This is a simple switch so positive and negtive are irrelevant. You can crimp an insulated female spade to each wire on the van and plug one into each terminal of the float connector.
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This is a simple switch so positive and negtive are irrelevant. You can crimp an insulated female spade to each wire on the van and plug one into each terminal of the float connector.
It's just a switch. 2 wires coming from van harness hook to the 2 wires coming from switch. No particular order necessary. Rather than hack your $100 switch, I'd probably put some female spade connectors on the van harness (where those butt connectors are) and plug those into the new float switch harness. Tim
One simple thing would be to put female spade connectors on the ends of the wires on the harness, and plug them on to the male spades in the connector shell. You might want to tape around the outside of the metal part so there's no chance the connectors will touch.
Attachment 3791
This is what should be on the harness, which can be bought here: http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Met.../w38c005-5.htm
Attachment 3792
Update... I missed the two response before mine (they snuck on to the next page, that's my story and I'm sticking to it). Sorry for the redundancy.
Oops, that link is for the female shell, but the one on the harness is the male side:
http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Met.../w38c004-5.htm
Thanks for all the info and tips, guys.
I was thinking about getting one of those heat-shrink tube kits to keep it all
clean looking. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Also plan on doing the clumping cat litter cleaning trick. (no cat emoji available):doh:
How does the tank come out? I have searched the manual and this site with no luck.
My float sensor is no longer floating!
Take the lid off and stick your left thumb inside the tank (you'll need it there to get a good grip). Take your right hand and reach under the right side of the tank. You'll need to manhandle the tank with extreme side to side rocking force while lifting straight up at the same time. Tank should pop-off the bracket. If it doesn't you're not being aggressive enough. It's all about knowing you can do it. It's all about knowing how much pressure to put and where. It will come off. Tim
Wow, perfect timing for this thread to resurface. I've been trying to track down a random wet spot under my van for a bit and the coolant reservoir is the culprit. I like the expandable freeze plug solution.... just peeking into the reservoir every time you check the oil isn't hard at all.
But, I may have lucked out for a bit since my parts van has a reservoir that isn't leaking at all, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time before it starts.
Thanks to everyone for sharing their solutions.
Cheap fix , a boat plug fits perfect in the hole , turn the plug until it expands and you will not have anymore leaks . Checking your coolant level in the resevoir is not hard at all !!!!
I wrote:Anyone have any suggestions for a heat gun? There are a gazillion to choose from. I might go for this one:Quote:
I was thinking about getting one of those heat-shrink tube kits to keep it all
clean looking.
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=24073
Hey all --I managed to fix this as well using information from this thread, and I thought I'd share!
I ended up starting with the black RTV as a bandaid, and it did last for a good 6-10 months, but I noticed when replacing my radiator that it had developed some weeps (probably from re-disturbing it removing it from the van).
I wanted a more permanent solution, but I'm also a poor so I started hunting for a rubber seal that would do the trick.Using the rough measurements from this thread, I started looking for a 3/4" ID and roughly 1" OD at the groove to seal it up. Google indicated that a PCV seal from a 70's Monte Carlo (sweeeet) would work, and that my big box parts place had it in stock. The sizing was right but the bore went through at an angle. I assumed this wouldn't work as it would interfere with the proper function of the float. I did some eyeballing on the other available units and found that DORMAN 42049, for a Ford Taurus (less sweet) was almost identical, with the added benefit of being a little beefier at the bottom.
I "SlugLoafed" the tank, ripped apart my nasty RTV repair, cleaned all the goop up on the outside and went to work.
I figured out there's a reason that Toyota sells this as a combined unit - getting that rubber grommet over the larger float is not easy at all. I ended up flipping it inside out as the previous post suggested, putting the grommet in boiling water and then really forcing it on with the round edge of a tiny open-end wrench.
http://i.imgur.com/Qd2qEfU.jpg
It sat nicely in the bottom of the bottle but felt way too loose to hold liquid, UNTIL I crammed the bottom of the sensor into it.
The original locking ring has nowhere to go, as I didn't create a new groove for it on the grommet, but it sealed up very snugly and it doesn't leak a bit.
It's been back in service for about a week and it's dry as a bone. The sensor works properly, though I suppose it won't turn on until it's a little lower than factory given that the sensor sits on the outside of the rubber. (I assume you're all monitoring your cooling systems with more care than waiting for an idiot light, though.) I'll update if it fails for some reason, but for three bucks it seemed worth the attempt!
Nice! is there a replacement part number for that unit? mine doesn't leak but the seal is older and the wiring is busted, so my rad light is always on.
^ replacement part from page 1 of this thread: Toyota 85335-73010
btw: i found another grommet that works well with NO modification. fits the sensor and the reservoir tank nice and tight:
Dorman 42055 PCV Valve Grommet
been in there 3 months no leaks or problems.
be xtra careful inserting sensor into the grommet and then into the reservoir tank (maybe use a little grease or silicone spray) those yellow wires can snap off very easy (ask me how i know) and you'll need to re-solder back together.
Attachment 5059
yeah i was referring to the whole assembly - i see the part numbers now. thanks!
i snapped my yellow wires too :doh:
rather than buy a soldering iron and fiddle with it i'd rather replace the whole plug/float unit including the harness...kinda pricey though. might just fix it myself.
I'm not sure if there's a reason you're putting the grommet on the sensor 1st, but typically the grommet would be inserted into the bottle 1st, then the sensor should slide right in (no need for boiling water and other such headaches). Tim
PS: Great information regarding the Dorman and other such parts! This is the type of information that will help save others lots of $$$. Thank you!
The reason I did it the above way was because the OD of the sliding bit is larger enough than the sensor body to make it pretty difficult to put on. In hindsight however, having the grommet steadied on the bottle might have made it easier. If I ever have to do it again, I'll try it that way first! (I really hope I don't have to do it for a long time, though)
Here's one more photo of the grommet installed so you all can get a sense of where it sits when installed.
http://i.imgur.com/SJL4Nzw.jpg
Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW vanwagon
PNW, one of my yellow wires broke off at the base of the tank when i lifted it out of the way to replace my alternator. is it pretty easy to solder? i have a cheap-o soldering iron that I'm very inexperienced with (only used it once or twice) so I'm planning on giving it a go but thought id check with you for any tips to get it done proper.
Nice work finding the Dorman grommet! When my RTV repair finally lets go I'll fix it with that.
So far, so good, though, the RTV has held without losing a drop for nearly three years.
yep this was my first time soldering as well and i bought the cheapest smallest soldering iron from harbor freight. my situation was additionally challenging as the wire broke off inside the plastic bottom of the sensor. i had to carefully cut a half moon section out of the plastic with an x-acto knife to expose the wire inside. and very carefully get a hot blob of solder on the yellow wire and get it stuck onto the exposed wire inside. it worked! i've checked it a couple times when the engine's hot and cold. i figured what do i have to lose to attempt a repair and if it fails later down the road i'll buy a new part.Quote:
Originally Posted by mistershmi
just go slow. and don't worry: worst case scenario you have to buy a new sensor.
this isn't my photo of my sensor but here's about how much plastic i cut out to get to the wire:
Attachment 5197
awesome, great advice. mine broke off exactly the same way as you described. ill give it a try! would be nice to save the $100 it costs for a new one!Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW vanwagon
Ok. So, standing on the shoulders of those who came before me, I believe I have come up with the DEFINITIVE way to successfully tackle this job, relatively easily and for under $3.00 to boot.
I started off by buying the Dorman 42055 PCV Valve Grommet that PNW Vanwagon found. After pulling the tank, cleaning up all the busted rubber, glue, and RTV the previous owner slapped on there, it became readily apparent that this isn't going back together using shear muscles or brute force. The float is physically larger than the inside diameter of the grommet, and the float, while not fragile in and of itself, slides on a plastic shaft which is absolutely fragile. Going all Rambo on it is just going to snap the sensor and that's it.
After staring at it for a while, and pointlessly trying to force a round peg into a noticeably smaller round hole, I had an idea. The float on the end of the sensor is the same size as an 18mm socket. So, first I muscled the grommet onto a 17mm socket as it was a little more manageable and allowed the grommet to stretch a little bit. Then I slid the grommet from the 17mm to an 18mm socket as pictured.
Attachment 5744
I then just made the socket flush with the float and slid the grommet from the socket onto the float, using dish soap to help move things along. It wasn't quite as easy as it sounds, but it all came together in under a minute when it was all said and done. In-between all the pressing, cursing, and mashing trying to get this thing on, make sure you don't put the grommet on upside down, that would be really stupid. Once you've successfully completed this step, you're left with something that should look like this.
Attachment 5745
Please note, this will not fit into the tank either as-is, the grommet will now be too large. No biggie, just slide the grommet back up until it's on the shaft right behind the float like so.
Attachment 5746
Then feed the parts of the sensor back into the tank, one at a time. First the float, then the grommet, and then finally slide the rest of the sensor into place. The end product should look like this.
Attachment 5747
While I haven't field tested it yet, it's apparent that I got a good seal on it. I'm letting it sit overnight in my sink to see if there's any moisture or leaks but, barring the unforeseen, it'll go back in the van tomorrow with a clean bill of health.
Hope it helps! :dance2::dance2::dance2:
A huge THANK YOU to all of you that have discovered various ways of fixing the leaking overflow tank as well as the extra tricks to accomplish them successfully.
I recently finished the "grommet" modification since that seemed to be the most logical and pain-free. I was finished so quickly, I was shocked!!! Nothing ever goes so smoothly on my van!!!
The 18mm socket idea is great!!! A big THANKS for this little trick!!!
I skipped the 17mm socket and simply used some Dawn dish soap to lube up the grommet and 18mm socket...the Dawn dish soap is safer for the environment than other lubes and rinses right off of everything when you are finished. The grommet slipped right onto the socket and then right over the sensor float.
Sliding the float into the hole in the bottom of the overflow, followed by inserting the grommet into the hole, and finally inserting the sensor into the grommet...definitely the way to go!!!
Now the obvious questions...
How is the "Grommet Mod" holding up for those of you that have had it for longer than a few days?
Is it holding up to the scorching summer heat in Arizona?
Is it holding up to the freezing winter temps in the Northeast?
What are the hottest/coldest temps this modification has endured so far?
My "Grommet Mod" has only experienced an outside temperature range of 40-65 degrees Fahrenheit so far. I can update this summer when it gets in the triple digits.
It would be great if this will be a long-term fix for everyone.
I guess I will do an update of my own, regarding the "Grommet Mod".
I have been driving daily with the Grommet Mod for about 6 months.
It is holding up fine so far...no leaks.
It has endured some cooler outdoor temperatures in the 30's.
It has experienced some warmer outdoor temperatures around 105 degrees.
Very pleased with such an easy and cheap fix.
no leaking, but radiator light on dash stays on all the time.
per this thread I believe the electrical is just a closed circuit loop (?) - so is it safe to just jumper-wire the connector and if the radiator light on dash goes out, then assume it is a bad sensor?
I think you can just unplug it and, if the radiator light goes off, 99% you found the problem. In my experience, it's not so much the sensor in the bottle that goes bad as much as it's typically that the float stops floating, and is always sending a signal that the tank is low/empty. I've been able to visually inspect the float in the tank and verify the problem that way as well.
EDIT: I'll throw in my own "21 month" update as well. The grommet is still working perfectly and there are no leaks from my coolant tank. IMO this is a cheap and easy enough mod that it should basically become preventative maintenance when getting a new to you van if the seal looks at all worn or you don't know history of the van.
Desperate times:
I lost my reservoir tank!
Yep, I took it to our shop for cleaning, and when I cam back it was gone.
Why anyone would take this is beyond me.
Does anyone know where I can get one? I contacted all the main bone yards but nothing.
Any help would be appreciated
MT
Search Ebay. maybe this could fit even though its for another Toyota might work
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Radiator-Ov...kAAOSwDP1b6yzE
Thanks JPERL:
I will have to snap some dims to see if it can fit in there. It is tight. But thanks for the help. My original was perfect when I was done with it. The killer is that it left it there on one of the benches and when I went back to get it it was gone. Nobody knew anything about it. We turned the place upside down and could not recover it.
It just killed me.
Thanks again
Does anyone know about what our van coolant reservoir capacity is? I am trying to find something that will fit and match.
Thanks
MyToy : i pm'd you
The Dorman PCV Valve grommet is genius!!! Just used this on my expansion tank and it is a perfect fit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW vanwagon