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Coolant sensor

G

Guest

Guest
Hello all,
I want to be able to monitor coolant level in the system (not
temperature), but can't find a suitable sensor/sender. Any ideas?
--
Rgds,
Roman (London, UK)
'92 HDJ80
 
Roman,
Do you want to measure total level, high med low etc. or just
know that the level is OK? If just OK you could use a brake reservoir
sender. If you need more then you can get 12v senders for water tanks
that will cover about 6/8" and give a reading of high/3,/4/,1/2,1/4,
etc. These are made for caravans.
 
On 5/19/05, Clive Marks <[Email address removed]> wrote:
Clive,
What I want is a warning that I am losing coolant.Considering the
layout of 1HD-T cooling plumbing I think the best place to fit a
level sender is the aluminium pipe leading to the thermostat. It is
just at the right level and can be easily welded and threaded to
insert a sensor. That's why a brake reservoir sender and floating type
sended won't do. I've seen some industrial sensors but they cost over
a hunderd quid and come with their own electronics, which is a bit of
an overkill.
--
Rgds,
Roman (London, UK)
'92 HDJ80
 
Hi Roman,
Wouldn't a sensor in the header tank be sufficient?
Otherwise, what about a sensitive pressure sensor that clicks in when
the vehicle warms up?
OK, it won't cover you for when running cold, but once warmed up if you
have coolant leakage the pressure will drop.
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift, ARB
 
On 5/19/05, Julian Voelcker <[Email address removed]> wrote:
Julian
I've thought about it but:
- header tank - not very easy to work with and the position of the
sensor is critical
- pressure sensor - actually, when you start losing coolant the
temperature goes higher as the engine is now running hotter. Steam
fills in the vacant space and pressure does not decrease. I once lost
an engine because of this - the radiator just burst at the seams!
--
Rgds,
Roman (London, UK)
'92 HDJ80
 
Hi Roman,
Have you considered moving it and/or swapping it for another
make/model. I know a lot of modern cars now have sensors in their
header tanks, I would have thought that you should be able to find one
with a sensor that would fit in somewhere.
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift, ARB
 
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Roman
This may sound stupid, but aren't you trying to measure the wrong thing?
The purpose of the coolant is to cool, and it is when it ceases to do this (for whatever reason) that problems arise. So wouldn't it be better and easier to add temperature sensors to places where lack of cooling will show up first (cylinder head, turbo, top of radiator, ...)??
Failing that I suppose the radiator cap is the logical place to test for a drop in level, or failing that the top coolant hose - although how you would do this I simply don't know. I've read about both optical and ultrasonic gauges for aeroplane fuel tanks, but they cost a fortune.
I think measuring the coolant reservoir would be too little too late, since overheating won't draw fluid in from there, and the level only drops when the engine cools down again.
I can testify that if a LC *does* spring a radiator leak at the top, as mine did a year ago, it seems to run quite happily without overheating despite having the coolant circuit at atmospheric pressure. Mind you I kept it well topped up until I had radiator re-cored.
(On which note I'm coming to the view that these engines are over-cooled by the standard fan, as mine always returns significantly better economy in the summer. Probably good conservative Toyota design at work there, but it must also give some extra reserve against overheating.)
Christopher Bell
Devon, UK
1996 1HD-FT
| Hello all,
|
| I want to be able to monitor coolant level in the system (not
| temperature), but can't find a suitable sensor/sender. Any ideas?
|
| --
| Rgds,
| Roman
 
On 5/19/05, Christopher Bell <[Email address removed]> wrote:
s (for whatever reason) that problems arise. So wouldn't it be better and easier to add temperature sensors to places where lack of cooling will show up first (cylinder head, turbo, top of radiator, ...)??
a drop in level, or failing that the top coolant hose - although how you would do this I simply don't know. I've read about both optical and ultrasonic gauges for aeroplane fuel tanks, but they cost a fortune.
ce overheating won't draw fluid in from there, and the level only drops when the engine cools down again.
ine did a year ago, it seems to run quite happily without overheating despite having the coolant circuit at atmospheric pressure. Mind you I kept it well topped up until I had radiator re-cored.
by the standard fan, as mine always returns significantly better economy in the summer. Probably good conservative Toyota design at work there, but it must also give some extra reserve against overheating.)
Christopher,
to do this (for whatever reason) that problems arise
Agreed, except that:
- a rise in temperature is not always fatal for the engine, while a
loss of coolant usually is
- the loss of coolant always precedes a rise in temperature, it's
hardly the other way round
- a rise in temperature due to lack of coolant often happens too
quickly to be adequately registeredd by the dashbaord gauge.
to places where lack of cooling will show up first (cylinder head,
turbo, top of radiator, ...)??
Agreed, except that (as above) temperature is the effect while loss
of coolant is the cause. A delay between regstering the two things can
be disastrous.
test for a drop in level
Agreed, except that there's precious little space at the top of the
radiator to plumb a sender
late, since overheating won't draw fluid in from there, and the level
only drops when the engine cools down again.
Agreed without exceptions
Monitoring coolant level is popular with many engine makers, like
Volvo, Ford or VW. I remember there's an aftermarket gizmo sold in OZ
that switches off the engine in case of loss of coolant. Tha't perhaps
too radical for me, but at least I'd like to know. Finally,
considering the lenght of rubber piping in 1HD-T and the number of
hosepclips, I guess it would be nice if Toyota had thought of it.
--
Rgds,
Roman (London, UK)
'92 HDJ80
 
I have seen sensors that fit into hoses, if you can get one of these
that just measures the presence of liquid, and fit it to the top hose,
then it could be the cheapest, and easiest option.
Regards, Clive.
 
On 5/19/05, Clive Marks <[Email address removed]> wrote:
Clive,
Any idea who sells these sensors? RS has some but they do not appear
suitable for fitting into a hose.
--
Rgds,
Roman (London, UK)
'92 HDJ80
 
Roman,
Not right now, i'll do a bit of research later tonight.
Clive.
 
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