Temp gauge

billyo69 · #1 10-26-2005, 09:39 PM

Well since it has gotten cold out again my temp gauge is quitting and fans are running constant.It was fine all summer after having the same prob last winter.I have changed sending unit twice I had to change cooling fans because bearings went from running all the time.And its hard to get good heat at 0 degrres with fans running.If i pull the PCM fuse for at least 20 min it will be fine for a while.What part could react to outside temp to cause this.The antifreeze temp and thermo are fine its electrical i think?

Caterpillar_Rob · #2 10-27-2005, 11:28 PM

I think I have the same issue as what you have now and what you have had in the past.

Tonight going into work driving down the highway I always pay attention to my gauges and then I just happen to look back down at my temp. and it's all the way below 130 (where it sits when the car is off or just starting it when it's very cold outside). I get to work, shut the car off, the fans are running after the fact, I SHUT THE CAR OFF!

What causes this?

What part is needed to fix this problem? (Part number?)

Is this something I can fix on my own if I am to purchase the part?

Need some help. Also have an antifreeze leak.. Not good!

I appreciate any type of response I can get for this.

Thank you!
Rob

bermis519 · #3 10-29-2005, 06:58 PM

You need an 8 dollar part for it..it's a temp sensor that is near the cover for the thermostat...I had to replace mine for the same thing. It's a little bit of a pain in the ass to get to...if you have the right tools it should be easy.

Basically instead of having to remove all the coolant....I just unscred the temp sensor enough to where it wouldn't leak...then quickly swap them out and you loose next to no coolant.

Mike

billyo69 · #4 10-31-2005, 04:47 PM

Mike
Was yours doing what my 01 is doing? "gauge quits working completly when outside temp gets cold and fans running".And did you have to pull PCM fuse to get it working temporarally?

billyo69 · #5 11-02-2005, 05:57 PM

Went to dealer today.They scanned it and came up with c1016 and p0463.They said i need instrument cluster $500.but would not gaurantee that that would fix temp gauge prob.I said screw it.I'm gonna change AIR TEMP SENSOR and see what happens.

bermis519 · #6 11-04-2005, 09:15 PM

why would you need a new instrument cluster...i don't understand because i thought the insturment cluster only received information. Also....it may be the problem, but i would try the 8 dollar temp sensor instead of the 500 dollar cluster....and i would look on ebay for a used cluster for a little over a hundred bucks.....and no, i didn't have an gauge cluster problems or anything with the PCM....at least not yet...*knock on wood*. The only guage problem i had was the temp gauge not increasing, only because the engine wasn't getting warm. What is the gauge cluser doing?

mike

firestix · #7 11-05-2005, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyo69

Mike
Was yours doing what my 01 is doing? "gauge quits working completly when outside temp gets cold and fans running".And did you have to pull PCM fuse to get it working temporarally?

What tools Bill? This thing IS a pain. I've got a Haynes book and it says to simply unscrew it ... yeah right ... How do I get to it without taking everything off?

billyo69 · #8 11-05-2005, 04:25 PM

You need to take off anything in the way,unplug the fans .Then it all comes out in one unit.

billyo69 · #9 11-05-2005, 04:30 PM

"What is the gauge cluser doing?"

Well now my gas gauge has gone haywire.I dont think that has anything to do with the temp gauge although dealer says it does.My temp gauge goes from normal to 0 when driving on COLD days only.when gauge drops instantly to 0 fans go on.Dealer said scan shows gauge cluster COULD be causing problem.I will try other stuff b4 spending $ on cluster.

bermis519 · #10 11-05-2005, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyo69

"What is the gauge cluser doing?"

Well now my gas gauge has gone haywire.I dont think that has anything to do with the temp gauge although dealer says it does.My temp gauge goes from normal to 0 when driving on COLD days only.when gauge drops instantly to 0 fans go on.Dealer said scan shows gauge cluster COULD be causing problem.I will try other stuff b4 spending $ on cluster.

Well to me....and using common sense...it just simply displays what the motor is doing....i would say replace the temp sensor first....even if the gauge cluster was wrong....it wouldn't affect the motor because the gauge is only recieveing a signal. If the car was heating fine and the gauge was all weird..then maybe...

mike

billyo69 · #11 11-06-2005, 01:07 PM

bermis are you saying (coolant temp sensor) or (air temp sensor)

bermis519 · #12 11-06-2005, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyo69

bermis are you saying (coolant temp sensor) or (air temp sensor)

I'm talking aobut the coolant temp sensor......

billyo69 · #13 11-07-2005, 05:53 AM

If the car was heating fine and the gauge was all weird..then maybe...

The car is heating fine and the gauges are acting haywire.but im gonna change the thermostat,coolant sensor and air temp sensor first,

billyo69 · #14 11-07-2005, 04:56 PM

I changed the thermostat and the coolant sensor.That didnt fix it.What does the AIR TEMPERATURE SENSOR due?Seeing as this prob only happens in cold weather maybe that could be the prob.

hawkeye1956 · #15 11-17-2005, 09:57 PM

One more Impala with the same problem. This just started today and I have never seen it before. For the life of me, I have been unable to locate the temp sensor. I assume this screws into the block somewhere? I looked near the housing where the upper radiator hose goes into the block as someone said it was near the thermostat housing. My Impala has the 3.8 if that matters.

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