I have a 2001 monte carlo ss and I just wanted to know if you can use a radiator that does not have a temperature sensor as a replacement? I have seen the radiator in the 2004 model at a junk yard and wonder will if it will work in my car. It does not have sensor were my car's radiator does. Will my car function properly without this sensor being hooked up? Any help would be helpful.

 

Any ideas?

 

i would say no

it will work but i don't know if it has just one or 2 sensors one for ecm and guage or just one for both

but if it is connected into the ecm in any way your computer will just see that the car is running extreemly cold( like start up) and won't adjust such things as fuel, timming to the temp your engine is running ie running rich/lean posibly causing KR

 

Not sure if your '01 is different from my '02 SS (3.8L) but...

My radiator has only a coolant level sensor. The coolant temp sensor screws into the lower intake manifold I think (it's somewhere down there on the driver's side). If yours is like this, it should work. With the coolant level sensor disconnected, you should not receive any error code / idiot light.

However if your radiator really does have the coolant temp sensor, then I'd say you need to replace with a like unit for reasons already pointed out.

 

Thanks for the input guys.