Have a Question-Coolant temp sensor

[GNguy]

Hey guys, I have been having weird issues with my cooling system. The temp readings on the scanmaster will go all over the place. For example, my driveway is at a downward slant, so when I let the car warm up something odd happens. When I get the car level the temp will shoot up to around 190-200 then drop back down to 160. Another weird thing that happened was when I was driving the car around yesterday night and it was COLD outside and the fan was turning on the car but the scanmaster still said 200 but then would drop and go up periodically, I can tell u right now, it was not 200. Does this sound like a coolant temp sensor that is going bad or something else? thanks for any help.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

Hey guys, I have been having weird issues with my cooling system. The temp readings on the scanmaster will go all over the place. For example, my driveway is at a downward slant, so when I let the car warm up something odd happens. When I get the car level the temp will shoot up to around 190-200 then drop back down to 160. Another weird thing that happened was when I was driving the car around yesterday night and it was COLD outside and the fan was turning on the car but the scanmaster still said 200 but then would drop and go up periodically, I can tell u right now, it was not 200. Does this sound like a coolant temp sensor that is going bad or something else? thanks for any help.

mines did that when it was low on coolant

 

[GNguy]

Thanks for replying, I checked the coolant level and it was fine. What is leading me to believe that it is a bad sensor is that sometimes the nubers that flash on the scanmaster are way too high. For example, when I started the car the temp on the scanmaster went to 190 then to 90 in about 3 seconds. I am running a stock fan and radiator.....for now. What are some signs of a coolant temp sensor going bad? Any other ideas?

 

[DailyDrifter]

KOEO what does the sensor read? Should be within a couple degrees of the IAT. If you let the car warm up and it starts to jump to high temps and you know its not that hot I would replace it.

 

[novaderrik]

check the wires going into the temp sensor. if they short together they will tell the ecm all sorts of weird things