Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 14:56:59 -0400
Reply-To: John Lauterbach <jhlauterbach@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Lauterbach <jhlauterbach@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Organization: Microsoft Corporation
Subject: Re: Blinking coolant light...
Alan, sounds like you have gotten some air in the system, or air that was in
the system, has moved around to where it lodges in the expansion tank and
keeps the coolant level below the sensor tips. I have an '84 and use the
following tricks to solve such a problem. Start with stone cold van, and
have a gallon of premixed coolant ready. Start van, remove pressure cap and
with one had on the throttle linkage, rev van while adding coolant. My van
has a bleeder valve between two of the large coolant hoses that helps get
the air out. Depending on how much air is in your system, you may be able
to add up to 0.5 gallons of coolant. You need to keep the van from getting
warm for this to work.
My second approach is to fill the radiator through the vent hole. If you
get some polyethylene tubing (think its 0.25" OD) from the hardware store,
and then take the inside tube from a Windex bottle, you have what you need
to siphon coolant into the radiator. Again, start with cold van, add
coolant until radiator overflows. Put the screw back in and your ready to
start it up.
John Lauterbach
Macon, GA
'84 DL
----- Original Message -----
From: Alan Bosch <arbosch@RA.ROCKWELL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 8:54 AM
Subject: Blinking coolant light...
> Strange thing happened on the way into work this morning. After ten
> minutes of driving, the coolant light started to flash and the temp needle
> started to rise. Pulled over into a parking lot, shut down, and popped
the
> engine cover. Belts okay, coolant level in overflow tank good, no
pressure
> when removing the overflow tank cap, no visible coolant leaks. After five
> minutes or so, I buttoned everything back up, started the motor, and
turned
> around to limp home. Coolant light did not blink - except at start-up and
> then went out. Temp back to the center of the guage. Decided to try to
> get to work. Again, ten minutes of driving I get the blinking coolant
> light and the temp rise. Pulled over, shut down, and waited. Five
minutes
> later, started up and continued on my way with no blinking or unusual
> temps.
>
> The timing of this could not be worse. I need the bus to get me to some
> job interviews in Vermont and Eastern New York State next week.
>
> Anyone care to venture a guess as to the problem?
>
> Alan Bosch
> & Phred ('88 Wolfsburg)
> Rochester, NY
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