HAILERS2

And where is YOUR coolant level sensor located on Y0UR car? And how is the bullet connector for the sensor connected to it? I'm saying just what is the sensor you have screwed into?

It seems some cars had this configuration. I've a early 1986 non turbo......and early 87 non turbo converted to turbo and a early stk 87 TurboII and neither has this configuration.

satch

iTrader: (1)

The sensor and the overflow hose are one in the same. If you look very closely to the thumbnail in the post you can barely make out where the wire was removed, cut or yanked off the original poster's sensor. There is no bullet connector as the connection is a seamless one for the wire just disappears into the sensor housing.

HAILERS2

Have fun trying to buy a new sensor someday. Mabe a late first generation 13B part?

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

dunno, none of this whole setup is anywhere in mazda's parts fisches, as if it never existed.

satch

iTrader: (1)

I'm the original owner of the car and it looks and drives just like when it was brand new so I don't have to worry about certain components going south on me like some of the nuclear winter worn cars on this board. I also knew I was going to hold onto this car till I droppped dead so I purchased new components some years back so I have backups to many components which are specific to my particular car.

HAILERS2

Even Mazdatrix does not seem to recognize this config. It does not seem to be first gen since the attached jpg shows the sensor in the top of the radiator is for 79- and on.

Seeing as how I was wrong about the config being a braindead one off.........what you might do is this. Turn the key to ON. Wait about thirty seconds til the buzzer for low water comes on. Then with water to the top of the radiator (where the sensor hole is) just lay the sensor in the hole so it will get covered with water. Then hold the brown wire to the shreads of wire left on the original sensor.

A normal sensor will cause the buzzer to turn off in about a second if the sensor is touching the water (it's just looking for a source of ground and the water does that). If the sensor is still working and turns the buzzer off.......you might try soldering the brown wire to the shreads of wire left on that sensor (always talking the original sensor in the tube that screwed into the top of the rad NOT the one shown in your hand). That soldering job would work if the radiator you have is made of fiberglass like the original ones I've seen/owned.

RotaryEvolution

iTrader: (30)

eh, no need to even try to diagnose it. he should just switch it to a more typical conventional setup. since his radiator has no filler he has already ordered the parts to run the overflow from there which is a more typical setup.

MadScience_7

My old car was having all kinds of cooling problems when I got it. I took it to a Mazda shop near me that diagnosed it and installed exactly that system, with the remote pressure cap next to the AC drier. I don't know where they got it, and it didn't help at all as the real problem was bad coolant seals.

TheAbsence

iTrader: (19)

If you get rid of this rare system, send bumpstart or Karack your current setup.

Ignoramus

Well if they want it's that's fine with me lol. I've got the new radiator cap neck with the overflow nipple and a new thermostat on the way so that I can get this system set up a little more proper. Question though...does the lower radiator cap by the reservoir I have currently serve a purpose? It's not located on the radiator so I'm not sure.

Also I found where the previous owner grounded out the brown wire to the sensor, it broke off and is what caused my buzzer to go off all of a sudden. I was partly confused before because I didn't know where they grounded it out at.

MadScience_7

Yes, that's the pressure relief cap for the system that allows the expanding coolant to overflow to the reservoir. You need to have one somewhere on the cooling system or bad things happen (I don't know what typically breaks first, but something will). The new radiator neck with a pressure cap and overflow will replace the function of the current remote pressure cap. Once you have a standard overflow, you can replace the hose/sensor gadget on the radiator with a normal sensor.

Ignoramus

Thanks madscience, but if I'm not mistaken you're talking about the cap on the filler neck...I'm talking about the pressure cap I have located right next to my reservoir, you can see it in the pics on the first page. Once i get my parts I plan to run a hose from the reservoir to the filler neck for the overflow. I have a new water sensor for the top of the radiator. They way I see it the cap on the filler neck will keep the system pressurized, and with the new neck any overflow will be forced back to the reservoir.

MadScience_7

The cap on the filler neck doesn't look like it has an overflow hose going to it. I'd also wager that the cap is just a flat cap without the spring loaded pressure release. The hose that connects to the elbow screwed into the top of the radiator should connect to the bottom of the remote cap next to the reservoir, and the hose coming out the side of the remote cap leads directly to the reservoir. That remote cap should have the spring loaded pressure relief piece on the bottom of it and it is what is currently regulating the pressure in the system.

Once you get the new parts, yes, the hose from the reservoir should connect to the filler neck and the pressure cap will go there to regulate the system. At that point, the remote cap connected to the radiator is redundant and you can pull that whole part and replace the elbow on the radiator with the normal level sensor shown in your third pic.

Hope that makes sense.

Ignoramus

That's the answer I was lookin for, thanks madscience. Tomorrow I'll get my parts and I'll get this goofy sh*t off.