4Driver4

Coolant temp sensors on the 2.8 is arguably one of the most unreliable parts of the car. T-stats failures are far less common. I had assumed you had verified that the temp gauge was functional prior to talking t-stat.

Replace the temp sensor first!!!

rsadamsB5

I will do that. The car kinda runs rough at idle could this be because of the temp sensor?

Anyways thanks for the help

Reggie

There are two sensors on the 2.8. Passenger side is the one for the gauge. Drivers side is the one for the electronics - if I remember correctly

rsadamsB5

Not so sure about there being two sensors...

The sensor on the car is a 4 pin sensor so im sure one pair of pins is for the gauge on the dash. And the other pair is for the ECU

I think that's it?????

4Driver4

Yes. Replace the four pin.

The only other sensor I know of is the fan switch at the lower rad hose.

Bruch

I'll second that. I'm on my 3rd CTS in 3 years. Change it first, then decide about the T-stat.

rsadamsB5

ok just put the new sensor on yesterday its doing the same thing...taking forever to heat up and never reaching operating temp. But sometimes it does reach normal temp. The gauage still moves a lot but never over the halfway mark.

Could I have been sold a faulty temp sensor? Or should i just assume thermostat?

Oh and the sensor i pulled off the car was a replacement already...

4Driver4

Where did you get the replacement?
Plenty of junk out there.

rsadamsB5

BlauParts?? is that junk?

Meyle makes the sensor i put on

ou2mame

i had my timing belt changed like 10k miles ago, so it wasn't necessary to go through all that again. but my tstat went, so i just did the zip tie trick. push the belt off halfway, be gentle. tie it enough so you know that it won't pop off, and then loosen the tstat cover. don't force it out, its aluminum so its kinda soft. just kinda wiggle it til you find the right way to take it off. back off the timing belt a little more, that extra mm is necessary. once the belt is 3/4ths off, it should come off. then just clean it up and throw the new one in, little ball thingy faces 12 o'clock. the most annoying part was taking the whole care apart for the tstat, but whatever. take your time with it, don't yank anything lol