Temp Gauge Problem. :(
 

My temp gauge keeps going out and my fan won't stop running. I brought it to a shop and they reset my computer which made the gauge work again, but now it stopped working again after a couple weeks?? What should I do?

Change your Thermostat. Flush your coolant.

When the Thermostat goes bad (or the temp sensor) the PCM goes into a failsafe mode which makes the fans stay on as a precaution of the engine getting too hot since the car has no idea how hot the engine is.

If the thermostat fixes the problem, then you are in luck.

Yes, I had a similar problem about a month ago. I changed the thermostat ($10 part), the coolant sensor ($10 part), and flushed the coolant ($20 of antifreeze). All of this was done for right around $40...a shop had quoted me at $350 for all of it :eek:

You can probably do all of these things in about an hour.

Sweet! I went and bought a temp. sensor and I am planning on putting it in tomorrow, since it was raining here today. :( If that doesn't fix it I'm gonna try a new thermostat, hopefully that will work.

Thanks!

I'd recommend replacing the thermostat at the same time since the sensor is literally right below the tstat and would be easier to replace with tstat out (in my opinion?)

Best of luck though.

BTW, what engine are you talking about? The 3800 v6 SS is easy, I'm not sure about the non SS 3400

from the posters name/profile page, it is a 2001 SS!

x2, doing both at the same time on your SS would be very easy AND most likely fix the problem all at once.

I've only done 1 temp sensor on a late 90's 3800 while the intake was on and it was not fun (as I had limited clearance for tools as a result of the one upper engine bracket, and the only way to get the bracket out would have involved removing the exhaust cross over).

And the shop manual was recommending changing it the way I was (without removing the mount).

Yes, it's a ss. I am going to go get a new thermostat then today so I can fix it all at once. I keep hearing that it's really hard to put a new one in and I should take it to a shop and have them do it, but you guys probably know more then them. haha Hopefully I can do it, I really don't want to take it to another shop.

The T-stat is a piece of cake. As I mentioned, the one 3800 I did a temp sensor on took a little creativity with sockets and ratchets to mess with (but that situation may be slightly different in the Monte, I don't know).

Hopefully this will get you straightened out quickly and cheaply!