Well it's been 3 years since I changed out the ETCS and I got another P0116 code check engine light. I used a scanner to check the live coolant temp and it read low, about 90 degrees after driving the truck for a half-hour and getting good heat out of the heat ducts. The gauge also read OK with the needle in the middle so I did not suspect a stuck open thermostat. I changed out the aftermarket sensor with a OEM sensor and cleared to code. Refilled the radiator (about a quart lost when swapping out the sensors) and fired it up. In a few minutes the scanner was reading coolant temps around 180+.
FYI, the new OEM sensor came without the little copper washer seal so I reused the old one. Careful not to drop it when installing! I'll add a pic of the wire connector and the sensor location. This time I used a 3/4" deep well socket with about a 8" extension working from the top driver side of the motor, not the wheel well. Seemed easier this way than through the wheel well.
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