My temp gauge is on the fritz, so when I smack the dash or wiggle the connection to the temp sending unit it will work again. So after wiggling the wire to the temp sending unit i started the car and my idle was approx 1500, it was like it thought that the engine was cold, maybe confused and was running iit in open loop? After messing with it I let it sit for about 1/2 hour and it came back down. Also while it was idling high, if I pressed in the connedtion to the temperature coolant sensor, which I think is behind the temperature sending unit, the cooling fans would run, if I let up they would turn off? This was all after 2 hrs of highwat driving so it was plenty warm? Whats up with my car, Please help.

 

Hey I have more or less the same problem!!!
But I dont know if its the temp sending unit
Were its the unit located? so I can check and help to solve the problem.

 

The temperature sending unit is located under/beside the distributor cap. It has a male/female electrical connection. To replace just undo the connection, then uncrew the sending unit and quickly replace with the new one, because some coolant will leak out. I would wait and let the car sit overnight or let it cool down for awhile. I replaced the sending unit and the female connector. It helped the problem, but still is not perfect. I think that I have a loose connection in the dash, since it comes back to life if I bang the dash. I do not think that the guage is bad because I followed the diagnosis in the Chilton's manual and that the fuel guage works perfectly, and they are usually related. Hope this helps, I'm stumped as well.

 

Where did you get your new sensor?

BTW My rpms get down 1700 when i turn my A/C on, the cars is supossed to automatically stay in the same RPMS.
That happend to you too?

 

I got my new senor at the dealer, its about $10 bucks. No my idle does not do that. I gave in and got my temp guage diagnosed the other day and they said that the guage itself has gone bad. Has anyone had any experience in replacing the guages? PLease help.