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  1. #1
    Another Slow LS1 shortdog's Avatar
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    99 Z28 A4

    Battery disconnect=inop coolant gauge?

    I noticed the last several times I r&i'd my battery, my coolant gauge was inoperative temporarily for about 15-20 minutes. Is this normal? My rebuilt motor is going in soon and I can't diagnose an overheating problem if the gauge isn't working.

  2. #2
    Grand Imperial Wizard Sarge's Avatar
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    Retired Outlaw Sum Bitch

    Disconnecting the battery should have no effect on your gauge. Intermittent gauge tells me there is an issue with either the sending unit/wiring/gauge itself.

  3. #3
    Another Slow LS1 shortdog's Avatar
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    Possibly, but it's fine any other time. It's only inop temporarily when I completely disconnect the battery to get it charged/replaced. If it was my coolant sensor, I would think the gauge won't operate at all.

  4. #4
    Senior Member 02z28ls1's Avatar
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    navy blue
    2002 Z-28 Camaro M6

    Gotta agree with Sarge on this one, it's going to be an electrical glich. Of course it could be the wiring or the gauge, but we had a similar problem with a late model GM car in the shop a couple days ago. Long story short we observed the gauge reading stuff that wasn't actually going on with the motor. Finally the gauge reading dropped down to nothing while the engine was fully warmed up. Because of the difficulty of getting to the sending unit to check it, we figured let's just replace it and see what happens. It fixed the problem. Based on what I saw this sending unit do on that car (that didn't make alot of sense) I'd suggest trying that first. And yes -it can be an intermittent problem.

  5. #5
    Another Slow LS1 shortdog's Avatar
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    When you say sending unit, are you talking about the coolant temp sensor on the head? If not, then where is the sending unit located? Appreciate the help.

  6. #6
    Grand Imperial Wizard Sarge's Avatar
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    Yes....the sending unit screwed into the head....I'd run a wire from there outside the car to the guage....and test it like that before I ran/routed a new wire through the firewall and such.....

  7. #7
    Senior Member 02z28ls1's Avatar
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    navy blue
    2002 Z-28 Camaro M6

    True-that would check the wiring. I would just replace the sending unit and see what happens, it's an educated guess. By the time you get access to the back of the dash/gauge on some of these cars you might as well have replaced the gauge, same with the sending unit (on some cars). Realize this sounds sort of shade tree but in the commercial shop you have time limits and way too much to deal with to do things in a more scientific manner (most of the time). So you go with things that work from past experience; it's not a huge investment to get a sending unit, and could be "job done and back to fun".

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