2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

quick question about water thermo sensor.

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Old 05-14-07 | 03:38 PM
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Question quick question about water thermo sensor.

i was simply wondering if the water thermo sensor is suppost to set off a buzzer when not connected AND when the key is turned to on?

i disc. the sensor and i am still getting the same buzzer as i was before. so is that a good indication that this is the problem?

heres the other thread

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/what-freakin-buzzer-vid-651396/

additionaly, if it is bad, i was wondering if there is a quick fix for it. i just need to get her home.
Old 05-15-07 | 06:50 AM
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The buzzer is triggered by 3 things.

1. Low coolant (sensor on top of the radiator)
2. Low oil (sensor on the oil pan IIRC)
3. Redline

You have none of those 3.

You can drive with those buzzers going off, assuming the sensors are just faulty (I still wouldn't recommend it... but you could). I've driven with my low coolant buzzer going off (a bit low or bubbles) and made sure my temp wasn't rising.
Old 05-15-07 | 11:17 AM
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The water level SWITCH in the top of the radiator triggers the buzzer when the water is low in the radiator.

Removing the wire from the switch CAUSES the buzzer to go off after a short period of time. PUlling the wire off simulates a low condition.

The system is looking for a ground from that wire. No ground equals the buzzer going off after a set period of time. I forget the time period. A minute or so.

IF you remove that bullet connector from the sensor/switch, and hold it to ground, then the buzzer won't go off.........unless it's being triggered by one of the other items that cause the buzzer to go off.
Old 05-15-07 | 02:01 PM
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but im talking about the connector behind the water pump...can i bridge the connector? or will **** hit the fan if i to that
Old 05-15-07 | 02:05 PM
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Originally Posted by skatingsamurai
but im talking about the connector behind the water pump...can i bridge the connector? or will **** hit the fan if i to that
**** will hit the fan.

It has NOTHING to do with any buzzer.

Make a fuel cut switch to get the engine up and running.
Old 05-15-07 | 02:08 PM
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You can ground the sensor atop the the radiator, but then you know when the water level is low. Witch can be shitty when one of your heater hoses blows while in the McD's parking lot (personal experience). The thermosensor behind the water pump tells the ECU what the water temp. is letting the ECU know how much fuel to dump in. If this is gotten rid of or grounded (I don't know how the sensor reads) then the computer will go into a closed loop system, which means it just dumps all the gas it can.

As stated before, the buzzer only goes off for a.)low coolant; b.) Low oil; c.) redline. Two out of the the 3 have idiot lights corisponding to those buzzers. are they lighting up at all?
Old 05-16-07 | 11:02 AM
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okay, i have time to work on her today. so as a recap, bridgine the connector in the back of the water pump wont do anything but flood the car becuase it goes into loop mode correct? and what exactly happens when i simply disconnect it. same thing im assuming? when i have the key in start or on pos. all the lights go on exept for the bottom right one. when that light goes AWAY almost instantly, the buzzer starts.

should i take a pic of my oil level sensor just to make sure that i have the right one? ill try grounding the water level sensor and see if that does anything.

are you guys sure those are the ONLY buzzers that go off in the cabin?
Old 05-16-07 | 11:58 AM
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Originally Posted by skatingsamurai
are you guys sure those are the ONLY buzzers that go off in the cabin?
There's also beeping from the CPU... but it's pretty hard to confuse the two.
Old 05-16-07 | 12:05 PM
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Couldn't you use a resistor instead? So like, it doesn't flood the engine?
Old 05-16-07 | 12:06 PM
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okay i grounded the water level sensor and nada. buzzer still went off. wheres my flame thrower.

where are the other points in the harness where water level sensor disconnects? and how in the heck to i check the shift light buzzer?
Old 05-16-07 | 12:50 PM
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when the car is running look and see what light goes off, if you just have the key at "On" and the motor is not running, then all of the lights are on. This is because the alternator is not turning witch can mean if you are driving that the waterpump/alt. belt has broken. with the engine running only warning lights will come on.

The only place that the car knows how much water it has is through that sensor at the top of the radiator.

You can check the shift light buzzer by redlining the car.
Old 05-16-07 | 01:12 PM
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well i cant do that because i just rebuilt it.

side note. i removed the ps and ac. can this have anything to do with the buzzer?
Old 05-16-07 | 01:21 PM
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I grounded my sensor wire and it stopped it from buzzing.
Old 05-16-07 | 01:34 PM
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Let's start with the basics...

Have you checked your oil level?
What about your coolant level, including making sure no air is present when you remove the bleed screw near the rad where the upper hose goes? I know you unplugged the sensor at the top of the rad and it kept buzzing, so that's not it, but it's good to check the coolant level anyway in case the sensor is messed or premanently grounded with gunk. Per FSM, it should activate between 9-16 seconds after starting. It's interesting you mention the bottom right idiot light - it is the seat belt light and goes off about that same time frame - completely unrelated and coincidental.

Now on to the oil level sensor. It is the sensor on the driver's side of the oil pan with two wires (the sensor with one wire is the oil temp sensor). With this unplugged, you eliminate another source for the buzzer activating.

The last reason would be the redline buzzer, as mentioned above, but that's not common.

The sensor at the top of the thermostat housing (one wire) activates the rad fan. You may not have this sensor - i've seen it on automatic trannie cars. The two wire sensor is coolant temp info for the ECU (fuel/ignition computer) under the passenger footwell. If unplugged/shorted the computer will go into fail-safe mode and assume....let me check the FSM...the engine is at 80 degreees celsius 176F. It will not run at it's best until warm.

As mentioned, is the buzzer an annoying "car is gonna explode" buzzing from behind the cluster/gauges, or is it a beep, beep noise in morse code from below the steering column (power steering computer), or left of the dead pedal (CPU controlling Horn, stop light malfunction, seat belt light timer, light-on or key on reminder with door open).

Good luck...I've had weirder problems with simpler solutions... and the other way around...
Old 05-16-07 | 02:14 PM
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUTCDPwV0pg


alright here is a vid of the buyyer goin off after the key is turned....and here is the pic of the thingy that i found which stops the buzzing if i remove the plug. what does this do? the fsm says its the unit for alerts or something..lemme check here...no no it says its the power steering control unit. ( keep in mind i removed the power steering) so...if this is the problem eminates what other functions does this control unit control??


and yes, i know i have to get new pedals....i hate the way these ones looks...there so cheap
Attached Thumbnails quick question about water thermo sensor.-sany1561.jpg  
Old 05-16-07 | 02:39 PM
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Exclamation

Did you read my previous post? The PS computer is beeping (not Buzzing) at you. Could be the steering angle sensor - did you replace the steering wheel recently? Try turning the wheel all the way to the left and right about three times. See if that causes it to stop beeping. Is the morse code for the peeping five beeps - pause - five beeps....etc. (I'm going off memory here)? There are other codes this module/computer may output...see chapter 15 "Body Electrical" in the FSM under "Speed Sensing Power Steering", on mine, page numbers 83-86.

Last edited by pfsantos; 05-16-07 at 02:49 PM.
Old 05-16-07 | 03:46 PM
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well it was not a beep beep, it was a solid beep, as noted by the video. (may take a bit becuase i just uploaded it) well ill see if it does anything if i turn the wheel. but i grounded the water level sensor , checked the water thermo sensor (unrelated), and i triple checked the o2 connection wire. i also made sure the connection was good with my oil level sensor (RW wire). i know for a fact that when i unplug this box (picture) the buzzing/solid beep stops.

but i will try pluging it back in and turning my wheel to both sides. and i will also check ch15 of the fsm
Old 05-16-07 | 03:59 PM
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Well, now we're on the same page . The FSM says on the self diagnostic function table that a constant beep means "Abnormality occurs to stepping motor signal or Microcomputer" under "function" and "When there are broken wires or short circuits in coils or harnesses and microcomputer malfunctions and cannot control system" under "operation"

I'd start checking wiring/plugs at the PS pump and make sure the computer is grounded. Then I'd try swapping the comp. if you can borrow another one. Hope this helps.
Old 05-16-07 | 04:14 PM
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well remmember, i have a de-powered rack, would that still apply? becuase i have NO powersteering motor whatsoever

Abnormality occurs to stepping motor signal or Microcomputer" under "function" and "When there are broken wires or short circuits in coils or harnesses and microcomputer malfunctions and cannot control system"

ok, lol, i havent checked the fsm yet but you need to type that in english please, becuase i dont understand...


and, does anyone have a link to the fuel cut swith-how to? i searched 5 pages under "fuel cut switch" and found nothing. i have a nice big red switch waiting to do something!!

okay, i just checked the fsm and well...what the hell curcuit could be short or coils not work...does this ps control unit have in some control over the trailing and leading coils?? or is it talking about other coils....see, i dont know what its refering to when it says "coils". and what the hell does it mean by " cannot control system"?? i mean i severed the wire that is suppost to connect to the ps pump...is that what this buzzer means...because if thats the case then i think i just solved the problem i think...or at the very least foud what the problem is

Last edited by skatingsamurai; 05-16-07 at 04:34 PM.
Old 05-16-07 | 04:36 PM
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I believe there is a control box for the PS under the dash in the drivers footwell. Maybe you need to disconnect that. Maybe its seeing there is an issue with the pump because its removed?
Old 05-16-07 | 07:25 PM
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uhhh yeah? i think thats what i said??

all that i need to know is that this ps control box (ONLY) controls the ps and nothing else in the electrical system....jeez i feel like im trying to answer my own.

Last edited by skatingsamurai; 05-16-07 at 07:33 PM.
Old 05-16-07 | 10:12 PM
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Ah sorry, for some reason when the page loaded. The last few posts didn't come up. So I didn't even see the video.

Yes that is the PS control box and it obveously letting you know that there is something wrong with the PS pump, in this case, you removed it. You can remove the box.

I might have this backwards, but I think the S4 PS goes by speed and the S5 goes by rpm. It might be the other way around.

Last edited by RotaMan99; 05-16-07 at 10:17 PM.
Old 05-17-07 | 08:11 AM
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The Power steering module only controls the steering assist. You can disconnect it, and it won't affect anything else unless...

If you have the factory adjustable suspension, check to see if it still works. I believe it only needs the steering angle sensor behind the steering wheel so even then you should be fine.

BTW, the "coils" the FSM refers to would be part of the P/S pump assembly, which you disconnected.
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