engine and drivetrain Sensors

[1972-2002]

So i see three sensors on the top of the engine the front one is the water temp sensor, the rear of middle one is missing on my car (what is it for) and then there is a rear one near the distributor (what is it for) i assume one of the back two is oil pressure.

 

Thanks for the help

 

Garry

[FunkyLaneO]

Post a picture because your description isn't specific enough to give you a good answer, but the temp sensor is on the water neck near the front of the engine, the oil pressure sender is located next to the distributor.  There is a third sensor for the emission system on some cars between cylinders 3 and 4 on the intake manifold, it your car has been desmogged it is no longer used. if this helps, great, if not then post a picture, these cars are pretty old and very few are owned by the original owners so anything could have been done by a PO, you could have a sender for an aftermarked gauge that was installed and then removed long ago.

[TobyB]

This board is fabulous for hosting pictures.

 

The middle one is the wallet detector- if you're rich, it makes the car run poorly.  If you're not, it

senses that and the car runs OK- not great, just OK.

 

An average 2002 has a temperature sender in the water neck and an

oil pressure switch in the dizzy housing.

 

Many 2bbl manifolds have a temp switch in the intake manifold for smog purposes.

 

that's what I know,

 

t

 

<edit>  Funky, you're faster than I am.

Edited August 23, 2013 by TobyB

[1972-2002]

i tried to take a picture with my phone but it turned out poorly. i will post a picture Monday taken with a camera.

 

Mine is a 72 so i doubt it is smog related.

 

Garry

[Andy74tii]

TobyB, you made me spit my coffee out with the wallet detector thing.....!

[Dev02]

Damn, I guess I need a new Wallet Detector! Mine seems to be malfunctioning and reading my wallet as full

[TobyB]

If it's got a double barrel manifold from BMW, it has the wallet detector switch.

 

I have to say, I got around that feature by carrying a debit card- the thing could only

detect cash, so I could usually get the 2bbl carbs to run pretty well.

 

Whatever they used on the tii (I think it was buried in the kfish pump, (warmup regulator, my bunions) along with all the other magic)

was not so easy to fool...

 

t

[jgerock]

Yes - please post a picture of the "sensors"  PO could have changed the water neck on the engine to add a water temperature sending unit.  Tii's had a thermoswitch next to the standard temp. switch for the KF fuel injection warm-up circuit.

 

No wonder why some folks say BMW stands for Bring My Wallet.