temperature not registering on gauge

**01buickregalsc** · 10-05-2015

I just had to swap motors in my 01 regal I spun a rod bearing grabbed a junk yard motor swapped all my known good parts over (including all sensors I believe) except my temp sensor that's under the thermostat, I broke it... i bought an autozone replacement. I just fired it up today I am not getting any reading on the dash it just stays right about the cold mark, maybe half a mark up. I ran the car enough to have built heat. so my questions.
Is there more then one temp sensor on these cars?
Is there a way to check sensor output without a scanner? I'm flat broke I need one but it's not going to happen soon.
Provided only one sensor, if gauge shows no heat does the computer see no heat as well? Or are there seperate outputs?

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

**stealthee** · 10-05-2015

I had an issue where the gauge showed no heat once and it was just an air pocket.

Also, from what I hear parts store temp gauges are always a crapshoot, so you might have gotten a bad one

**FordMan77** · 10-05-2015

IIRC, the temp sensor has two leads, one feeds the ECM and the other the dash gauge. Check the wiring connectors to it. Other than that could be a defective unit or an air pocket in the cooling system as stealth pointed out. You did properly bleed the cooling system, right? These motors are picky on having air in the system and can do strange things if not bleed properly.

**Scottydoggs** · 10-05-2015

return the temp sensor, it may take two or three before you get a good one. bad, new in the box a lot sadly.

or snag one off a junk yard car. oem is best.

**NebTurboST5** · 10-06-2015

I would suspect air first...pull the thermostat and rebleed the system. Reinstall thermostat.

**01buickregalsc** · 10-06-2015

When air is around temp sensor it shows it as cool? I'll re bleed after work and see what happens

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

**Scottydoggs** · 10-06-2015

you can try bleeding it of air first, but if your fans still came on its the sensor, after market temp sensors have a real bad rep of being dead in the box new.

its a 2 signal sensor, one side to the pcm, the other to the dash gauge. pcm side is what tells the fans to come on.

**01buickregalsc** · 10-06-2015

I'm not a 100% sure the fans ever came on.
Does anybody know what the voltage output is supposed to be if I were to put a volt meter on it

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

**Scottydoggs** · 10-06-2015

no idea. id bleed the t stat, then drive it, see if the fans come on and check the upper hose to see if its hot. hose hot means coolant is passing through it.

**01buickregalsc** · 10-06-2015

Alrighty I'll see what happens thanks for the help guys

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

**01buickregalsc** · 10-06-2015

Good news I'm good! (I think)

Couple tries couldn't get no air out, then all of a sudden it decided to play along and I got damn near a half gallon into her gauge started working and holding steady!

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

Thread: temperature not registering on gauge

Thread Tools

Display

Similar Threads

Temperature Gauge Not Working

Help With Temperature Gauge issue!

Temperature gauge fluctuates

Erratic Temperature Gauge..HELP PLEASE!

Is the temperature gauge accurate?

Bookmarks