April 13, 200817 yr Any ideas on how to get stop leak out of my cooling system? It keeps triggering a CEL (temp sensor) I can take it to JiffyLube for their radiator flush and reset the ECU, but a few weeks later it pops up again. I've now had 2 flushes at $80 a pop. (94 impreza 1.8 5 spd)
April 13, 200817 yr What makes you think it's the stop leak? What code is the CEL calling out? Most likely it's not the stop leak. I've used stop leak many times and have never had a issue. I would think you'd be getting other signs of something wrong if the stop leak was involved, running hot, little or no heat. I suppose it's not impossible that some of stop leak stuck to the probe of the coolant sensor and ruined it (long shot). The CEL only warns of issues with the ECU and related componets. A loose gas cap will cause a CEL, a really dirty air filter, even a vacum leak. These things affect ECU controlled systems. The coolant is not controlled by the ECU it is monitored. I don't believe no coolant in the system would set a CEL.
April 13, 200817 yr The CEL is for the temp sensor (which I've replaced after the first time) Then you have a poor connection, open, or shorted circuit for the temp sensor. As Screwbaru mentioned, The cooling system is not ECU monitored, other than to read a temp. Stop leak stuck to the sensor at the worst would cause a low temp reading, which would not set a CEL. Besides, you've flushed and replaced the sensor, so what would be stuck to it? Any Stop leak still in the system is surely cured and hardened in place by now. You need to test for continuity end to end on the 2 wires for the sensor. Wait, I just thought of something, are you sure you changed the correct Temp Sensor? There are 2. The small one with one tab connector is for the gauge. It's the bigger one with 2 wires that is for the ECU, and is the one that will set a CEL if faulty. BTW, Stop taking you're car to Jiffylube unless you want to have more problems.
April 13, 200817 yr About all Jiffy is good for is oil changes (and they manage to even screw that up at times)
April 13, 200817 yr Then you have a poor connection, open, or shorted circuit for the temp sensor. As Screwbaru mentioned, The cooling system is not ECU monitored, other than to read a temp. Stop leak stuck to the sensor at the worst would cause a low temp reading, which would not set a CEL. Besides, you've flushed and replaced the sensor, so what would be stuck to it? Any Stop leak still in the system is surely cured and hardened in place by now. You need to test for continuity end to end on the 2 wires for the sensor. Wait, I just thought of something, are you sure you changed the correct Temp Sensor? There are 2. The small one with one tab connector is for the gauge. It's the bigger one with 2 wires that is for the ECU, and is the one that will set a CEL if faulty. BTW, Stop taking you're car to Jiffylube unless you want to have more problems. What he said, and it possible to get a bad new sensor. nipper
April 14, 200817 yr Author Whatever the problem is it keeps coming and going. But when the CEL lights up there's no temp reading at all. Also, when I start it in the morning, it coughs, splutters and runs really weird until it warms up. I'll check the wires and connections. What's the other temp sensor? The one I changed is a metal probe about 1.5-2 inches long that bolts into the engine. It's got a dual wire connector attached.
April 14, 200817 yr Whatever the problem is it keeps coming and going. But when the CEL lights up there's no temp reading at all. Also, when I start it in the morning, it coughs, splutters and runs really weird until it warms up. I'll check the wires and connections. What's the other temp sensor? The one I changed is a metal probe about 1.5-2 inches long that bolts into the engine. It's got a dual wire connector attached. You replaced the right one. It leaves the connector and connections. The only thing that can give you a temp sensor CEL is a bad sensor or sensor circuit. Or a bad ECU but that's not likely. My .02$ Afterthought: where exactly does the sensor you replaced bolts into the engine?
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