Nissan Parts at dealership vs. ME.

[Andy5]

ok so i've been trying to locate an engine temp. sensor for my SOHC motor. Well i couldn't find any so i called up my local Nissan dealership and ask them if they had 1.

Well the guy tells me i'm talking about a water temp. sensor, i reply No, if i recall thats attacted to a pipe on my lower rad. hoes. Then i explain to him, its on the head by the Throttle body it has a red plug. He goes ok your talking about a oil temp. sensor. I say No, the engine temp sensor, maybe its called a Cylinder head temperature sensor. Then he tells me that I have no idea what i'm talking about and to get a part number because the year my car came out dosen't have an E.T.S. :hammer:

Maybe I'm wrong maybe He is wrong, but i have no idea were to get a part # cause it sure aint on the block or the part. And my Chilton Book calls it a Engine temp sensor also so I don't who is right, Me and my Book, or the parts department.


all i want to know is Where i can get a sensor and what is it called?! Maybe a part # if anyone has one i'm sure autozone will order one for me.

Please help me out thanks.

[Dousan_PG]

this is how you do it:

1) get off your ass
2) pick up your chiltons book
3) get in a car/bus
4) go to dealer

they can pull a screen up that breaks everything down with the part numbers over the phone it is too difficult. computer is what he/she will use and you might use another term. in person you'll get the part ASAP and get the number if its outof stock


over the phone you probably WONT get the right part.

[Andy5]

i plan on going there w/ my book and w/ the sensor in hand. but i was just wondering what everyone else calls it maybe its just me and my book that don't know the name of it.

[mandoz85]

Originally posted by Andy5
ok so i've been trying to locate an engine temp. sensor for my SOHC motor. Well i couldn't find any so i called up my local Nissan dealership and ask them if they had 1.

Well the guy tells me i'm talking about a water temp. sensor, i reply No, if i recall thats attacted to a pipe on my lower rad. hoes. Then i explain to him, its on the head by the Throttle body it has a red plug. He goes ok your talking about a oil temp. sensor. I say No, the engine temp sensor, maybe its called a Cylinder head temperature sensor. Then he tells me that I have no idea what i'm talking about and to get a part number because the year my car came out dosen't have an E.T.S. :hammer:

Maybe I'm wrong maybe He is wrong, but i have no idea were to get a part # cause it sure aint on the block or the part. And my Chilton Book calls it a Engine temp sensor also so I don't who is right, Me and my Book, or the parts department.


all i want to know is Where i can get a sensor and what is it called?! Maybe a part # if anyone has one i'm sure autozone will order one for me.

Please help me out thanks.

I think that the water temp. sensor is the same as the engine temp. sensor. Here is the quote from the fsm. "The engine temperature sensor detects the engine temp. which is dependent on engine coolant temp., and transmits a singanal to the E.C.U."
If you follow the pipe that the red sensor is connected to you will see that it goes to the upper radiator hose.

[Andy5]

went to the dealership today, The guy told me thats not an engine temp sensor and that he dosen't have any in stock... now i have no clue what to do cause i can't find a s13 in a junkyard aroundmy house :( oh well, guess i'll have to pay $400 for the emission waver.

[andrave]

just get one off someone parting off their car or something.

[DuffMan]

Engine temp sensor = water temp sensor.

Is it on the head? I have 2 SOHC heads so I might have one.

[Andy5]

Originally posted by DuffMan
Engine temp sensor = water temp sensor.

Is it on the head? I have 2 SOHC heads so I might have one.

ya its on the head , red plug like right above the upper radiator hose. If its just a water temp i can pick 1 up at autozone cheap. Just makes me mad how i got treated like i didn't know how a car worked :\. god i hate looking like i'm 16.

[Fastback180]

DUNT DUH DAAAAAAA!!!!!
Your FRIENDLY nissan parts department rep to save you.....Some what.

1) The computer system is called FAST. And you really have to know how to use it exactly or you'll pull up the wrong part. And no, they don't show everything and every part. Usually the book works best on all the small stuffenzi.

2) Nissan its self lables parts wrong all the time. In the computer, and on the shipping lables. They call an electric fan assembly a "Motor Ass"....And an air conditioning condensor, a "Cock". There have been angry customers that have seen that on the shipping sticker.

3) If you special order a part. It only takes at the most 3 days to get to you. The west coast hub is Gardenea (sp?) and the east coast is Newark. Also, get there before 2pm, cause that's the daily deadline for entering special orders.

4) Don't ever look at the ADP screen, cause the cost prices will blow your mind and you will be furious of what they are compared to list.


Hope I helpped. :confused:

[Andy5]

I fixed the problem, I walked the sensor over to autozone showed the kid told him i pulled it off my head above my upper rad hose, he said

"I know what that is, Coolant temp sensor, I went nissan with it and told them it was a engine temp sensor they told me no and said we don't have that anymore"

Good thing he owns a s13 :P

I guess he went through what i did, ohwell, saved me $10 dealer watned $29 for 1 :).

I learned out of this - Don't assume a part has 1 name :D