trying to replace the ECT sensor. bought a new one (so, i know what i'm looking for). have the haynes manual (so, i supposedly know where to look). but, neither my father nor i can find the damn thing!! i have a 1996 EJ22 legacy L wagon. can someone post a picture or more clear coordinates than the one diagram in the haynes manual?

 

thanks!!

 

craig

<<trying to replace the ECT sensor>>

 

i've never heard of a ECT sensor on a subaru? what does it do and how do you know you need a new one?

Dude I just replaced mine on '96 legacy 2.2 last year. It was kind of a pain to get to. I needed various universal socket joints and a deep well socket to get to it. I took off the PCV valve hose and that IAC hose and some other hoses to get at it. And the Haynes manual is just plain wrong on this item. It doesn't use teflon tape to seal; it uses a sealing washer.

 

The ECT is the engine coolant temperature sensor, it is not the same sensor as for the temp gauge, at least not on this model year. It's an input to the ECU so it can select the correct fuel map for the given coolant temp I guess, at least in open loop. Can cause warm/hot start problems I think if it's getting wacky.

 

Basically, if you look underneath the IAC (idle air control) it's a couple inches below there. Here's a pic I had of the IAC from another post:

porcupine73,

 

sweet! thanks! i'll check it out tonight when i get home. looks like a real PITA to get to. i knew something was wrong with those haynes directions.

 

thanks for the tip on the teflon tape. i was already to go with that. i did notice that the new sensor i bought has a copper washer with it. guess that's the sealing washer?

 

cheers,

 

craig

Sounds good craig! My new one didn't come with a new sealing washer so I reused the old one fortunately it's not leaking. I think the biggest problem I had was getting the connector off the existing sensor 'cause it was hard to reach, so I used needle nose pliers to squeeze the connector clip and pull it off; fortunately it didn't break. Maybe I could have removed something else to make it easier to get to but I don't remember now.

 

Then it's pretty simple from there; you can get a deep well socket over the thing and take it out and put the new one in and push the connector back on and button everything back up and it should be good to go.

 

Yep as far as I know teflon tape is for sealing taper thread connections and this sensor has straight threads.

To reach the connector by hand, I also had to move the intake duct and unbolt the bracket that holds engine and transmission narnesses to the bellhousing, to push those out of the way. OE sensor comes with a washer.