T-stat again?? UHG!

Voymom

Original poster
Member
Feb 3, 2012
2,523
Keeping it short and sweet.

It was slightly chilly yesterday(close to 70 degrees) and as I was driving down the road at about 45 mph, I noticed my Temperature gauge was 2 lines to the left. We JUST put a new t-stat in less than 2 months ago. Getting on the gas did cause the temp to rise a bit, but I had already been driving it for about 7 minutes.


I know it's a fairly common thing in these trucks, but what would cause a t-stat to go bad in less than 2 months? It was an OEM brand new t-stat.

Thanks
 

ScarabEpic22

Member
Nov 20, 2011
728
Hmmm, do you have access to a scan tool? One that can actually display real-time data? I wonder if your temp sending unit is bad, the tstats are common, but the sending units are fairly common as well.
 

jrSS

Member
Dec 4, 2011
3,950
Ur guage is just a dummy gauge. Its not actual temp. U need to check real time temp. to make sure its a bad therm.
 

Voymom

Original poster
Member
Feb 3, 2012
2,523
I didn't think about either of those. I don't have a scan tool at all. Is it something autozone can do or do I need to take it to a shop and have it done?
 

kardain

Member
Dec 16, 2011
557
Voymom said:
I didn't think about either of those. I don't have a scan tool at all. Is it something autozone can do or do I need to take it to a shop and have it done?

Probably neither. The water temperature sensor may be able to be bench tested using a pot of boiling water, a known accurate thermometer, and a multimeter. I'll look up the specs after work (90-ish minutes) and see what the resistance ranges are on an OEM sensor.
 

djthumper

Administrator
Nov 20, 2011
14,956
North Las Vegas
Voymom said:
I didn't think about either of those. I don't have a scan tool at all. Is it something autozone can do or do I need to take it to a shop and have it done?
You can buy the scanner and have to read your codes and monitor things like this. :wink:
 

kardain

Member
Dec 16, 2011
557
kardain said:
Probably neither. The water temperature sensor may be able to be bench tested using a pot of boiling water, a known accurate thermometer, and a multimeter. I'll look up the specs after work (90-ish minutes) and see what the resistance ranges are on an OEM sensor.

If I'm reading the service manuals right, should be ≈177 ohms across pin b to ground when in 100* c water. Pin b is the yellow wire, ground is the threads.

However there is only a pass/fail test GM uses. The sensor is considered disposable.
 

FlyingFischer

Member
Dec 4, 2011
254
Spokane, WA
This is one of the reasons I got a scangauge II. That way I can get the actual temp readout of the water temp, trans temp, and many other parameters. Best money spent.:thumbsup:
 

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