When I start it up, the fans kick on immediately, but the gauge never moves from all the way down, except MAYBE 1/4". Sometimes it goes up a little, then drops back down... either way not working properly. I drained the coolant during header install, (broke a heater hose and temp sensor) and replaced both, and filled the system with just water for now. Any common problems with these symptoms?

 

You need to scan to see what the trouble code is. The temp sensor in the head for the gauge won't cause a trouble code. Hopefully, you replaced it with the correct sensor.

 

I'm pretty sure it was the correct one, trouble code is EGR, which I'll take care of tomorrow after work with TunerCat... I forgot the trouble codes automatically kick fans on. As far as the gauge though, I don't know. I left the cap off and started and revved it periodically to attempt to bleed air out of the system, thinking that might have been it... no luck though.

 

you'll want to use the bleeder screws vs cap removal you ay get initial air out that way but the bleeder screws are the best way.

 

Sounds like you have the wrong coolant temp sensor. I bought one when i carelessly broke the one in the head during header install. I got it from autozone. put the new one in, still didn't work. also ended up frying the pigtail on my headers unbeknownst to me. After getting a new pigtail from autozone, it didn't fit. It ended up that they sold me the pigtail and sending unit that goes in front of the block under the water pump. I ended up having to go to the dealer to get a new sending unit (the correct one) and the right pigtail. Now it works just fine.

Just sounds like you got the wrong part(s).

 

I did originally get the wrong part (I work at autozone, so I looked it up myself), I got the Coolant Temp. Sensor, which was the wrong one. The temperature switch is the correct one, and it's the one that's in there now... unless I got the two names confused. Either way, it was identical to the old one.

 

BTW EGR code won't make your fans come on. I have been driving w/ an EGR code for a long time because I deleted EGR and need a re-tune...no fans come on ever from it...unless thats an OBD1 thing..