You should replace that sensor.

 

the sender as in the wire?or the sensor?sorry if i sound dumb asking this...also..i corrected myself.since now i know the sensor i was suppose to be checking, when i unplugged that exact sensor, my gauge in my dash did go down to cold and i gave it ground to see if it would rise up to hot as you said.and yes it did rise.i did not however let it reach the highest point as i was told not to do so by yourself and others also..since my gauge went down to cold. wouldnt that mean that my sensor is good?i am waiting for my electric fan to get sent in and i will install it upon arrival.otherwise i will replace the temp gauge to make sure that my car is not overheating.if the same proceeds with the new gauge then i will be forced to replace that sensor.

 

so the sensor is bad? if it goes down to cold? gotcha. as soon as i grounded it. it shot right up but i had to turn off the ignition as i was told before it reached the highest point.

 

Sender = sensor
I've gotten accustomed to using the word "sender" for the one that drives the dashboard gauge. That probably dates me. Back in the day when cars didn't have any computers...

 

alright.thanks to all you guys for the help.i have ordered a 12" universal electric fan since my old one didnt work.and i will be replacing the single pin sensor as you have told me.if the problem keeps on, i will be forced to replace the etc sensor as well.i have also purchased the temp gauge from a friend and i will be replacing that. i have a last question. you mentioned something about using a soldering iron to fix my gauge.i do currectly own a soldering iron and solder of course. and i have worked with solder for quite a while. how can i fix my old temp gauge?

 

When you dismantle the cluster, look at the solder joints on the PCB. Re-melt any that look cracked or dull (not shiny). Any other problems caused by age? Warped plastic components not making good electrical contact? General good-housekeeping stuff for electronics.

Universal fan? Watch polarity so it blows the proper direction...

The ETC sensor? The coolant-temperature sensor for the ECU is completely separate from the gauge. All those different sensors don't share information, until about the 2003 model-year when the whole car went to CAN-bus instead of discreet circuitry.

 

the fan mounts on with universal pins. looks like this and also it is a 12 blade universal electric fan that i got pretty cheap on ebay. got it for 25 bucks.and the polarity matters? i will make sure it pulls the air into the engine from outside. it is a "push and pull fan" meaning it works both ways i just have to flip the fan around i believe correct? and i will take the dash apart this weekend just to buy time and i should be getting the sending unit sensor in i got that for around $20.so easy fix. overall spent 80 all in total. not too bad...but mostly labor work has to be done i enjoy it so no problem

 

Looks like bare wires for you to splice into the plug from your old motor. IF it runs backwards, swap the wires. It has to pull the air through towards the engine, in the same direction as the air moves from the motion of driving.

 

i will make sure of that.i will confirm that th eair flow is in the correct direction,thanks for pointing that out, and also thanks so much for the help!i wnt to thank evry that contributed to my post and i will also keep everyone updates when i do the fix =)

 

guys!thanks to everyone my engine has not overheated anymore.i had to grab the fan onto the radiator using zip ties.i had to put the small zip ties going through the radiator.and i wires everything up. also the sensor was the fix i needed to replace that sensor and that was the only problem i had. the fan and the sensor were replaced. so thanks to everyone no more overheating!