OK, really! Where's the temp send unit??

[KivaKid]

I'm looking for the coolant temperature sending unit on my 1980 Cherokee, 258 4.2L I6. I've got it ordered--it should be here tomorrow. The Haynes manual shows it right up top to the bottom right of the thermostat housing. Not on mine!! They must show an older model or something! I've been looking around with the shop light. I haven't found that sucker yet!

[Michael]

Well that is very interesting. Is there an after market water neck on there??? I would look around there on the manifold. Should be somewhere on the front. It is working correct...oh correction...has it ever worked?

[KivaKid]

Michael,
Actually when I got this FSJ in November, it worked fine, and just within the last month or so the gauge stopped working. All the other gauges work fine to this day. When the engine's cold the gauge reads cold (of course). When at normal operating temperature, it touches up just a hair, and I notice very slight movement up and down. But it used to ride up in the middle. The only coolant system related thing I've done is replace the bottom radiator hose. Come to think of it--the gauge stopped working right around then, but I think that would be a coincidence, unless I somehow pulled a wire or something.

[joe]

Marty, if not in the thermo housing it's gotta be stuck in the intake manifold somewhere(prolly rear-low). Should be a single purple wire with a tracer going to it.