No clue? Confused
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 31
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From: Parkersburg
Car: 1991 Pontiac Trans Am GTA
Engine: 5.0 TPI
Transmission: t-56
Axle/Gears: 3.73
No clue? Confused
Ok the sensor connection on the passenger side for the coolant has been disconnected as long as I've had the car because I thought it was the Knock sensor someone replaced beforehand and didn't pull out the old one. But come to find out it isn't. My temp gauge has always worked until today after I got BBK pulleys installed, oil sensor, o2 sensor, and tranny mount. It has a 160 degree thermostat. It has never passed it. Now I left the shop and noticed that the temp gauge stopped working. Got 4-5 miles down the road and stopped. The oil pressure dropped to near nothing. So I figured the ecm never kicked on the radiator and the top radiator hose was hard as rock when I turned the car off. It had pressure built up in it. Any ideas?
Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 338
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From: Sarasota, FL
Car: 1988 GTA
Engine: 400 CI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: No clue? Confused
Ok the sensor connection on the passenger side for the coolant has been disconnected as long as I've had the car because I thought it was the Knock sensor someone replaced beforehand and didn't pull out the old one. It has a 160 degree thermostat. It has never passed it.
The sensor connection on the passenger side is located between plugs 6 and 8 and is actually the coolant fan switch. When the temperature in the switch reaches somewhere around 220 degrees (not sure of the exact temp) it grounds the switch and turns your coolant fan on. The knock sensor is located toward the front of the passenger head and uses the same connector as the coolant fan switch. Since you say you never ran hot with it disconnected, something else was turning on your fan. Is your fan hardwired? With the temp staying below 160 is sounds like it. Maybe the coolant fan switch and knock sensor were reversed at some point?
But come to find out it isn't. My temp gauge has always worked until today after I got BBK pulleys installed, oil sensor, o2 sensor, and tranny mount.
The temp gauge sender is located on the drivers side, either in the head or the intake manifold, and has a single blade-type electrical connection. I have a carb so mine is different so I can't be more specific. Check to see if they knocked the connector off.
So I figured the ecm never kicked on the radiator and the top radiator hose was hard as rock when I turned the car off. It had pressure built up in it.
The ecm doesn't kick on the radiator. If the hose was hard then more than likely your thermostat isn't opening. Check and replace as needed.
The sensor connection on the passenger side is located between plugs 6 and 8 and is actually the coolant fan switch. When the temperature in the switch reaches somewhere around 220 degrees (not sure of the exact temp) it grounds the switch and turns your coolant fan on. The knock sensor is located toward the front of the passenger head and uses the same connector as the coolant fan switch. Since you say you never ran hot with it disconnected, something else was turning on your fan. Is your fan hardwired? With the temp staying below 160 is sounds like it. Maybe the coolant fan switch and knock sensor were reversed at some point?
But come to find out it isn't. My temp gauge has always worked until today after I got BBK pulleys installed, oil sensor, o2 sensor, and tranny mount.
The temp gauge sender is located on the drivers side, either in the head or the intake manifold, and has a single blade-type electrical connection. I have a carb so mine is different so I can't be more specific. Check to see if they knocked the connector off.
So I figured the ecm never kicked on the radiator and the top radiator hose was hard as rock when I turned the car off. It had pressure built up in it.
The ecm doesn't kick on the radiator. If the hose was hard then more than likely your thermostat isn't opening. Check and replace as needed.
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