Ok, my whole cooling system is messed up and I dont know where to begin. First of all, the rad is leaking. So I'm constantly having to top it up.

But now there is another problem.. I'm not sure I can rely on the stock gauge. See, last night I started it up and drove it all of a hundred feet, looked at the gauge, and it was reading about 200* F. WTF? I popped the hood, and the engine bay was warm, but not overly so. So I keep driving. Then it goes all the way up to the red zone. Yet there is NO heat coming from the heater, and the engine bay was again warm, but not THAT hot, I dont think. (it was a cold night) I topped up the system again and started driving. Well then the gauge would fluctuate between the red zone and the middle, and it would climb up fairly quick, and then drop down and take like three seconds to do so.. Again, WTF? At this point there was still ZERO heat coming from the heater, until at one point all of a sudden there magically was.

So I know the coolant level was low. And today I am going to get a new rad, but my question is, what the hell is up with my gauge? Do I need a new sending unit or something? Where is it even located, anyhow?

I'd really appreciate help on this one...

 

bump


I'm really lost here..

 

Either the guage wire is shorting out (Oh, no!!!!!!!), or your thermostat is fried.

 

It's a brand new failsafe thermostat, so I dont think that's it.

Where is the temp sensor located? Is it the one on the driver side under the second plug?

 

That would be the sending unit for the guage, on the drivers side toward the front. The fan switch is on the pass. side toward the rear.

 

Yeah, ok, thanks. I'll start tracing the wiring.

 

Repair the radiator.

Until you do that, the leaking coolant will allow the system to ingest air. The air will form pockets, which will not only exhibit the cooling system symptoms that you describe, but will accelreate the corrosion process in the cooling system.