Temp Guage Stuck at 180ish
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Temp Guage Stuck at 180ish Car off or on, the temp guage is at 180 and never moves. Any ideas? It just strated doing this out of the blue. Car is running fine and doesnt appear to be over heating or anything like that.
Thanks.
Thanks.
12 Second Club
iTrader: (4)
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,712
Likes: 0
From: Between Bowling Green/Owensboro
Unplug the ECT sensor on the drivers side of the block up front next to the manifolds.
See if it changes, if so, then its dead. if not it could be the guage
See if it changes, if so, then its dead. if not it could be the guage
I've never understood this. I find it hard to believe that GM would put a coolant temp gauge in a car that doesn't work. I could see it being inaccurate and the temps it shows not being quite right, but being a "dummy" gauge that's there just for looks just seems like BS to me.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area, CA
I've never understood this. I find it hard to believe that GM would put a coolant temp gauge in a car that doesn't work. I could see it being inaccurate and the temps it shows not being quite right, but being a "dummy" gauge that's there just for looks just seems like BS to me.
I have a auto meter one hooked up in my car and i can tell you that my cars temp jumps from 160 if driving in the freeway to 210 if stuck in traffic. The stock gauge does not move if your car is anywhere from 160 to 230 i beleive it is. It only moves up higher from that once your car reaches over 230 and by then your pretty much getting ready to overheat these aluminam blocks.
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Ok, so I unplugged the sensor and the guage dropped to nothing pretty much, no response at all. I noticed that it actually moves but it never goes past 185. It used to fluctuate and all of sudden it is not. It would go to 210ish, the fans would kick on and the guage would trickle back down. Is there a secondary safety I can rely on if the car starts to overheat? If that sensor or guage is bad is there something in place to keep from spontaneously combusting into flames? It's not my daily driver but I'm not ready to do a rebuild just yet. Im trying to get axle bearings and little things like that in order before I start tearing into the motor. And ****...
TECH Resident
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 937
Likes: 0
From: South Alabama
I've never understood this. I find it hard to believe that GM would put a coolant temp gauge in a car that doesn't work. I could see it being inaccurate and the temps it shows not being quite right, but being a "dummy" gauge that's there just for looks just seems like BS to me.
The computer does see the "real" temp, but the gauge is hooked to the computer via a serial port connection (as I understand it). The computer interprets the actual signal, then sends the dummy temp reading to the instrument cluster. Either live with it or put in a custom temperature gauge - like most folks do...
Those are pretty much your altenatives without spending big bucks....
12 Second Club
iTrader: (4)
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,712
Likes: 0
From: Between Bowling Green/Owensboro
My temperatures never goes above 185 when cruising at all. I have a mid 98. It only goes higher if im setting for example in the staging lanes, but thats what fan switches are for. The 1998 ls1 owners manual says this is normal. I can take pics of it if you like. Change the ECT and if you still have trouble get a new thermostat. It might be stuck wide open... same issue I had.... It would heat up but never get past operating temperature.
