I just purchase a 96 C4 Collector Edition LT1. I noticed my Temp Gauge is normally in the Mid Way position, however when I 'stop' in traffice, it moves up to 3/4 position. Temperature 'outside' around 75 degrees.
Is this normal?
Thank you in advance, for your assistance.

 

Congrats on your new 'to you' Vette. You'll be spending alot of time here, and if you don't have FSM (factory service manuals) yet, get them, invaluable.

LT1s run warm, but that knowledge can cause someone to miss a problem, so presume your info is based on the analog dash gauge, which has gradiant markings, so might be more helpful to speculate on it's temperature than area of the gauge.

ALso, there is a digital coolant sensor and read-out via the digital dash center display -- use the 'gauges' button on the DIC (Digital information center).

Generally, the temps should be 194 (digital) and 185 (analog) while driving, when stopped at a light, can go to 228 degrees F (digital) before both fans should come on at slow speed, and if hot or radiator is clogged, can go to 235 degrees F (digital) before both fans will kick up to fast speed.

If the difference between digital and analog is more than above, can imply thermostat is wrong or coming apart (lower section can come off from the main part and cause the 'bypass' to be closed more than it should and thereby cause larger temp differences between both gauges which is not good).

FYI, analog gauge sender is in head (passenger side?) and digital gauge sender is in front of water pump.

Trick many use is to turn on A/C when stopped (e.g. at a light), it should turn on both fans to slow speed and keep the temp from going above 200 degrees F (digital).

BTW, also check in front of the A/C condensor (in front of radiator) for debris (bags, leaves, etc) and might be able to clean (carefully) in front of radiator (between it and condensor) via the access hole on passenger side where A/C lines enter (toothbrush and thin hose connected to shop-vac works well).

 

Very accurate response!

Paul, welcome!

 

Thank you....I really appreciated your reply. ., I've had many different makes and models in my 60 years: but have to say this Forum of Corvette Owners beats them all. Again, thank you.

 

I, too, just bought a '96 C4 convertible about two months ago, and as a first time owner am finding out the nuances of how things work on a Corvette.

I had a slight panic attack today (temperature outside was low 80's) and my analog gauge on the dash was pegged. I thought I was severely overheating! I knew about the digital readout, and confirmed that the temp displayed there was indeed much lower than the pegged-out analog gauge. I had the top down (due to the beautiful day) and was not running the A/C.

I wasn't used to seeing temperatures hovering around 220 - 230 degrees, and never really monitored the digital readout in the past. After researching posts in this forum I found that those temps are fairly nominal, so I shouldn't be surprised from now on. I thought that I had cooling fan issues, as I was expecting them to be on at those temperatures, but they weren't. I did confirm that the fans do indeed work, as both the driver and passenger side fans operate when the A/C was turned on.

If you've stuck with me through all of the above, here's the reason for the post: Since the analog gauge operates off of a different sender than the digital gauge, where is that sender located? Is it an easy R&R, because if it's a ton of work to replace it I'll just put it on the to-do list for future wrenching days, and rely upon the digital gauge.

Edit: Well, a little more research paid off! Gotta love this forum! http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...8-and-6-a.html

 

I bought the replacement temperature sending unit at Autozone (they had two listed, and I bought the one for a gauge, not for a light). The replacement had a female socket with two pins, one large central pin and a smaller shorter pin next to it (thought it looked correct, as it should have that type of connector, judging by other connectors in the car).

So, went to install it (man, what a PIA, gotta say), and someone had previously installed a generic one with one permanent wire on the sender and spliced some other connector together to the replacemet sender. So, it appears that the original connector is gone. Great.

Took an ohm meter and checked resistance from the end of the new sender to each of the pins inside the connector and they both read identically. So, attached a sliding connector to the sender wire from the harness to the smaller of the two pins.

Analog gauge now works, but it reads about 20 degrees less than what the digital gauge reads, and takes a good while for the gauge to even register that. What gives? I never compared the two gauges' values before, but are they that far apart as a rule? Possible defective/incorrect sender (please, nooo... don't want to do that job again)? I haven't tried connecting the wire to the bigger, flat pin on the sender, but could I have hooked up to the wrong pin?

It'd be nice to have an accurate temp gauge, something this simple should not be so annoying.... grrr.....

 

'96 is OBDII so possibly different , but the gauge sender unit is usually a single terminal unit ( spade terminal )
The CTS for the computer mounted in the water pump has two terminals

 

Hmm, didn't think to look at the water pump unit. Maybe I should compare it to that one, I could have bought the wrong one then.

Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out tomorrow after work.

 

I am also a new corvette owner and when I drove the car home the same thing happened to me, the analog guage went 3/4 and I freaked out. I just finished putting head gaskets on my Dodge Ram due to an overheating problem and I didn't want to do it on my me Vette! So after many hours reading this forum and asking questions I learned the same as you. But one thing I did was to buy a seperate fan control switch so I can turn on the fans when I need them. Thanks again forum !!

 

I've discovered that the temperature sender I bought is indeed the wrong one, based upon the many images of replacement units I've found online. The pins should be two small identical ones, not the two different sized ones that I have on the new one. So, ordered the correct unit (AC/Delco replacement) and now have the task of re-doing the job... Fun, fun...

Only this time I'm going to remember to put my thumb over the hole to minimize losing all of the coolant in the block

BTW, for those that have to undergo this painful replacement, I highly recommend removing the spark plug wire loom bracket first. Once that's out of the way the sender unit is much more easily accessible.

 

JoeUser

i have a 96 with same issue. I also bought from Autozone. It had a spade in the middle and a small conned on side. My gauge still remained off scale after painful install? Are you saying it should have two small equidistant pins instead?
nick

 

OP hasn’t been active on the Forum for ten years. You may have better luck starting a new thread with your question.