Hey everyone, new to this forum. Got my 1996 corolla off a guy my uncle knew over a year ago. I've always noticed a few unplugged wires since I got it, but it runs fine except it can get quite hot. Does anyone have any ideas to what the unplugged wires are for. They all seem to female plugs so none of them would plug into each other. Thanks for any help. Click link for photos:

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Those plugs will fit a whole lot of options the Japanese have but your car doesn't.  You'll need to web search a wiring diagram and look at the colours of the wires.

Chase the over-heating quite soon, its easy enough to cook a motor over the summer. 

When does it overheat?  and how easily does it cool down again?? Fan come on OK?  fan only does something until about 20kph, after that the airflow from moving does the work.

Short out the sensor straight to earth & make sure the gauge goes to full hot.

Start it cold with the rad cap off and check the gauge when it first gets warm from sticking your finger in it. Check the gauge again when its too hot to put your finger in..  Obviously a thermometer is the best tool, but use what you have. At least you know the gauge shows 'warm' or whatever when the thermostat opens, and hot for your hand is about 55-60deg. That's some sort of range or temperature.If you have a thermometer and find that halfway on the gauge is about 90deg, that's fine, and 3/4 gauge is worth worrying about.

Alternatively,  look up the resistance of the sensor and measure it with a multimeter, both hot and cold. If it is in spec then the sensor is fine. If the gauge reads correctly at those temps the gauge is OK.

Then check the thermostat in a pan of boiling water to make sure it opens right up, or just replace it.

Pull the rad out and flush it backwards.

Let us know how you go-

 

On 11/24/2021 at 1:11 PM, altezzaclub said:

Those plugs will fit a whole lot of options the Japanese have but your car doesn't. 

Depends on where it was built.  Aus-built Corollas had almost no pre-wiring for any accessory that wasn't standard/optional here (and even then not even the options).