Engine cooling level system

[nikitis]

So while I'm finishing up my king pin job and waiting for the bushings to get honed, I started looking over my engine and looking for any wires or plugs that are unplugged and attempting to learn what they do.


I found a 4 pin and 2 pin plug both with a 34A wiring label on both sides of the engine. I looked this up on the T444E Diagnostics manual and it seems it's for an ECL Module or Engine Coolant Level System Module.


I guess this monitors the coolant levels and sends a Warning light when low. If the probe in the coolant tank is off for 7 seconds it no longer conducts and shows the Warning flash light and throws a 323 code.


If filled properly a 12V signal is sent to the ECM at terminal 18 and the light goes away but throws an inactive code.


My question is, is this an optional device? Does anyone have a picture of one? My bus is a 1995 international 3800, and I'm curious what this looks like. Was this an optional item to have? I don't see where I can plug this into anything so I think I'm missing the ECL Module device.



Any insight into this would be nice to know. And Wondering if this is something I can obtain if it is missing. Seeing as how cooling is sometimes an issue with these older buses I think it would be a good thing to have.

 

[SmoothSailing]

My engine has a similar sensor ('98 Cummins) the engine will shut down if the coolant level drops below the probe.

The probe is in the coolant reservoir on my rig. That's the only sensible place to have it, so if your coolant reservoir doesn't have a port for such a sensor, then I wouldn't bother trying to install whatever sensor the plug you found is for--there would be too many parts to change.

It was probably an option on some models or the manufacturer just uses a common harness.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[nikitis]

My engine has a similar sensor ('98 Cummins) the engine will shut down if the coolant level drops below the probe.

The probe is in the coolant reservoir on my rig. That's the only sensible place to have it, so if your coolant reservoir doesn't have a port for such a sensor, then I wouldn't bother trying to install whatever sensor the plug you found is for--there would be too many parts to change.

It was probably an option on some models or the manufacturer just uses a common harness.

Just my 2 cents.

Oh okay, so make sense the sensor would be attached to the radiator. The other end near the ECM is a 4pin connector, doesn't seem to attach to anything. On this end is that where the ECL module go?


I can see from the manual the 2 pin goes to the coolant switch which is on the radiator.


I don't have one. From the pic below it looks like I have the wiring all in place, I just need the Coolant level probe, and the 414 (Coolant level switch module) and it's plug and play from there.



Circled in Red are the items I'm missing. The Alarm, ECM, Ignition, and wiring is all present. Maybe I'll call up international and ask for the part numbers, I'd like to have this system

 

[nikitis]

I managed to find a part number for the sensor switch:
2518062C1


But International couldn't find any reference to the ECL 4 pin module. If anyone has one of these in a 94-97 International 3 box engine it would be located near the ECM, and could read me the numbers off of it. It has a 4 pin connector going into it, I would be grateful.

 

[SmoothSailing]

Does your radiator have a port for the coolant level sensor to thread into?

 

[BamaBus]

Does your radiator have a port for the coolant level sensor to thread into?

Should be in the surge tank. Sensor # is dependent on plastic or metal tank. Engine protection system programming may be needed. Just another sensor to diagnose when stuff happens.

 

[nikitis]

So I do have a metal tank. For some reason I was thinking I didn't. It has a sight glass on it, but that is the only hole in the tank with any kind of threads, would a sensor screw into there in place of the sight glass or does that mean that my reservoir wasn't meant to have this engine protection feature?

 

[SmoothSailing]

So I do have a metal tank. For some reason I was thinking I didn't. It has a sight glass on it, but that is the only hole in the tank with any kind of threads, would a sensor screw into there in place of the sight glass or does that mean that my reservoir wasn't meant to have this engine protection feature?

I doubt the site glass would be swapped for a sensor. The only way of knowing what parts you may or may not have is finding a similar model which has the low coolant sensor apparatus.

Personally I wouldn't bother. The less sensors the better.

Fresh hose and quality clamps will get you much farther down the road than sensors.

I am cooling system obsessed myself, and use Evans waterless coolant, high quality silicone hose, constant tension clamps. These doodads would be money much better spent than on the sensor system.

 

[cadillackid]

low coolant sensor was optional.. it may not have been an option on busses because of the sheer coolant volume level changes..



the bottle on many of the internationals is pressurized.. if you overfill it, then the excess coolant goes on the ground..
this will happen when the bus warms up and coolant expands... if driving a stock bus with the heater loops open this doubles the coolant volume in the system. thus more expansion and contraction.. so its possible to be at a normal fill level and have the coolant level in the bottle go low enough to trigger the low coolant warning light in super cold weather.. esp if the bus had been run previously to a pretty warm temp..
ive seen low coolant sensors on busses in the radiator itself as the level typically wont drop that low during normal operation to empty the top tank..

 

[nikitis]

low coolant sensor was optional.. it may not have been an option on busses because of the sheer coolant volume level changes..



the bottle on many of the internationals is pressurized.. if you overfill it, then the excess coolant goes on the ground..
this will happen when the bus warms up and coolant expands... if driving a stock bus with the heater loops open this doubles the coolant volume in the system. thus more expansion and contraction.. so its possible to be at a normal fill level and have the coolant level in the bottle go low enough to trigger the low coolant warning light in super cold weather.. esp if the bus had been run previously to a pretty warm temp..
ive seen low coolant sensors on busses in the radiator itself as the level typically wont drop that low during normal operation to empty the top tank..

Interesting on the rise of the fill level on those with long coolant lines for rear end heaters. I want to delete mine, I'll look on here to see if there are any guides to doing the bypass. I'd like to do it at the engine level and delete my heater. I'm in the south, we won't need it.

 

[cadillackid]

deleting your front heaters == dumbest thing ever.. (illegal in many areas as defrost is required if life would ever change and you need to get inspection)



deleting the rear heating system is fine if you dont need it,however you do still need to defog the glass when driving in cool wet weather... yes even miami can get cool wet weather ...

 

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

even in south carolina you still need defrost.
no matter what part of the south you will want dash heat.
i am originally from texas and needed it then as well.

 

[nikitis]

I wasn't thinking when I said this. I forgot defrost was tied into the radiator lines. I guess I'll do the normal double cap off then right behind the drivers seat.