Needed: Water low level sender.

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:59 pm

Hi all, I need a new radiator tank water level sender for the BX - on mine, it is present however, the little float thing has fallen off.

I am not certain if these are the same for all BX types but I'll supply a photo if it shortly.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 5:03 pm

Sounds a bit Mk1-specific: all petrol 16s and diesel 19s I've owned (mark 2) have had a two-prong level level sender half-way down the rad. No sign of a float!

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 2:06 am

Ah, maybe I'm telling it unclearly! this thing is a 2 pin thing. looks like this:

The thing in mine cetrainly does have a float and it is this float that has broken off. It now lives on top of the chassis number for some reason.

I tend to think this is going to be the self same thing used on later 16/19s ?

(I'd remove it to take a snap of the inner part of the unit but the water doth piss out from the radiator

)

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:34 pm

Mk2 2-prong sensor pictured below: not a ballcock in sight!

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:38 pm

If the coolant level light comes on when you remove the 2-pin, and the fitting matches up, one of these will do the job. Methinks the float is a red herring.

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 1:31 pm

DLM wrote:If the coolant level light comes on when you remove the 2-pin, and the fitting matches up, one of these will do the job. Methinks the float is a red herring.

Thanks for getting back on this. Interesting that photo you've posted. It appears that it might just have the same fitting (a sort of bayonet type thing) but that the later type uses (looks like?) pair of contacts/probes that send a current thru the water that when it's too low no current is conducted?

I think it might work on mine but when the plug is disconnected the light remains off - it will light up if you bridge the terminals of the plug and hence, I believe it works the opposite way.

Not certain why the float would be a red herring because it exists and additionally is referred to in the Haynes book as being prone to being fitted the wrong way up. So I think it's correct (for earlier BXs at least)

I think I'll just hold out until I can source the right one but thanks for the info.

G

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:35 pm

I'm sorry about the red herring bit, Graham - no offence meant, and hopefully none taken. I just thought that it couldn't be original as a float inside a radiator seemed like a Heath Robinson assembly - a step too far even for Citroen!

I haven't ever had need to consult that section of Haynes, as the way the Mk2 type works is so simple, and any fault normally is cured by cleaning the contacts. You're right about the way it works - the opposite way to yours.

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:20 pm

no offence meant, and hopefully none taken

absolutely none at all taken

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:37 pm

the type Graeme has dose/did have a float, and all the float dose is whilst the float is floatting opperates a magneticly opperated switch, a bit like a house alarm system windom switch,

have a look what you have left were the float should attatch to the sendor, dose it drop off if it has been fitted upside down ???

i think the early type also had a box of tricks just below and behind the O/S head lamp, but cant remember if the later two prong type has the box of trick as well

regards malcolm

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:37 pm

the type Graeme has dose/did have a float, and all the float dose is whilst the float is floatting opperates a magneticly opperated switch, a bit like a house alarm system windom switch,

have a look what you have left were the float should attatch to the sendor, dose it drop off if it has been fitted upside down ???

i think the early type also had a box of tricks just below and behind the O/S head lamp, but cant remember if the later two prong type has the box of tricks as well

regards malcolm

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:34 pm

citronut wrote:the type Graeme has dose/did have a float, and all the float dose is whilst the float is floatting opperates a magneticly opperated switch, a bit like a house alarm system windom switch,

have a look what you have left were the float should attatch to the sendor, dose it drop off if it has been fitted upside down ???

i think the early type also had a box of tricks just below and behind the O/S head lamp, but cant remember if the later two prong type has the box of trick as well

regards malcolm

Hi Malcolm, the float has fallen off but seems permanently broken as it cannot be reattached (I've tried!) so I'd need a whole new one.

Not certain by what you mean "box of tricks" under the light though - is it some sort of mini ECU? Wouldn't have thought something as secondary as a water level sender would have any high tech. bits and bobs?