Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2000 20:43:23 -0700
Reply-To: t <vbob@PRIMENET.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: t <vbob@PRIMENET.COM>
Subject: Re: Cooling System Weirdness
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
OK,
not being an expert, but only an interested observer...
The cold tempurature readings usually indicate a bad thermostat. Stuck
in the open position.
Worse things could happen to you.
The blinking light... Start the motor. Wait for it to heat up. Then pull
the engine cover, look at the overflow tank. If there are no bubbles at
idle, you think you have it made. Nope. Run that puppy up to 2000 RPM.
Look now. I suspect you will find that the overflow tank is no longer
filled. At the least, you are running the system a quart low. It will
usually make it's way forawrd to the radiator so you need to bleed the
system.
You could have bad problems but I suspect you have air in the system and
you should look at a new thermostat.
tim o'brien
John Rodgers wrote:
>
> I have the dread flashing red LED syndrome.....you know...the one in the
> temperature indicator gage on the instrument panel. You knoww....the
> coolant level sensor indicator light..
>
> I was tooling down Interstate 65 heading South from Birmingham, AL to
> attend a party in honor my neice who received her PhD in Pharmacology
> this Friday past.
>
> All of a sudden I realize the red light is blinking....startled me! Then
> I realized the temperature needle was only 1/2 needle width off the
> "Cold!" peg. And this on a day of temperatures in the '90's. Spooked me.
> I turned on the heat to see if I was getting water up front and I got
> plenty of heat. As a matter of fact the needle moved towards an even
> colder setting.
>
> I have a pretty good understanding of how the system is supposed to
> work, but I never saw this before. That light blinking really worries
> me. The sensor is relatively new as is the coolant. Coolant is topped
> up, and no apparent air bubbles.
>
> My engine blew up on me last fall, and because of the type of failure, I
> am really gun-shy about overheating., low oil, lean mixture conditions,
> etc.
>
> Anyone on the list have any clues? Would appreciate hearing from you.
>
> BTW, I also learned the hard way last year that if you are going in a
> fairly tight right hand turn for a time, as in on an entry or exit ramp,
> and you get a white smoke behind you.......#3 cylinder is likely about
> to fail. Have a compression check.
>
> Thanks,
>
> John Rodgers
> "88 GL Driver
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