overheating car

i have a 1993 saturn sl1 and it usually reads 1/4 or less on the temp gauge..lately it has been jumping up to 3/4......we just relplaced the thermostat and radiator cap ....we noticed that the fan wasnt kicking on.....so we hooked it up to a battery to see if it would work..it does......so whatever thing tells the fan to kick on, isnt working......can anyone help please!?

just a thought..

check thermostat housing.

are you loosing coolant

re-check wire connections

check fuses

not much help i know..just going from personal experiance

http://www.fantasyfacup.com/worldcup/images/logos/0.full.jpg (http://www.fantasyfacup.com/worldcup/leagues/563)

i'd say replace coolant temp sensor (one from a dealer).

yes, replace the ECT if you haven't since '01(new design, brass housing)and check the connector.

the car should run between 1/4-1/2 while running. the fan kicks in around the 3/4 mark, like just below or on 3/4. have you actually let it run past 3/4 and like on the red? if its not getting to like on the red, its not overheating yet. most everyone who has the saturn and doesnt know freaks when the see the temp get up that high, but thats how the gauge was made. if you put on a gauge with actual temp readings, you would find it gets up to the same temp as like all cars. fan kicks on at 220 degrees which is like the 3/4 mark on our gauge.

now if it has got into the red without the fan coming on, and the fan works, then id look in coolant sensor being bad. it would be the one in the middle of the head closest to trans with 2 wires going to it.

i have also looked at this forum

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=294464

and found out that i might as well replace the ECT sensor ..ive kinda got an idea of where it is located , i took some pics of the two possible sensors that i think is the ECT sensor..can u tell me which one it is?? ..theres one on the under right side of the radator hose and one on the under left side of the radator hose

http://quick.imgfree.net/50858 - left side01

http://quick.imgfree.net/50859 - left side02

http://quick.imgfree.net/50860 - right side01

It should be the one farthest to the right that screws directly into the block(Lower than the first one thats easiest to access and closest to the front of the engine). I also believe it has two wires for the connector, whereas the the temp sensor for the gauge is a single wire connector. Tho I may have this reversed.

the third picture is it. center of head just barely above trans with 2 wires