ok f-body brain trust... hope you guys have some wisdom for me here.


i am replacing the original blown 350 LT1 with a 383 LT1. there seems to be some sort of mismatch between the wiring harness connector and the sensor that goes in the driver's side cylinder head between #1 and #3. the connector (pictured above) is intended for a 2 pin/blade sensor with a oval female receptacle, however the sensor that seems to want to be there is a 2 pin with the upside down mushroom-shaped female receptacle inside of the oval sensor housing. adding to my confusion, i read online that there are TWO temp-related sensors. one that goes in the water pump (which is similar to the sensor i described, and has the correct connector for hook up) which i have read goes to a relay in the fuse block which controls the electric fans, and then the cylinder head sensor which is SUPPOSEDLY a one-pin sensor that operates the idiot light in the dash. the wire that seems to go to this sensor is the ONLY wire on the harness that can reach the sensor, and is wrapped in heat shielding because it routes behind the header/exhaust manifold, so i am pretty confident this is the right wire. simply put - nothing else will reach the sensor given all the other connections, but this connector and the sensor are not a match.

can anybody tell me what i'm missing here? prior to the new engine, the car was factory stock with no alterations. if i could go back in time, i'd have paid a wee bit more attention during removal/disasssembly but that ship has sailed, so here i am.

 

The sensor that goes in the head definitely is a single wire sensor that controls the dash gauge. I will try to snap a pic (have an engine out of the car) of the sensor.

 

thanks - that would be awesome. if the wire that connects to it is handy and you can grab a pic of the connector and give me a rough idea of where it comes from on the wiring harness that would also be awesome.

 

Shoebox's labeled harness photo:

1995 Z28 A4 Engine Harness

Here's the detail of the dash gauge sensor connector with single wire:

http://shbox.com/1/harness7.jpg

 

thanks, those diagrams are very helpful. hopefully DrewHM can show me the pic of the open end of the sensor showing what kind of connector it is expecting, then maybe i'll be able to figure out who's on first...

 

Sensor part number, both AC Delco and GM shown on Shoebox's parts list page - scroll down:

1993-1997 F-Body Part Number Collection

Temp sensor n water pump feeds the PCM, which controls the fans, idle RPM, cold start A/F ratio, etc. based on coolant temp.

 

https://www.autozone.com/engine-mana...B&gclsrc=aw.ds


Use arrows for end view.

Uses the connector in your hand.

 

Thanks Fred; that is the jam.

 

ok. so i'm gradually converging on 'operator error' as my problem, and i think the connector i -thought- went to that sensor is actually the oil level sensor connector, and i need to use those wiring diagrams to find the right connector for the sensor. much thanks to all who replied!

 

Oil level sensor is just to the right of the coolant temp sensor in Shoebox’s photo:

http://shbox.com/1/harness8.jpg

 

Maybe these illustrations will help identify the harness. Pay attention to the cable routing and the other harnesses that are run with it.