Hey guys just wanted to share something with you that I just did on my 2g....

My car use to overheat at idle when driven in traffic and then cool down after I started to move. I replaced the thermostat just for shits and giggles and didn't fix it, .:rolleyes. This started to get really bad and the temp climbed to 3/4 on the gauge. So anyways, many people said that its a headgasket problem. I sat there and :scratch. The car runs great for 96k miles on it so I thought how could that be. I realized that I NEVER hear the fans come on. The relays checked out so next on the shit list was the coolant temp sensor. It cost me $25 at kragen. I put that sob in there ran the car around the block a few times and then let it idle in the drive way. The temp guage stayed in the middle and I heard the fan come on. I did this for 30 mins or so and I heard the fan come on a couple of more times. The car did not overheat AT ALL. So if your car has the symptoms stated in the title, you migggggght be a redneck i mean you might wanna replace your coolant temp sensor :P.

Mine had the same problem, replaced that same sensor, but it only cost me 10 bux at advanced auto parts, its actually a GM sensor. is that sensor a common problem?

I've been wondering why my car overheats at idle. same deal here, when i start to drive, the needle goes back to the middle. well, temp sensor...here i come.

Hey...thanks a lot man! I asked satan about it and they told me it was designed to do that to burn cleaner. My response was "3/4 of the way up the gauge?!" They said it was supposed to be that way but it sounded pretty shitty to me. I'll have to pick up one of those. Where does the sensor bolt in? Thanks again!

Its in the thermostat housing (right below where the radiator hose is attached to). All you have to do is unplug it, unbolt it you will lose coolant so be prepared to hurry and put the new one in. Bolt it down just enough so it wont leak it doesn't need to be cranked on forever. Also you might need to take off your heat shield if you've got a stock manifold (for easier access).

yes, then i checked my chiltons for possible causes, noted that my fans worked, eliminating that as a potential problem, then checked resistance, found it to be out of spec, then replaced sensor.