94 VTI sedan D16y1 plug question

[caljones]

Hey. This is my first post here.
Bought this car three months ago, its great. While fiddling i found a wire that mysteriously stopped in the engine bay, followed it to where it starts and its a plug near the headers. Could someone tell me what it is?

Uploader wasnt really working so i had to embed the images.
http://i43.tinypic.com/sfkqz8.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/34zndie.jpg

edit- its the plug in the middle, the thinner one.

[hmetro24]

Water temp sensor
Clean all this grease, look bad

[bennjamin]

Water temp sensor
Clean all this grease, look bad

Won't pass rego like that !

Clearly a mild oil leak , clean it up and replace the gasket/grommet

[caljones]

if its the water temp sensor shouldnt the wire actually lead somewhere? instead of stopping two feet away?

[bennjamin]

The ECT that you pictured should lead into the Main wiring harness that sneaks behind the engine and up to under the engine bay fuse box. If its not connected the engine isn't getting a temp readout from the head. You will be showing a minor MIL code , do a ecu test. But otherwise try and find where it has been pulled from and reconnect it

[caljones]

Hey thanks for youy help. Should my temperature guage be working or is that irrelevant to this? because at the moment it does seem to be working..

[bennjamin]

Hey thanks for youy help. Should my temperature guage be working or is that irrelevant to this? because at the moment it does seem to be working..

Strange, as this sensor sends directly to the temp gauge. Here is a picture of the unit just to make sure we are talking about the same thing!


http://ucxagw.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pBW9MCvL5n_EtoTgztnIHUUx1OWdp_oM10KNpaUd2gSz-2NkUlWCVfZUm_FMEh1o3beJdBYBZW5NkAv3BwybdoYXn4Ws3e7 TP/sending%20unit.jpg

[dorikin]

Yes it should directly affect your Temperature Gauge as it's the Engine Coolant Temp (ECT) Sensor for the gauge unit.

[Banana_hammock]

When I did a head swap I almost broke that sensor trying to get it out of the old head. LUCKKYYYYY

[caljones]

I know the guy before me had to gauges that he took out prior to selling it, he may have messed with the wiring. because I am getting temp readings, where else could this be sending from? Would I have to trace all wires from the fuse box or is there a way of telling which one etc?