2006 4.0 thermostat housing again

[Donthekawguy]

Ok I'm back on the housing again. Ordered another one just in case. Got the aluminum one out and have the same issue with the sensors. The gray one fits in both holes and plugs in to both plugs. The brown sensor fits in both holes in the housing but wont plug in to either plug. The thinggy in the pic that I'm pointing at needs to be in the middle of the sensor to line up with the groove in the plug. The other new brown sensor is the same way. The old ones I took out are gone but the sensors were too small to seal in the holes of the new housing. Both new housings are the same diameter for the sensors that came with them. I tripple checked when ordering from partsgeek that thw housings were for a 06 4.0 but the sensors are bigger on the new one's. Not sure what to do from here. The truck runs like garbage since I put the new housing in so im guessing the computer is reading that the coolant is hot or something like that. Also both gray sensors plug in both plugs and fit in thw housing. Probably not ok to use both gray ones I'm guessing.

 

[DILLARD000]

Is 2nd Aluminum Housing the same part# from the same vendor (PartsGeek) as 1st Aluminum Housing?
Sounds like this PartsGeek stock# is bad from their supplier?
Have you done an OhmCheck on the Sensors in IceWater@32f\0c & BoilingWater@212f\100c?
Gray sensor should only be for the PCM. Brown sensor should only be for the Gage.
Connector keys, shown at your fingertip, are different for a reason!
I'd try to get money back from PartsGeek, & buy an Aluminum Housing from Amazon\Ebay\Simmons.
Should not have thrown out original Housing & Sensors, need them for comparison.
Also recommend buying new FordMotorCraft sensors, not using what comes with any aftermarket housing.

 

[Donthekawguy]

Have not tested them. The plugs are keyed the same but the sensors are not. The housing I took off was plastic but I'm not sure if it was the original one. The first replacement is aluminum and the new 2nd replacement is plastic. All 4 of the new sensors are the same diameter. The ones I took out were smaller then the 4 new ones. The brown sensor is the one that is keyed differently then both plugs. The plugs are both keyed the same as the gray sensors.

 

[Uncle Gump]

The factory harness should have connectors that are keyed differently.

I would think someone may have changed a connector.

 

[DILLARD000]

Ditto on the harness connectors, that is suspicious.

 

[DILLARD000]

Does the harness look like it has been spliced?

 

[Uncle Gump]

I was thinking the same... but with a connecter pick tool... you can replace a connector housing in a minute.

 

[Donthekawguy]

I will go out and take a look. I doubt it has been changed though. I'm am regretting tossing out the old housing and sensors now for sure.

 

[Donthekawguy]

The reason I doubt that they have been changed is because I know the PO and the history of the truck but you never know. He says he doesnt remember anything like that but hes not very mechanically inclined so who knows. Anyway here is a pic of the connectors. I can't tell if they have been changed or not. I'm wondering if I had the plugs swapped and on the wrong sensors. The temp gauge was working when I started it up after puttibg it back together last time. The problem it was having after I swapped the housing was a very hard start and it had a severe hesitation when pressing on the gas.

 

[DILLARD000]

I'm suspicious one of those two Gray harness sockets is not original & has been spliced in;
may want to peal that black tape back to get a closer look?
2001 V6~4.0L~SOHC harness here has one Gray socket & one Orange socket,
each keyed uniquely for the Gray sensor & Brown sensor respectively.

 

[Donthekawguy]

Looks like that could be the issue. Not sure why someone would change that out. It did run fine before I did the swap but leaked pretty bad. Also the sensors that were in the old housing were smaller diameter than both sets of new ones I bought. Time to look for a new plug I guess. I'll have a look under that tape before I do anything.

 

[Donthekawguy]

After a closer look the orange one has been replaced with a gray plug. I just spoke with a Ford mechanic and he says is pretty common for tht to be done. He said I can either go to the dealer and try to find the correct plug or just shave down the offset ear on the plug and it will work because the only reason there is an offset is to make sure they are plugged in correctly or it will run bad like mine was. So obviously I had them plugged in to the wrong plugs. He also said to use factory sensors because most after market are garbage.

 

[Roert42]

I’ve seen before on aftermarket parts where they have a “universal” connector and a pigtail to match, that way they can have one part number for a variety of OEM parts.

 

[Donthekawguy]

Ok finally got out there and got it together. Fired it up and it starts and runs as it should but a new problem. The tem gauge is pegged and the low coolant light is on. Coolant is full and was cool of course when started.