Refrigerant Temp Sensor - replacement part??

[JimGunther]

Think my temp sensor (the one near the firewall) was bad (well, it is NOW anyway) and can't find replacement anywhere. GM dealer says original part # is 10398971 ....Anybody have experience with an alternative...that works? TIA, Jim

[fdryer]

Just a guess here. Ac temperature sensors are in various places - mounted on compressors, next to the ac lines/thermal expansion valve on the firewall and on auto climate control panels to measure cabin temps to regulate temps to selected values.

A two wire temperature sensor on the txv block/ac lines will have thermal grease for heat transfer. This tends to dry out and harden. Usually white in appearance. If you're certain this is damaged. There are two ways to consider repairs. Replace it with a new one or search for cross references to other GM models using the same sensor or either leaving this connection as is or short the two terminals together. I'd have to study service manual wiring and descriptions to determine if leaving this connection open or shorting the two terminals bypasses this sensor to allow ac use without compromising the system. Junk yard Vues are a source of perfectly good parts.

Used in measuring thermal expansion valve temperatures, it helps prevents freezing conditions occurring by sending signals to disable compressor operation. This allows a freezing condition to warm up the txv then allow ac use. Freezing conditions at the txv would be considered around 32F/0C. If freezing occurs at the txv, the evaporator coils will freeze moisture from airflow, building up ice until the evaporator becomes an ice block with zero airflow. This rarely occurs in normal ac use. Conditions allowing freezing conditions would be losing refrigerant from a leak, contamination from uninformed diyers using refill kits with sealer, incorrect repairs to ac without using refrigeration equipment to evacuatea system of air and moisture prior to refilling a repeated system, etc. Vues do not cycle ac compressors on and off during ac use.

[JimGunther]

trying to post photo of the part in question.
One of the two wire is broken.

Mechanic tells me, this is the sensor that tells the AC Clutch to engage

[fdryer]

Snapshots from digital cameras or cellphones create vey large image files, several megabytes per image. This site restricts attachments to 150kb so an error message or nothing occurs. Resizing images is required to less than a megabyte and preferably in jpeg format for acceptance. You can open a photo album and add images without resizing but will have to add a link or setup to point to your photo album. Your choice.

If one of the two wires separated, can it be soldered together or add a bit of wire to bridge the gap?

[EditEd4TV]

Originally Posted by fdryer

Snapshots from digital cameras or cellphones create vey large image files, several megabytes per image. This site restricts attachments to 150kb so an error message or nothing occurs. Resizing images is required to less than a megabyte and preferably in jpeg format for acceptance. You can open a photo album and add images without resizing but will have to add a link or setup to point to your photo album. Your choice.

If one of the two wires separated, can it be soldered together or add a bit of wire to bridge the gap?

I did exactly that a few years ago - just pulled the exterior connection going to the interior reservoir. It's just two conductor, so I placed a metal wire (jumper) there, and the sensor never gave me issues after that. Of course, that also means that if my coolant is low, I would never get an official warning. I had an impossible time finding the proper replacement part, so I've never done it. What I have done though is replace the entire reservoir maybe twice now? I'm on my 3rd one. I suspect the sensor is getting gummed up somehow, but I can't figure out how/why. And I can't seem to be able to clean it either. Maybe the part is actually failing due to a design problem and/or age, and not anything the coolant may be doing to it.

[RobertGary1]

The part is no longer made. I picked up a couple at pick-n-pull that work fine. Test the resistance. I can't remember the value but you'll see the good ones are different than yours. This solves the problem that on long road trips the expansion coils freeze up, you lose cooling after long trips and after you park you end up with a swimming pool of moisture accumulation.

The GM gell may also have leaked out. I repacked mine with dielectric grease.

-robert

[fdryer]

RobertGary1 ,as you found out with discontinued parts, ebay may be the place for new and used parts otherwise salvage yards (in person and online) would be sources.

Across the pond but expensive; https://www.usaspareparts.com/parts/...frig-temp.html. Euro to dollar conversion - $195 (?!).

I suspect this sensor is just another thermistor. Without detailed info, salvage yards may be the best sources for these parts. Electronically, manufacturers part numbering may help determine manufacturer and distributor to replace the part itself onto the assembly and connector.

[JimGunther]

Just surfed back to this site.
I appreciate the suggestions from the community and am going to share the link with the new owner (We had a great 13+ years and 97,000 miles with the VUE but, Mama was impatient and wouldn't drive it without AC <This was our daily driver>).
Gosh I wish they still made these - The Honda/Acura motor made it a near perfect car. I can only hope the new car gives us near the reliable service.
Thanks again Jim Gunther

[guyg]

it seems like the thermal grease disappears, I repacked mine and it is now working fine, where as before it would freeze up and lose cooling.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DOW-CORNING...72.m2749.l2649

[fdryer]

During work in electronics, I came across a blown solid state switch on a bank of switches, all using white thermal paste. After more than 15 years of reliable use, thermal grease hardened. Scraping off old grease and applying a new coat from a container was the repair. Same grease sitting on a shelf for the same amount of years but still greasy. My guess is any petroleum products used simply dries out, shrinking the original coating and leaving the hardened part. If better heat sink paste is made, perhaps high temperature silicone grease replaces the older paste without the drying out tendency.