Temp gauge at C and service engine light on?

[sorrowfulkiller]

Alright I was going to my girlfriends house this morning and noticed that my service engine soon light came on, then I noticed that my temp gauge was still at C (cold) the car still accelarated normally though, so I put on the heater to help with cooling the engine a little.

I'm wondering if it has to do with the thermostat breaking or if it could be due to the LIMG... which I haven't been able to change yet. Any ideas? Anyone experience something like this before?

[AftermathAlero]

nah.. your temp gauge sensor is prolly out. Its located right next to the thermostat housing.

[sorrowfulkiller]

Where is the thermostat housing and what does it look like?

[DUSTIN0285]

if its a 3.4 its under the throttle body. its where your upper rad hose connects to.

[sorrowfulkiller]

if its a 3.4 its under the throttle body. its where your upper rad hose connects to.
Alright thanks, think I could get a sensor at a GM dealership then or can I get a sensor somewhere else?

[jackal2000]

Alright thanks, think I could get a sensor at a GM dealership then or can I get a sensor somewhere else?


its a fairly universal part and should be available at any parts store.

[sorrowfulkiller]

its a fairly universal part and should be available at any parts store.

nope... went to a couple auto part stores.. none of them had one, went to a GM Dealership... they had three... figures

[jackal2000]

nope... went to a couple auto part stores.. none of them had one, went to a GM Dealership... they had three... figures

well i'll be damned.

[alerored04]

i had my sensor quit working, switched it and it didnt solve the problem for me, i ended changing the tstat as well. Start with the sensor and if it doesnt fix it id say do tstat next, them look at getting that limg done.

[sorrowfulkiller]

How hard is it to change the thermostat? Do you have to move anything out of the way?

[alerored04]

just the throttle body, but if you have little hands you might be able to do it with the tb on. Its easy to remove so i just took it off.

[Cliff8928]

nope... went to a couple auto part stores.. none of them had one, went to a GM Dealership... they had three... figures

Then you're finding the person who doesn't know how to use the computer at the parts store. The temp sensor in the Alero has been used by GM for a long time (over 20 years).

[brim]

su109 at autozone about $13

[sorrowfulkiller]

Well found out it wasn't the sensor, my dad's changing the thermostat right now since I'm in school.