Thread: 02' GP GT Temp Light, but gauge not hot!

A little update : I got out my scanner and turned on/off both cooling fans, so I know I dont have a bad ground etc. I watched the data and noticed that the gauge inside the car reads about 12-14 degrees higher than what the computer says it is. Ex. at 185 which is where the car normally is : the computer would say 172. , is this a normal thing? I know not many people probably compare the two readings, but maybe this is correct and no one ever cares?

So when the computer reached 212 I did watch both fans kick on, so thats good. I guess I got nervous before and shut the car off, as the gauge would've read 225 or so.

I totally flushed out all the old dex and went with an all systems brand green. It's still running abnormally hot (207 computer, 220 or so via gauge) Ive been bleeding the air out, and it doesnt seem like theres more in there. But if the temp isn't right yet, I'm guessing there has to be something in there??

Ill try some more tomorrow and re-post.

The 210 range is about normal. With it reading a bit higher it may still have some air in it somewhere. And yes, leaving the cap off overnight couldn't hurt. When you were bleeding the system did you have your heat set to full hot and fan on full blast? There could be some air trapped in the heater core.

I think someone mentioned jacking up the front end to help with bleeding. I'd turn the heat on full blast, let it idle until you hear the fans kick on and then crack the bleeder and see what you get.

Don't forget to fill the overflow bottle to the hot or cold marks (depending on the temp of the motor). If it's empty I could see it adding air back into the system.

That"s the normal temp range for these engines. Mainly due to the 195F temp rating of the thermostat. It will start to open at that temp rating , but won't fully open till 200 or so.

Thanks guys. Well I think I have a conclusion, so here goes:

The old temp sensor may have been wacked out when I bought the car? I always read that it's temp (by the gauge inside) was at 185. After putting in the new sensor and seeing it ride normally around 210, I thought everything was hotter.

I NEVER hooked up the scanner before with the old temp sensor, So I can only assume that it was reading LOW inside the car, and that the car was really around 200-205 or so. Now with the new unit in the, the scanner still reads that same 200-205 operating temp, but my gauge inside would read about 11-13 degress higher than the PCM!

I thought the new sensor may have been wacky (Advance Auto Parts BWD Part #), so I bought another one (Delphi part #) and installed it. Well, I have the same difference in readings between the PCM and the gauge inside, about a 11-13 degree difference. So now I know it's not the sensor and it's a gauge thing. So I guess normal people just assume the gauge, and if it says 210 in the car, they think it's 210, when really it's 198 or so. I know it seems minor, but I was used to 185, so instead of my gauge reading lower, now it's higher, which from what it sounds is more normal!

I'm not sure If I tried the heater on full and then bleeding it, but Ill give it a shot. After a 30 mile drive last night and monitoring things, I think all the air is gone hopefully.

Now the last question or thought is : Is there a ways to calibrate the temp gauge inside the car with what the actual PCM is reading?? It shore would be nice to know it's the same, for what it's worth!! Anyone looked into this?

Thanks for the advice guys.