carb anymore. I?m gonna change the float level and float drop back to what it previously was and see if that helps. About the primary metering running too lean, are you referring to the metering rods? Or is this something a little more complicated? I?ve done a few searches online and I?m still unsure of what you?re referring to. Does it go by another name?
 
#14 ·
Edelbrocks are very easy to make adjustments to... Getting those adjustments to produce the desired results can be another matter.
Without being there, and driving your car, most of the tuning "help" that I can give you is going to be blind guesses.
You need to purchase the tuning kit for your carburetor. It will come with an easy to follow set of instructions to help you diagnose and tune it.
And yes. When I say primary, I'm speaking of the side of the carb with with the metering rods. The tuning kit will come with an assortment of different metering rods, metering rod springs, and different sized jets that can be used in different combinations to achieve the desired results.
Many people install a wideband gauge to monitor the air/fuel ratio of the engine under real time driving conditions. This can.help identify which adjustments to make to the carburetor.
I've never seen a Edelbrock carburetor work perfectly right out of the box. They always seem to need some tuning. So whether that engine is a 302, or a 351, doesn't really matter in that context.
 
#15 ·
I?ll look into that once I get payed this week. Thanks so much for the info. But one more question just for clarity. I noticed one of the only things left connected on the car is the barometric pressure sensor. Do carbs systems by any chance make use of baro sensors? Or did he just never bother to unplug it?
 
#17 ·
Ok now we have a big problem. After all the tuning and what not to the carb, I adjusted the idle a bit too high. The car was cranking but it wouldn?t idle. This morning I adjusted the throttle stop screw back to its original position (I was replacing the throttle cable and it turned a few degrees counter clockwise) and the car began to idle again. I shut the car off and went inside my house for something to drink. Then when I came back out I tried to crank the car and it just made one loud ?clank.? I tried again and it did the same thing. I?m assuming the engine has seized, so I checked the engine oil and it was low. But two weeks ago I checked it and it was right under the full line. I don?t have any leaks so this is a bit confusing to me. My question is, could improper adjustment of a carburetor cause it to seize? Or is it definitely because the oil was low? And why would the oil get low so fast without any leaks? My check oil light didn?t even come on.

I poured some marvel mystery oil into a few of the spark plug holes. I was only able to stick a funnel into the first three on the passengers side due to the limited space. I?m just really confused right now, anything will help. Thanks in advance.
 
#18 ·
It seems like this car was a bit of a half assed conversion. The carb adjustment would not have locked up the car (if it is). I would do what you are doing with the oil and try turning the car over by hand. The engine is a closed system so it either leaked out or was burnt out. I think you might have more problems lurking as well.
 
#20 ·
I don?t have a breaker bar on hand. I?m gonna stop buy an auto parts store and buy one. I plan to let the mmo sit in the cylinders for about a week . I haven?t tried to get a jump because my windows and other electronic accessories are working fine. Is there still a possibility that the battery is the problem? And what would cause oil to be burned out?
 
#21 ·
Yes. It is still possible that that there is an electrical issue. Whether it is due to a weak battery, a loose cable, a failed starter solenoid, failed starter... I don't know.
It is rare that an engine would seize without giving some prior indication that something is seriously wrong. Like a loud knocking noise coming from the depths of the engine, for instance.
The engine can potentially consume a considerable amount of oil through the combustion process if it has worn rings, valve guides, or valve seals. Many times, it is simply the valve seals leaking that accounts for much of the oil consumption.
 
#22 ·
Hello everyone and I apologize for responding so late. I got the car crunk today. Turns out it was the starter. I found out by tapping my old starter gently with a wrench then trying to crank the car. I could hear The engine turning but I couldn?t get it to actually crank. So I ordered a new starter and it just arrived last Friday but I wasn?t able to install it until today. I installed it, drained all the MMO from my cylinders ?? and re-filled the engine oil. I turned the key and after a few turns it crunk, and it smoked like hell. I let it run for about 5-6 min in park and I heard it begin to die down a bit, but it never actually died. I turned the car off and went inside for a few. When I came out to crank it again, the engine turned for a long time before wanting to crank; Just like it used to do before I put the thermal gasket in between the carb. The point of my long rant is I?m guessing my hot start issues weren?t fixed by the thermal gasket. I adjusted the float levels a few weeks ago before the starter went out... I thought I adjusted them properly. Any suggestions? My next step is taking the carb to be tuned professionally . Thanks so much in advance.
 
#23 ·
Since you got a hodge podge of stuff going on have you done the basics like firing order, plugs, wire, timing? Then comes the fun part like carb tuning.....
 
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