May 13, 2016, 03:01 PM
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Low Coolant Light Keeps coming on.
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sure... you could just unplug it because you think you'll notice when it gets low.... In my case the coolant wasn't getting low, the sensor was getting gummed up with oil. That's right oil in the coolant... but not from a head gasket. Porus lifter bores was the final diagnosis. Factory defect, wouldn't have discovered it if it weren't for the idiot light. GM replaced the block free of charge, post warranty. I don't know how common that problem is but they flew an expert from California all the way up to Halifax Canada to be sure that's what the problem was before they offered to foot the bill.
TECH Addict
iTrader: (41)
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,005
Likes: 2
From: Battlecreek, MI / Mansfield, OH
Sure... you could just unplug it because you think you'll notice when it gets low.... In my case the coolant wasn't getting low, the sensor was getting gummed up with oil. That's right oil in the coolant... but not from a head gasket. Porus lifter bores was the final diagnosis. Factory defect, wouldn't have discovered it if it weren't for the idiot light. GM replaced the block free of charge, post warranty. I don't know how common that problem is but they flew an expert from California all the way up to Halifax Canada to be sure that's what the problem was before they offered to foot the bill.
If you don't have a sensor, do you know if your radiator is stock?
TECH Addict
iTrader: (41)
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,005
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From: Battlecreek, MI / Mansfield, OH
Edit: your right, 00-02 have and 98-99 have different part numbers, 00-02 did not come with the bung of the low coolant sensor, GM eliminated it. unplugging it on a 98-99 would be an upgrade, lol!
Last edited by TransWS6Am; Jul 26, 2011 at 07:25 PM.
you could just leave it unplugged, but I think if it came with the car it should be in working order. to just unplug or disconnect things is kind of ghetto.
on my 98 SS, the power steering cooler was leaking power steering fluid into the cooling system. The PS fluid was gumming up the coolant sensor, causing a false low coolant light. replaced the PS cooler tube, flushed and filled PS and cooling sysytem and problem solved.
It took me a little while to figure out where my PS fluid was going. I got a cooling system pressure tester free from Autozone. When I pressurized the cooling system, air bubbles were obvious in the PS resevoir.
on my 98 SS, the power steering cooler was leaking power steering fluid into the cooling system. The PS fluid was gumming up the coolant sensor, causing a false low coolant light. replaced the PS cooler tube, flushed and filled PS and cooling sysytem and problem solved.
It took me a little while to figure out where my PS fluid was going. I got a cooling system pressure tester free from Autozone. When I pressurized the cooling system, air bubbles were obvious in the PS resevoir.
I removed the stock radiator myself, and replaced it with a becool, I can assure you there was no sensor, nor was/is there any wiring running to that area.
Edit: your right, 00-02 have and 98-99 have different part numbers, 00-02 did not come with the bung of the low coolant sensor, GM eliminated it. unplugging it on a 98-99 would be an upgrade, lol!
Edit: your right, 00-02 have and 98-99 have different part numbers, 00-02 did not come with the bung of the low coolant sensor, GM eliminated it. unplugging it on a 98-99 would be an upgrade, lol!
I unplugged the thing in my 99 and still get the light. Anyone know hoe the signal gets transmitted? If I need to put a resistor across the contacts?
Easy fix go to autozone and get the lifetime sensor everytime the light comes on go get another one. I have had mine in a couple months no light so far. Tried cleaning my stock sensor with no luck. It was high like $50 but never have to buy another one. Autozone honors the lifetime good too on my second starter.
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Verdad Gallardo Easy fix go to autozone and get the lifetime sensor everytime the light comes on go get another one. I have had mine in a couple months no light so far. Tried cleaning my stock sensor with no luck. It was high like $50 but never have to buy another one. Autozone honors the lifetime good too on my second starter.
But if pulling the sensor plug kills the light for everyone else, it makes me think the problem is something else. Internal maybe.
I'd firs check to make sure the right thing was unplugged and the light is indeed the low coolant light. (something makes me think another icon on the cluster looks similar). If so, your sensor wires could be shorted out to each other.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,647
Likes: 2,573
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Welcome back old thread! 
Do you know what was upgraded about the pump for '00-'02? I know that the pulley was changed, and the gaskets were upgraded post-'98. I didn't think the actual pump was changed until 2004 though (or whenever the T-stat housing was updated....think that was '04).
FWIW, my stock '98 pump has never failed, but my stock '02 pump began to weep around ~90k miles or so. So if it was in fact an "upgraded" design, it can and does still fail.
FWIW, my stock '98 pump has never failed, but my stock '02 pump began to weep around ~90k miles or so. So if it was in fact an "upgraded" design, it can and does still fail.
I have no idea. I just came across this bulletin which detailed the part cross-references between old and new: http://www.acdelcotechconnect.com/pd...064.pdf#page=2
The change-over struck me as odd. I figured it was because the originals had some sort of chronic defect or the combined thermostat/outlet design has some advantage. Maybe the switch was in support of the Holden Monaro/Pontiac GTO, which went in to production around that time?
The change-over struck me as odd. I figured it was because the originals had some sort of chronic defect or the combined thermostat/outlet design has some advantage. Maybe the switch was in support of the Holden Monaro/Pontiac GTO, which went in to production around that time?
