Coolant temp guage intermintent???
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,180
Likes: 233
From: Minnetrista Minnesota
Coolant temp guage intermintent???
So my coolant temp guage works sometimes, and goes to zero sometimes. When it goes to zero I get the "engine hot, a/c not working" message in the dic. Then all of sudden the coolant guage will work again, no rhyme or reason.
I checked the connection at the coolant temp guage, and all wiring and connections seem good. Tried moving the wire harness as far as I could track it, and made no difference.
Is there any obvious things to check? Could the sender be bad, or more likely a wiring issue?
I checked the connection at the coolant temp guage, and all wiring and connections seem good. Tried moving the wire harness as far as I could track it, and made no difference.
Is there any obvious things to check? Could the sender be bad, or more likely a wiring issue?
Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 608
Likes: 1
From: LZ IL
I will bet you have a 160* t stat right? The engine must warm up to a certain temp in a certain amount time or the PCM ignores the coolant temp sensor and you get that DIC warning. Some 160* stats have been known to cause this on cool days.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,435
Likes: 105
From: Northern Colorado
I had this VERY SAME PROBLEM last weekend driving back from the road course. Turns out my T-stat was sticking!
Once I pulled the inners out of it and reinstalled to to make it home, I got this message all the way back.
When I fired it up in the driveway this AM to drive it to work I let it warm up to 180 degree water temp, no problems. When I drove home, I did not let it warm up completely. At 52 degree ambient temp it did not take long for the Ron Davis Radiator to dip temps below 150 degrees ===> engine hot A/C off message and coolant temp displayed = XXX.
Radiator is coming out on Froday to go back for warranty work ( slight leak) and a new T-stat will be installed. Already swapped in my spare Temp sender.
NOTE: I had to disconnect the battery for a few minutes to get it to re-set after installing the new sender.
Once I pulled the inners out of it and reinstalled to to make it home, I got this message all the way back.
When I fired it up in the driveway this AM to drive it to work I let it warm up to 180 degree water temp, no problems. When I drove home, I did not let it warm up completely. At 52 degree ambient temp it did not take long for the Ron Davis Radiator to dip temps below 150 degrees ===> engine hot A/C off message and coolant temp displayed = XXX.
Radiator is coming out on Froday to go back for warranty work ( slight leak) and a new T-stat will be installed. Already swapped in my spare Temp sender.
NOTE: I had to disconnect the battery for a few minutes to get it to re-set after installing the new sender.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 134
From: merritt island fl
C1 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
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I had this VERY SAME PROBLEM last weekend driving back from the road course. Turns out my T-stat was sticking!
Once I pulled the inners out of it and reinstalled to to make it home, I got this message all the way back.
When I fired it up in the driveway this AM to drive it to work I let it warm up to 180 degree water temp, no problems. When I drove home, I did not let it warm up completely. At 52 degree ambient temp it did not take long for the Ron Davis Radiator to dip temps below 150 degrees ===> engine hot A/C off message and coolant temp displayed = XXX.
Radiator is coming out on Froday to go back for warranty work ( slight leak) and a new T-stat will be installed. Already swapped in my spare Temp sender.
NOTE: I had to disconnect the battery for a few minutes to get it to re-set after installing the new sender.
Once I pulled the inners out of it and reinstalled to to make it home, I got this message all the way back.
When I fired it up in the driveway this AM to drive it to work I let it warm up to 180 degree water temp, no problems. When I drove home, I did not let it warm up completely. At 52 degree ambient temp it did not take long for the Ron Davis Radiator to dip temps below 150 degrees ===> engine hot A/C off message and coolant temp displayed = XXX.
Radiator is coming out on Froday to go back for warranty work ( slight leak) and a new T-stat will be installed. Already swapped in my spare Temp sender.
NOTE: I had to disconnect the battery for a few minutes to get it to re-set after installing the new sender.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,435
Likes: 105
From: Northern Colorado
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,180
Likes: 233
From: Minnetrista Minnesota
Mine turned out to be the temp. sender. Replaced and works perfectly. Good luck on fixing your radiator. I heard Ron Davis builds a nice piece, but it has a leak???
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