The Power Stroke “CHT Sensor” May Actually Be ECT or ECT2

If a parts catalog or scanner calls for a cylinder head temperature sensor, confirm the Ford component name before ordering anything. On the 6.0L, 6.4L and 6.7L Power Stroke documentation reviewed here, the relevant engine-temperature input is identified as engine coolant temperature (ECT). The 6.7L also uses ECT2 for its separate low-temperature cooling loop.

That distinction matters: ECT and ECT2 are in different circuits and are not interchangeable simply because both report coolant temperature.

Sensor name and location by engine

Power Stroke	Component to verify	Documented location
6.0L	ECT sensor	At the front of the engine, near the thermostat and cylinder-head fuel inlets
6.4L	ECT sensor	Front of the engine
6.7L, original 2011 layout	Primary ECT sensor	Coolant crossover above the primary coolant pump, next to the thermostat housing
6.7L, original 2011 layout	ECT2 sensor	Secondary-circuit portion of the EGR cooler, just after the coolant inlet

The 6.0L Power Stroke technical guide labels the front-mounted component as the ECT sensor. The 6.4L engine overview also identifies an ECT sensor at the front of the engine.

The early 6.7L is different because it has two cooling loops. Its primary loop cools the engine, while the secondary loop serves the charge-air cooler, fuel cooler, EGR cooler and transmission oil cooler. Ford’s 2011 6.7L engine guide places the primary ECT beside the thermostat housing and ECT2 in the EGR cooler’s secondary-coolant passage. Ford’s 2018 diesel controls documentation still lists ECT as engine coolant temperature and ECT2 as low-temperature-loop coolant temperature for the 6.7L (2018 diesel OBD summary).

Do not treat those 2011 physical locations as a universal map for every later 6.7L configuration. Verify the model year, truck series and VIN in the applicable wiring diagram and workshop procedure.

A separate warning for the 7.3L

Do not carry the 6.0L-and-later arrangement backward to a 7.3L. The older engine can have a gauge sender arrangement that differs by year and transmission, and community troubleshooting reports describe an additional PCM coolant-temperature input on some manual-transmission trucks. That is useful as a warning, not a substitute for the correct diagram. Identify the connector from the truck’s VIN and transmission before buying a sender or interpreting scan data.

Diagnose the circuit before replacing the sensor

A temperature-related DTC does not prove that the sensor itself failed.

1. Record all codes and freeze-frame data. P0117 means the ECT circuit signal is low; P0118 means it is high. Ford documents these as voltage-limit checks, not direct declarations that the sensor is defective. The 2019 diesel OBD summary lists typical thresholds below 0.10 volt for P0117 and above 4.91 volts for P0118.
2. Compare temperatures after a true cold soak. Before starting the engine, compare ECT with engine oil temperature and the available intake or ambient readings. They should be broadly plausible for a truck that has sat long enough to cool. A block heater can make coolant warmer than the other readings.
3. Inspect the connector and harness. Look for coolant contamination, corrosion, loose or spread terminals, damaged insulation and contact with hot or moving parts.
4. Watch the PID while moving the harness. A sharp, repeatable jump in temperature supports an intermittent connection more strongly than a general drivability symptom does.
5. Test from the correct wiring diagram. Check the sensor signal, return and PCM-side continuity at the specified terminals. Do not apply battery voltage to the circuit.
6. Stop if the engine may actually be overheating. Low coolant, restricted flow, a thermostat or pump fault, trapped air, or another cooling-system problem can make the sensor’s high reading genuine.

Ford also uses a plausibility check rather than relying only on an open- or short-circuit test. P012F compares ECT with engine oil temperature after a long engine-off period; the cited 2019 strategy requires at least a six-hour soak and accounts for block-heater use. That makes a cold comparison valuable, but it is not valid to demand that every temperature PID match exactly.

The 6.0L uses the same basic ECT circuit-code names: Ford’s 2004 6.0L diesel OBD summary lists P0117 and P0118 for its ECT input.

Replacement stop points

Replace the sensor only when the code, PID behavior and circuit checks point to it. If the scan value changes normally but the engine truly runs hot, continue with cooling-system diagnosis rather than installing another sensor. Broader symptoms may also need an engine-specific Power Stroke repair path.

For replacement, begin with a fully cool engine and do not open a pressurized cooling system. Use the VIN-specific procedure for access, connector release, seal, torque and coolant handling. Match the part by Ford service number or verified VIN fitment—not merely by a generic “cylinder head temp sensor” listing. Afterward, check for leaks and confirm that cold-start and fully warmed scan readings are plausible.