[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by i007spectre

Ever since the last time I disconnected the battery the car will tell me which seat memory setting I am using on the dic at startup. It never used to before.

Yep, it does that for a while, then stops. It's probably a notification that gets reactivated after a full powerdown, then acquiesces if you keep using the same fob.

[Need4Camaro]

Folks it is the thermostat. I will explain below this quote…

Originally Posted by dpevans

Even if the thermostat failed your dash would read the engine temperature. I would start by troubleshooting the coolant sensor, there is a chart that you can use to troubleshoot if you know how to use an ohmmeter or you could just parts bomb it. The sensor is $8. I would start with the obvious checking for damaged wires. There is also an outside sensor, is the outside temp reading correctly that has been known to cause issues. Just be aware after watching a couple videos on the sensor and thermostat the LGX is a PITA to work on.

The bolded actually isn’t entirely true. Here is what happens. The ECM expects the engine to rise to operating temperatures within a certain time limit on a cold start. This is a ECM check to ensure that the coolant temperature sensor is operating properly and that it can rely on it for information. If the ECM does NOT detect that the engine has risen to operating temperatures within a fixed time period, the ECM will assume that the coolant temperature sensor is faulty and will stop relying on it for information. This is what causes the temperature gauge to go to 0, the ECM purposefully deactivates it and also activates the fans as a fail safe to make sure the car doesn’t overheat as it no longer has any way of knowing how hot the car is running.

What happens with a failed thermostat is they often fail in a ‘stuck open’ position as a fail safe to keep the motor from overheating, but because it is stuck in the open position, the engine runs much cooler than it’s supposed to and it never reaches operating temperatures thus the ECM is tricked into believing the sending unit is bad because it’s getting much cooler temperatures than expected, but the catalyst is actually the thermostat.

Originally Posted by ex-boxing champ

I'm more confused than ever now. So should I replace the sensor or the thermostat?

&

Originally Posted by i007spectre

Same boat man. No idea where to start.

The problem is the thermostat. Replace the thermostat. Replacing the coolant sensor will do nothing for this problem.

[STEVE41]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Folks it is the thermostat. I will explain below this quote…



The bolded actually isn’t entirely true. Here is what happens. The ECM expects the engine to rise to operating temperatures within a certain time limit on a cold start. This is a ECM check to ensure that the coolant temperature sensor is operating properly and that it can rely on it for information. If the ECM does NOT detect that the engine has risen to operating temperatures within a fixed time period, the ECM will assume that the coolant temperature sensor is faulty and will stop relying on it for information. This is what causes the temperature gauge to go to 0, the ECM purposefully deactivates it and also activates the fans as a fail safe to make sure the car doesn’t overheat as it no longer has any way of knowing how hot the car is running.

What happens with a failed thermostat is they often fail in a ‘stuck open’ position as a fail safe to keep the motor from overheating, but because it is stuck in the open position, the engine runs much cooler than it’s supposed to and it never reaches operating temperatures thus the ECM is tricked into believing the sending unit is bad because it’s getting much cooler temperatures than expected, but the catalyst is actually the thermostat.



&



The problem is the thermostat. Replace the thermostat. Replacing the coolant sensor will do nothing for this problem.

bingo again

[Whitespeed]

I suspect what's causing all the confusion about whether it's the sensor or the thermostat is the claim that the dash gauge is showing "0". However, on the base trim level cars there are no actual units on the coolant temperature gauge. On the upper trim level cars, the lowest reading on the gauge is 160F (75C). Thus, if it's a base trim level car, it's quite possible that the lowest reading on the gauge is not 0F. It's most likely 160F like the upper trim level cars. For either trim level, it's conceivable that with a thermostat failed open, the engine temperature would never exceed 160F, and thus the needle would never move off of the lowest reading.


Nigel

[UnknownJinX]

The explanation makes sense to me. I stand corrected.

But again, easy to check if it's the car or the thermostat. If it is not too cold yet, let the car idle for 10-20 minutes and carefully feel around the engine block and the upper radiator hose. They should be getting pretty warm by then. If not then the thermostat is stuck open. If the block is hot but the upper radiator hose isn't, then the thermostat is stuck closed. If everything is warm but the gauge isn't picking up anything, then the sensor is toast.

Originally Posted by Whitespeed

I suspect what's causing all the confusion about whether it's the sensor or the thermostat is the claim that the dash gauge is showing "0". However, on the base trim level cars there are no actual units on the coolant temperature gauge. On the upper trim level cars, the lowest reading on the gauge is 160F (75C). Thus, if it's a base trim level car, it's quite possible that the lowest reading on the gauge is not 0F. It's most likely 160F like the upper trim level cars. For either trim level, it's conceivable that with a thermostat failed open, the engine temperature would never exceed 160F, and thus the needle would never move off of the lowest reading.


Nigel

Actually, it doesn't matter which gauge cluster you have, the water temperature gauge is an idiot light. The upper level gauge cluster doesn't accurately reflect the water temperature. If you really want to know, use an OBD2 reader.

This isn't uniquely a Camaro problem. Most cars are like this. The needle will stick at a certain point unless the engine is very much colder or hotter than the expected operating temperature. So the needle will be pointing at the "normal" point from about 170 F to maybe 215 F. It will only move when it is outside of this range.

[MyNameIs]

Originally Posted by STEVE41

it is your thermostat, can't be that hard even if it is for a v6. i have the ss, it take me a couple minutes to swap it out.

Do you lose a lot of coolant when you remove the thermostat housing?

[haggler]

1500 says they didn't wanna take the job. Go to a local trusted shop.

[myyke]

This has been happening a lot. I had immediatelychanged my thermostat. . Didnt solve the issue. unplug neg battery terminal. It will reset. And everythingwill work fine until it happens again. Looking for info on this condition

[MyNameIs]

40min. Replaced mine 2 weeks ago. You will need to catch about 1q of anti freeze.

[MyNameIs]

Originally Posted by ex-boxing champ

My coolant temp on my dash is showing 0. It doesn't read any temperature and my air conditioner doesn't work then. Also my fan keeps running constantly under the hood. The only way to get it right is for me to unhook my battery in my trunk and hook it back up. This only lasts for about a week then I gotta unhook the battery again to restart the coolant gauge. ITS getting very annoying.

Mine is a v8, had the same symptoms as yours. Replaced my therm and it fixed it. Got the part from dealer and they replace every 3 to 5 years. I got 6 years out of mine and 68k miles.