Engine Cooling

[meadowlake]

I am new at this so I hope you can help. I am working on my daughters 2006 Grand Prix (v6, 3800). It was overheating and I replaced the radiator (old one clogged). I was wondering where should the temp needle on the gauge fall. It currently is hovering around half way with the car at idle and it sitting in the drive way. Also where should the needle be when the electric fans come one. They are currently off. I checked both fans out side of the car and they are not bad they run

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

With the system filled and the system has been bleed of all air, the half way mark is right around where its going to stay.

With the stock thermo thats right around 195-205º and can reach 210-220 in traffic, fans will come on at 214 and 226 if I recall correctly.

[meadowlake]

So if my fans are not coming on that could be OK, since I may be right below the trip point. I have also read in few place that there are two temp sensors, one for the gauge and one for the computer to trip the fans. Is that true for my system. If so, I can only find one near the thermo-stat.

Thank you so much for your help.

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

I think there is only 2 sensors related to coolant, the CTS under the thermostat and the coolant level sensor in the rad under the cap on the side.

A simple test to just make sure your fans do work is you can hit the AC and 1 fan should come on.

[BillBoost37]

Take a look at the number of wires going to your coolant sensor (under the edge of the LIM by exhaust crossover in the front). If you have two wires, it's one sensor. Three wires means there's two sensors built into the one.