I have an 88 GTA Trans Am with an automatic 350 TPI. I noticed on the passengers side of my radiator it looks like there is a sensor or something plugged into it. It looks like maybe a wire used to go to it,but i cant find it. The sensor thingy has what looks like blade or male type connector for something like a female connector. Anyone have any clue what this thing coming out of the radiator is,and should it be hooked up....Thanks...Al in NJ

 

Is it the screw-plug to open the radiator draining passage (used for emptying the coolant)?

 

if it's up kind of high on the tank of the radiator, say around 3 inchs or so from the top of the radiator, then it sounds like to me it's the low coolant sensor.

 

The coolant low level sensor would be in the overflow tank, not the radiator if 3rd gens ever had one.

The sensor you are describing is not stock, someone put a temp sensor into the radiator where the heater core return hose would go. Most radiators have this heater core return but are usually plugged off unless you have a full serpentine belt. The standard location for the heater core return is at the top of the water pump.

 

Actually there were some cars back then that had the coolant low level sensor in the radiator and that is a stock sensor. Although that is not stock to the firebirds or camaros. Someone has changed that radiator out at some point with one from another car that had that option. My 89 Iroc has a brass plug installed where that sensor is located. There was a discussion on this by another board member about two months ago who also had concerns about it. You can leave it there or you can remove it and put a brass plug there. If you haven't had any problems with it, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Thanks a lot guys