2008 2TR-FE coolant temp sensor

My temp sensor seems to not work correctly. Monitoring it with TORQUE it will never go above 199.4°F it varies 184° to 195° mostly

I foolishly thought changing this would be a breeze....

The sensor seems to be buried behind the intake manifold sorta above the starter.

I cannot see it

Anybody out there done this?

TIA
Matt

 

The sensor is not behind the intake manifold but it still looks like it needs to be removed to get at it.

I can put my hand on it. Don't know how I'd ever get the connector off let alone a wrench on the sensor.

 

What makes you think it needs changed? The Temperature range you mentioned is a little high anyway. Why is your transmission running so hot? Around 175 is normal and best if not towing. Getting above 200 and you are shortening the life of the transmission.
http://www.txchange.com/heatchrt.htm
http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/231
http://www.transmasterstransmissions.com/transmission.html

 

Torque is a smartphone app for monitoring your ECU
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en

Nothing to do with the transmission

The ECT is the Engine Coolant Temperature sensor

 

So why would you want you coolant temp to go above 199 degree?

 

it runs in the normal range mostly. But deadheads at 199.4°. The needle on the dash stays solid in the middle.

The NO 1 water bypass pipe failed catastrophically dumping my coolant onto the freeway behind me... Never knew I lost my coolant until it was too late

 

I don't. I don't know what it is doing. I don't trust the sensor.

 

Hey, I also have the 2TR, and since it is now getting cold out, I rarely see temps above 200F on torque. The only time it might go above is when I am stopped in traffic. But when I am driving, it is usually in the range your truck stays in. I would change the sensor unless it failed completely.

 

If the temp sensor is out to lunch it will throw a code. Read it with a real OBD2 tool.

 

When you lost your coolant, the sensor lost it's ability to measure the coolant temperature. Thus, the gauge wouldn't read hot, in fact, it probably read on the cool side, even if the engine was actually overheating.

 

I believe you'll find there are two temp sensors one is for the gauge the other is for the engine management. The app is reading the ECT sensor that is a major player in the over all running of the engine. The gauge temp sensor isn't. The better scan tools will read temps in real time and display them on screen perhaps you should get some one to read them before you start throwing parts at it.