Coolant temperature

2003 Park Avenue w/o supercharger; engine coolant temperature only goes to 183/185 degrees. Changed thermostat, rated at 196 but didn't change normal running temperature. When idling for a while temperature goes to about 205, but then comes down when driving.

Is there a thermostat bypass or could the coolant temperature sensor have drifted out of calibration or could a harness connection be corroded?

I'm reading the temperature from the digital information readout and it corolates with the analog temperature gauge.

Reply to
Eddie
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And both get info from the same sensor.

Take an IR thermometer and see what is shows.

Reply to
Steve W.

Sounds about right from what my LeSabre does. The T'stat may be open at

196, but the location of the sensor can differ and give a different reading.
Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Several times I've had older vehicles (older than yours) which had problems both with the temperature gauge sensor/sender* and the thermostat. So good to verify the temperature with a thermometer.

*Some vehicles have a sensor for the engine computer and a sender for the temp gauge. Others just a sensor for both.

Reply to
Bill

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