tommygun

My 97 integra guzzels gas really badly

my temperature gauge on the inside of my car NEVER points to the middle
where my car should be completley warmed up
therefore i figure my car is always over compensating on gas to warm the car up
my catalytic converter actually has melted before, and i figured it was because of this
so ive come to the conclusion (i could be totally wrong of course) that
my temperature sensor(s) is/are bad

but being that im a girl and dont know too much about cars
i was hoping that someone could let me know where the sensors are so i can get them replaced today, and im not trying to pay an arm and a leg to have someone else do it

pleeease help!
thank you

sohc_mshue

The sensor for that is on the head under the distributor. It sounds like a possible thermostat issue though.

tommygun

ok thank you. and if it was a thermostat issue,
would i have to get the thermostat replaced?

Fabrik8

Thermostats fail, so you'll have to get a new one if that is the problem. The thermostat itself is cheap, and usually easy to replace once the coolant is drained. I would check the thermostat first, because that's the most likely failure mode for the problem you're having. Obviously if the thermostat sticks open, the cooling system won't regulate temperature very well (too much coolant goes to the radiator) and often won't get up to temperature all the way. Usually that's an easy thing to diagnose though, because once the car is driven for a while and left running (sitting still) the temp will come up to where it should be around the time the fan will turn on.

If you can let the car idle for a long time in summer temps, and it isn't ever getting up to temp, it very well could be a coolant temp sensor issue. Coolant temp sensors can be tested pretty easily with a multimeter, because most of them are a thermistor type sensor meaning their resistance changes with temperature. So at ambient temperature (or close to it) the resistance can be verified against what a service manual says it should be.

tommygun

Thank you for the help
i bought both the thermostat today and the coolant sensor just incase lol
so they will be going on the car soon
and hopefully that solves the problem

wright

Does your integra have the stock radiator?

Also I would double check that the new Tstat is good by putting it in a boiling pot of water on the stove. I have bought new ones that did not open.

tommygun

yeah stock as far as i know
and alright ill check that out before it goes on
thank you