my water pump started to leak a week ago, so i had to change the pump, when i changed the pump there wasn't a plug wire that connects to the sensor on the water pump, the sensor is on the water pump but it is unplugged and i don't know where the plug wire is, am i okay? do i really need that sensor to be plugged in?
thanks for any help

 

Thats probably your coolant temp sensor. I'd try to find where it went.

 

does your temp gauge work, if not, its the temp sensor as said above.

 

LT1's have 2 coolant sensors.. one on the drivers side head for the gage, and the one you refer to on the WP for the PCM...
The latter is very much needed!

 

i found the wire and had soldered it together, i have everything put back to place, and the coolant filled up (maybe even a little too much). Now my Service Engine Soon light came on. What could flip that switch. it was not on before i worked on the water pump but after installing the new one it came on.

 

I know when I did my waterpump, I started the car after filling up coolant, ran it for a few seconds, and I think it flashed a "Check Coolant" light or something like that, I forget... never seen it since. Might have been the SES though. I bled the system of air, added more coolant, bled, etc. It went away... maybe thats your problem?

 

I would think you would have had an SES due to that sensor NOT being hooked up to the original pump?
Sure you plugged the MAF and IAT sensors in?