'08 Trailblazer I-6 Engine: ECTS Replacement ?
Howdy!
First of all, My Thanks to all who have previously posted to this thread.
My 2008 Chevy Trailblazer has the I-6 engine, and the Engine Coolant Temperature gauge in its instrument cluster works intermittently. I suspect that the vehicle's Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor (ECTS) is intermittently failing. When the Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge doesn't work, neither does the vehicle's A/C system. The car runs fine otherwise. Does anyone else have any thoughts on the fact that other than the non-functioning A/C, the car runs fine even with the non-operational Engine Coolant Temperature gauge in the car's instrument cluster? :undecided
Man, did the GM engineers really screwed :hissy: the shade tree mechanic when they moved the ECTS from the left side of the engine, above the thermostat housing (on the earlier models) to the right rear side of the cylinder head beginning on the 2006? and later model years!
I can see the ECTS electrical plug on top of the valve cover, but I cannot see the ECTS itself. The ECTS is buried below a heater hose and under the exhaust manifold's heat shield.
My Haynes repair manual does not cover the R&R of the ECTS on the right rear side of the engine... evidently Haynes is unaware 😪 of that omission in their Trailblazer repair manual. From reading previous posts on this thread, the sensor removal and installation itself requires a 15 MM slotted deep well socket, which I don't have on hand. It is also stated that the actual R&R of the sensor itself must be done from under the vehicle, going through the opening in the RF wheel well in over the frame rail .
The idiotic :crazy: placement of the ECTS wiring connectors for the ECTS on the rear top section of the valve cover could have provided for much easier access with less than a dollar's worth of electrical wire. The the GM engineer's choice of location for this connection which is under the cowl area and on top of the valve cover makes no sense :duh:, unless one considers that that location simply makes it harder (discouraging) for a shade tree mechanic to access, but also makes it more work for the GM Dealer / auto repair shop's mechanic to access, thereby jacking up the shop labor cost to John Q. Public.
IF the GM engineers wanted to make the later location easier to access, they could have put it on the left side of the engine, up towards the front of the cylinder head (like they did on the V-8 Trailblazers) , rather than burying it in the rear area.
Thank you for your time.......