szalkerous

iTrader: (1)

Glad I found this thread before I simply bought another $40 sensor...

My PS sucks, too. This is still the case after a brand new steering rack was put in a couple years back. Thought it might be the pump but now I wonder...

EDIT: No PS cooler in my 99 Z28. Back to square one.

jjzepplin

Sorry to resurrect an oldy but I can unplug mine and the light does not go off on the dash.99 TA. Do I need to turn the ignition on and off or something?

BandDirector Blk98ZM6

iTrader: (21)

You sure you're unplugging the correct sensor? My stock one went bad and I unplugged it until I could replace it. Then less than a year later, the replacement went bad, and it's been unplugged ever since...that was YEARS ago. My light went off as soon as I unplugged it...

pdxmotorhead

Easiest way to never have to replace a steering rack, is to keep the PS fluid clean,, and cool. Cheap insurance..

jjzepplin

I think so. Square deal on the radiator close to the battery. Leaks a bit when running when I pulled on the connector.

jjzepplin

Am I missing something? I looked it up on evil bay and it was the one I unplugged.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Leaks? You mean coolant is leaking from the sensor at the electrical connector when you unplug it? If so, that is certainly not proper.

jjzepplin

No. When I was trying to remove the connection plug some coolant leaked so I looked to see where it was coming from unplugged so I wiggled the sensor and it was leaking with slight pressure from side to side. It couldn't possibly hold any type of pressure with this happening. I hear there is a special way to bleed air from the coolant system on this car as well.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Please post a picture for us so we can see what you are looking at. Unplugging the sensor should definitely cut the circuit and cause the light to go away. (Unless there is a short in the wiring.)

Don't believe everything you hear. (particularly on the internet) Now that you've said this, we may not be able to avoid the coolant trolls being summoned to this thread...

jjzepplin

Well the coolant thing was from a fella at work that has a TA a little older than mine. He said there are air bleeds on his engine. I don't see any on mine and I would certainly not be happy with myself if I damaged the all aluminum engine!!!! Coolant trolls?? This is the sensor I ordered and is leaking.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like your friend at work has an older LT1 Trans Am ('93-'97) with the reverse flow cooling system, which is an entirely different engine from your '99. No special bleed process is required for an LS1 in my experience, and I've changed the coolant many times on my various LS1s over the last ~20 years.

That sensor should not be leaking coolant, disconnected or not. So that is a problem. But the fact that your low coolant light still shows with the sensor disconnected is a separate issue, and may be the result of a wiring issue as suggested by wssix99 above.

jjzepplin

Swell. I guess there must be a wiring issue. I fixed the one for the power seat so maybe I can fix this one. I wouldn't worry about it but I like things to work correctly. Just **** me I guess. I suppose I could just read the gauges. It's supposed to run about 210 degrees right?

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

The temp gauge in the '99-'02 cars is highly buffered in the typical running temp range. It will display a hair under or a hair over "210" for any actual temp in the ~185°F to ~235°F range. To get any more specific than that, you would either need a scanner or an aftermarket gauge & sender.

The stock T-stat is an 86°C (187°F) unit, and the factory fan settings don't even activate the low speed fans until 227°F (and high speed if 235°F is reached) so, depending on ambient conditions and operational situation, it's entirely possible (and likely) to never see any deviation in the "210" gauge reading even though your temp swing might be as much as ~45 degrees during different periods of operation after full warm-up.

jjzepplin

Oh my. I do have a digital scanner. I will try that out.Sounds like they built in a gauge that doesn't work until it's too late. So I "AM" unplugging the right sensor?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Can you post a picture of what you are looking at?


I recall people also get confused by the lines that some cars have to heat up the throttle body in the winter.


Stay vigilant and don't believe anything they say. If you let them in, they will eat your brain like an amoeba.

jjzepplin

This is the sensor. Or do you want a pic of the car leaking?

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

The gauge does move around pretty quickly with temp changes that happen above ~235°F, so if there was real trouble it would alert you (though it's sort of "last minute" this way). I guess the idea was to buffer it within the usual running temp range to reduce complaints from ill-informed owners who might have thought that such a large swing during normal operation indicated a problem.

On the 1998 cars the gauge and sender is different; it's much more functional and accurate, and will show noticeable movement as coolant temps swing within that typical range (I do not believe there is any easy way to convert to a '98 setup, as there are several applicable differences between the two - including cluster, sender & wiring, and PCM).

Yes, your picture above is in fact the low coolant sensor. It should be attached to an upper port on the passenger side radiator tank. If that's what you unplugged, then it's the correct sensor. No idea why the light would still be on with that unplugged, other than a short as mentioned above.

FWIW, the 2002 cars did not come with a low coolant sensor. Perhaps because these sensors had proved problematic? So leaving it unplugged basically puts you in the same boat as the '02 cars.

jjzepplin

I found a new sensor on Evilbay for under $5 so I can pull the old one and replace real quick like and not loose too much coolant. Should take care of the leak unless the radiator is cracked somehow. Could I somehow take a bulb out of the dash to release myself from this raunchy red horror that won't go away?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

No, you'd have to remove the cluster, take off the overlay and then tape off a LED. (That is a worse hell.) Plus, you want this warning to work. It may save your engine - it did mine. There are several failure modes where the coolant system will drain (or the radiator could crack) and you want to know this before your aluminum engine runs dry.


Just clean out a milk jug, and get a few feet of hose. Then Siphon a gallon of coolant out the top of the radiator (you don't even have to get on your back and drain from the bottom!). After you take out a gallon, that will expose the sensor and you'll be dry when you take it out. Just put the coolant in the jug back in when you are done.

You should be careful - If you don't get the sensor seated correctly or the clip on correctly, it will leak. (Your current sensor may be physically fine and your current leaks could be caused by the clip popping out of place.)

jjzepplin

Thank you for the good info. I will inspect carefully upon removal. I guess I better get some milk! HAHA!