i bought a 2001 monte carlo LS, 3.4 back in may from a private owner. i thought all it would take is a couple hundred into it and it would be fine, but im about ready to throw in the towel. when i first bought the car, everything was fine for a few weeks. I need to add that when i bought the car, the factory radio wasnt hooked up. i took it to a place to get the radio hooked up and a few days later, id wake up to a dead car. i didnt have any idea it was the radio. i took it to autozone to get the battery and alternator tested and everything was fine with both parts. So make a long story short, i figured out it was the amp running when the car was off so i changed the radio and the amp. Now, here we are, im still having to jump it, some days the fans stay on for a few minutes when i cut the car off, my temp gauge doesnt move until about 20 minutes into my ride but it still doesnt hit a normal level, it stays low, i also have to add that my car was over heating. i took it to the shop, they told me its the radiatior, changed that, then when i went for an oil change at another place, they told me my water pump is gushing antifreeze all over the place. so i change the water pump..would anyone know where i should start first? im so ready to get rid of this bad boy but i still want it! HELP!!!

do i need to change the thermostat and/or the temp sensor for my temp gauge to start working again?

and for the dead battery, can that possibly be an electrical problem? now instead of jumping the car all the time, i disconnect the battery over night and hook it back up in the AM when i am ready to leave.

 

I'm going to say the radio wasn't hooked up because of the parasitic draw. Find that draw and you should have no more electrical problems. Obviously it wasn't just the amp, unless it's the wiring that you didn't touch.

When your car doesn't know the temperature, the fans will stay on as a safety precaution. Your temp sensor OR the thermostat could be bad.

 

I had somewhat similar problem with the temp( I still do) I was leaking antifreeze from the belt cover secition( not the water pump) got my brother to change out the gasket and no more leaks but for some reason if I'm not driving and just at a light it seems to go a littler over the middle and after it gets close to the first notch after the middle the fans finally kick in I'm thinking might be temp sensor u should try there first??