jtanabodee Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 Hi, I just got '92 Lotus Esprit Turbo SE last weeks. When I drove home I just noticed that the coolant temperature didn't go anywhere above 60C, which is strange. I had been driving almost 6 kms but the temp was almost the same. I was wondering what is the problem. Is the coolant is cool as it indicates by the gauge? or the gauge itself is failing? or the temperature sensor is failing? How would I check on this problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pureguava Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 Hi easy to check the the gauge - find the sender ( it’s a brass sensor on the big aluminium pipe in the engine bay just under the highest point of the timing belt in the left hand side as you look into the bay ) then with ignition on but car not running unhook the wire and ground it to something ( like the pipe ) and the gauge should go to far right. if it does not your gauge is sticking. if it is not the gauge you probably have an incorrect sender - it’s impedance to temperature is too high. If this is the case order the right one....... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtanabodee Posted October 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 I will try that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonwat Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 1 hour ago, jtanabodee said: Hi, I just got '92 Lotus Esprit Turbo SE last weeks. When I drove home I just noticed that the coolant temperature didn't go anywhere above 60C, Could be your thermostat (number 25) is stuck open, easy & cheap fix to replace. You won't get full boost if the engine isn't up to operating temperature. 1 1 Quote Cheers, John W http://jonwatkins.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarBuff Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 1 hour ago, jonwat said: Could be your thermostat (number 25) is stuck open, easy & cheap fix to replace. You won't get full boost if the engine isn't up to operating temperature. ^^ Common issue. Good preventative maintenance. Don't forget to check the coolant level for 5 - 10 drives after the t-stat replacement. You will need to add some as the air purges. 1 Quote Atwell Haines '88 Esprit Succasunna, NJ USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonwat Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 Can also use Freescan to check engine temp. 😃 1 1 Quote Cheers, John W http://jonwatkins.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtanabodee Posted October 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 Is this the temperature sensor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarBuff Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 Apparently, they moved the sensor location around over the years.... Here is a picture of one on an 89 SE. (Thanks Travis) Yellow arrow. Looks to be about the same position as the orange arrow, above. Quote Atwell Haines '88 Esprit Succasunna, NJ USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonwat Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 Aren't there 2, one for the gauge & one for the ECU? Quote Cheers, John W http://jonwatkins.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM Escape Posted October 2, 2020 Gold FFM Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 9 hours ago, jonwat said: Aren't there 2, one for the gauge & one for the ECU? Yes there are 2 temperature sensors. The one supplying the dash gauge is at the front of the engine, in the elbow on the thermostat housing, near the timing belt (as explained earlier in this thread). The one on the rear is for the signal to the ECU, so wont affect the gauge. Just to summarize, check temperature with Freescan or Espritmon if possible, to (literaly) get a second opinion. If you don't have diagnostics, an IR thermometer will also give you an idea of actual temperature. If that is also low and consistent with the dash gauge, check the thermostat. You could be running without a thermostat, and in addition to running too cool this can also lead to overheating as the bypass will remain open and you'll never get full flow through the radiator. If there is a noteable difference between the reading of the dash gauge and the ECU, check the wiring to the sensor (the high resistance from a bad connection will give a low reading) and lastely the sensor itself. Filip Quote I have made many mistakes in my life. Buying a multiple Lotus is not one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekwan Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 (edited) 23 hours ago, jtanabodee said: Hi, I just got '92 Lotus Esprit Turbo SE last weeks. When I drove home I just noticed that the coolant temperature didn't go anywhere above 60C, which is strange. I had been driving almost 6 kms but the temp was almost the same. I was wondering what is the problem. Is the coolant is cool as it indicates by the gauge? or the gauge itself is failing? or the temperature sensor is failing? How would I check on this problem? If it was an Elise S1, that would almost immediately point to a failed temperature sensor. That would be a notoriously classical symptom on those cars although I cannot say if the same applies here. Edited October 2, 2020 by ekwan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonwat Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Escape said: Yes there are 2 temperature sensors. The one supplying the dash gauge is at the front of the engine, in the elbow on the thermostat housing, near the timing belt (as explained earlier in this thread). The one on the rear is for the signal to the ECU, so wont affect the gauge. So, the arrows in the pictures are pointing at the wrong ones then. Quote Cheers, John W http://jonwatkins.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtanabodee Posted October 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 2 hours ago, Escape said: The one supplying the dash gauge is at the front of the engine, in the elbow on the thermostat housing, near the timing belt Thanks. I got confused since I have seen that photo with yellow arrow. Do you have the photo where it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonwat Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 1 hour ago, jtanabodee said: Thanks. I got confused since I have seen that photo with yellow arrow. Do you have the photo where it is? Part number 23 in the diagram I posted earlier. 1 Quote Cheers, John W http://jonwatkins.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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