97 xj wiring!!!!

[Jeep81]

I have a 97 xj and the temp sensor wire on the back of the head is missing!!! I can't find it it goes to the computer in 97. 96 and 98 are different some one with a 97 please chime in n tell me where the wire comes from and the color of it! Please

[4.3LXJ]

Toby, the 97 is an OBDII engine. These are called drive by wire engines. There is only one temp sensor at the front of the head. The temp gauge is driven off the computer on data from this sensor.

[Brasscatz]

Yep, no temp sensor back there, no worries buddy. The only coolant temp sensor we have on our 97's is in the thermostat housing

[Jeep81]

Half of 97 are different cause it was the first year for obd2 I read some where not sure if it's true thou.... Mine has one on the back drivers side of the head it's a single pin female plug. And one on the thermostat housing and that's got 2 wires going to it. My brother owns a 98 xj and the back of his head isn't even tapped for one. I've looked on 96 xj at the junk yard n they are obd1 but run both sensors and the computers are in different spots than mine. My jeep feels sluggish now.... I installed a header and after I was done I couldnt find the wire but I remember unplugging it. I tore into the wire loom to see if it just got broke off but can't find nothing.....

[4.3LXJ]

Does your temp gauge work?

[Brasscatz]

Good question Steve! If there was a coolant sensor and it was unplugged, the gauge wouldn't work

I'm pretty sure the law was passed in 1995 to make all cars OBDII and all 96's on up should be OBDII. I suppose it's possible that half of the 96's could be OBDI still... hell half of the 96's have weird parts on them to begin with!

I thought you might be talking about the INTAKE temp sensor, but that's supposed to be in the intake manifold and not screwed into the head.

Is your check engine light on?

[Jeep81]

Temp gauge works perfect. No check engine light is on. I read if it is unplugged the computer defaults to -40 coolant temp

[4.3LXJ]

Thanks. I am quite sure you have OBDII, 96 and up and that if you did unplug a wire, it wasn't there. So if you did have a wire there, it went somewhere else not ECM related