Hello everyone, since it's been getting colder out I've noticed my trans am isn't warming up like it should, I know I can't expect within a few minutes but it's not warming up at all. At first I noticed both fans running full time but I unplugged one to see if that would help but so far I'm not getting any results, it still warms up to maybe 125 even if I drive It for an hour on the highway. I bled the cooling system and still nothing. I replaced the thermostat a few months ago also to a 195* so that's fairly new. I can't think of anything else it could be, the car runs fine besides a code 36 for the maf. Any help is appreciated! -1989 trans am 5.7l

 

The temp gauges in these cars can be pretty inaccurate. you can get a cheap heat gun from harbor freight and verify what temp it is actually at.

 

Normally I wouldn't think that but the radiator cap is hardly warm to the touch, the heater is also not overly hot.

 

Is your fan wired to run constantly?

 

No, everything is all stock. They were both running full blast all the time but I have one unplugged as of today to see if that would help. I wasn't sure what caused that to happen but as far as I can tell the wiring on this car hasn't been messed with at all

 

Try a new thermostat.

If you haven't changed it in awhile, might what to soak the nuts/bolts with PB Blaster every day for a week or 2 before trying to disturb them; otherwise your next post will be about "how do I get broken-off bolts out of the intake manifold".

 

Even though you replaced thermostat few months ago, it doesn't sound like it is working properly. You can remove it put it in a pan of hot water and verify temp if you want. I would just replace it again.

On my 95 once in a while my SES light comes on and throws code for EGR. When this happens both fans come on and stay on until light goes out, no matter what temp my gauge is at.

Few years back my 05 Impala would not heat up. Replaced stat and bled system and gauge would show proper temp but still hardly any heat inside car. They found heater core plugged so they back flushed it and heat worked fine for month or so. Even though they did not want to, at my request I had them drain and flush the whole system and heat inside car worked great.

 

Honestly i think how they are designed also confuses people how to read them.

If you look at the gauge, the left side pegs out at 100*F, the middle at at 220*F and the far right at 260*F. So if you notice the left and middle peg have 120* difference between them, while the middle and right peg only have a 40* difference. I've notice via ebl flash HUD that the engine reaches 180*F around the first peg, which you wouldnt think looking at how the gauge is 'setup'

So my question is, How are you seeing the temp as 125*F?

 

Picked up a new thermostat and installed it about 20 minutes ago, let it idle for about 10ish minutes but saw no change in the gauge from 100 degrees. It's 20* out right now. The heater does work, better than it did actually which makes me think the gauge is probably junk. The radiator cap is still not getting hot though, neither are the hoses really.