gauge reading hot/engine is cold.

[vroom-chirp]

i get in my 3.4 camaro and head to work after letting it run for about 1 min (to warm up alittle). i get about one block down the road, and notice the temp riseing steadily. this is not normal for my car, it usually takes at least 15 min to get to operating range (stuck thermo), any way, it continues to rise all the way to red!
i turned on the heat to circulate more coolant,in hopes to cool the engine, but my heat was still cool, not hot. so the engine must still be cool right?
my question is, is my engine temp sensor bad or do i have air in the system, or what?
also latley, the guage has been acting iraticly, up , down, normal, weird!
HELP!

[kala]

Are you throwing any codes? i kinda had the same problem in my camaro. It was throwing code for coolent temp sens. i needed to change the coolent temp sensor.

[ma4life]

Also, just because your heater is blowing cold are, doesn't necessarly mean that your motor is cool. If your low or empty on coolant, it'll blow cold air because there's nothing in there.

[vroom-chirp]

coolant was at normal level, and no codes until the "check guages" light came on.
where is the temp sensor located on the 3.4? pics if ya got em. and how do i test it with my multimeter that i just got for christmas? (thumbs up to my fiance)

[BobbyZ72]

After you car runs for 15 mins and you temp is in the red, and you have no hot air blowing out, something is big time wrong. First check to top coolant hose under the hood, it should be hot, if not one of 2 things. You have no coolant, pull of the radiator cap and look in, dont relay on the goofy recovery tank dip stick you have. Or maybe your water pump is not pumping, normaly the will leak if its out, but maybe not always. I recommed you use your own common sence and not drive the car till you figure out the problem.

[Alt space n]

Thats the same problem that I was/still having and I now have a post in the advanced tech because of it. I would HIGHLY suggest not driving until you figure out the problem.

[vroom-chirp]

see, this is a strange problem, after the gauge is done throwing a fit for about ten minutes, the temp goes back down to where it ususally runs(just above 175) and it will be fine for the remainder of the time i drive it.
i was gonna change the thermo cause i think its stuck open(takes long to heat up) but i dont know the proper way to bleed the coolant system. i guess when i do that ill hit the water pump as well. so where is the coolant temp sensor? i wanna test it with my multimeter.

[BobbyZ72]

theres nonthing to bleeding the coolant. Ill make this as easy as i can for ya. At the bottom of the radiator you have a drain valve, open it and drain your radiator, make sure the cap at the top of the radiator is off off so it will drain faster. Change your t-stat and water pump. When both are off us a water hose and wash the inside of then engine, and you may what to close the drain valave on the radiator fill it with water and drain it a few more time. Now remove your battery, under the battery is the coolant recovery tank, it sould lift right out ater remover its bolt. Using water wash it out really good and it its hose too, inspect if for damage, if its damaged or cracked you may want to replace it. You can see what i did here,,, http://www.camarov6.com/ubb/ultimate...c;f=1;t=016388 Next step is put every thing back together, Refill radiator with WATER, and run the engine with the heater on, drive about a mile or so, this will flush out the heater and the engine again. Turn the car off and again open the drain valve on the radiator and take the cap off. Once its done close the valve and and refill with coolant, turn the car on and run a few mins "with the heater on this whole time" the level should drop some so add more coolant, put the cap on the raditar drive around the neighbor hood. Now you have waterloged coolant. Open the drain valve, and take the cap off. When its done draining close the valve and refill with coolant again, run the car with the cap on for a few mins. and add some coolant to the recovery tank. Kill the car and slowly remove the radiator cap again, it should be at or near the top, add some if needed. I recommed after driving it for a while to let it cool off say over night, and take the cap off the radiator again, and make sure its still full. Now fill the coolant tank just above the FULL COLD. If you think you just have to, i dont because my drive way i work on is steep and any air bubbles will not stay in my system, you can run the car tell the engine us hot, a coulpe of miles should do. There is a small Screw driver screw at the top of the tstat housing. Loosen, dont remove, that screw and hot coolant should come out, if not some air will and the coolant will come out right behind that. And you done Honstly you dont have to bleed it, some people just like to make bigger deals over it. Just check the coolant again in a day or so with the engine cool and make sure its still full, generaly if there is a air bubble it will wash its self out with regular driving.

[Question]

Originally posted by BobbyZ72:
theres nonthing to bleeding the coolant. Ill make this as easy as i can for ya. At the bottom of the radiator you have a drain valve, open it and drain your radiator, make sure the cap at the top of the radiator is off off so it will drain faster. Change your t-stat and water pump. When both are off us a water hose and wash the inside of then engine, and you may what to close the drain valave on the radiator fill it with water and drain it a few more time. Now remove your battery, under the battery is the coolant recovery tank, it sould lift right out ater remover its bolt. Using water wash it out really good and it its hose too, inspect if for damage, if its damaged or cracked you may want to replace it. You can see what i did here,,, http://www.camarov6.com/ubb/ultimate...c;f=1;t=016388 Next step is put every thing back together, Refill radiator with WATER, and run the engine with the heater on, drive about a mile or so, this will flush out the heater and the engine again. Turn the car off and again open the drain valve on the radiator and take the cap off. Once its done close the valve and and refill with coolant, turn the car on and run a few mins "with the heater on this whole time" the level should drop some so add more coolant, put the cap on the raditar drive around the neighbor hood. Now you have waterloged coolant. Open the drain valve, and take the cap off. When its done draining close the valve and refill with coolant again, run the car with the cap on for a few mins. and add some coolant to the recovery tank. Kill the car and slowly remove the radiator cap again, it should be at or near the top, add some if needed. I recommed after driving it for a while to let it cool off say over night, and take the cap off the radiator again, and make sure its still full. Now fill the coolant tank just above the FULL COLD. If you think you just have to, i dont because my drive way i work on is steep and any air bubbles will not stay in my system, you can run the car tell the engine us hot, a coulpe of miles should do. There is a small Screw driver screw at the top of the tstat housing. Loosen, dont remove, that screw and hot coolant should come out, if not some air will and the coolant will come out right behind that. And you done Honstly you dont have to bleed it, some people just like to make bigger deals over it. Just check the coolant again in a day or so with the engine cool and make sure its still full, generaly if there is a air bubble it will wash its self out with regular driving.

:thumbsup:

[vroom-chirp]

wow! thanx for the very usefull info!
you guys should make this a sticky "how to flush your coolant system" very usefull, very helpfull, thanx alot bobbyz72.

[vroom-chirp]

but now i just need to know the location of the engin temp switch/sensor, so i can check it with the multimeter. pics and proceedures anyone?
thanx alot.

[vanbibber]

Originally posted by vroom-chirp:
wow! thanx for the very usefull info!
you guys should make this a sticky "how to flush your coolant system" very usefull, very helpfull, thanx alot bobbyz72.

ill be adding that to the existing sticky up top. [img]smile.gif[/img] good stuff.

[BobbyZ72]

Sorry for all my spelling and miss word errors, i was falling asleep and just wanted to help the guy.