Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2000 18:39:39 -0800
Reply-To: fgjh nmmm <tinkerman007@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: fgjh nmmm <tinkerman007@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Expansion Tank Sensor
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Alas, I had this exact situation when my motor burned
up...anyone having this should take it as a serious
warning and fix it without delay before a disaster
arrives!
In my case, the sensor itself was cracked, allowing a
small amount of coolant to seep up (I didn't know that
at the time, just post-mortem...:-(
Then, when my motor burned up after just a 10 minute
drive (I sensed a power fall and stopped immediately,
but it was too late) due to overheating from lack of
coolant I was completely surprised, because there was
no overheating warning and the coolant level lamp
didn't blink either (I was absolutely sure it didn't,
although the garage claimed I ignored it).
I was especially outraged because I had replaced the
water pump just two weeks before, so was sure the
coolant system was purfect and checked.
Anyway, the garage found that the oil cooler (the one
that has both coolant and engine oil going through it)
failed and let the coolant spill overnight. Thus, I
was driving without coolant...
Of course they blamed me of ignoring all warnings, but
after a detailed investigation on my part I understood
why the coolant temp gauge didn't warn me: since the
temp sensor is mounted on a plastic hose and not on
the engine block, and since coolant was gone the
sensor was suspended in air and couldn't sense the
true motor temperature.
And the coolant level sensor (in the expansion tank)
was soaked due to the crack, resulting in no warning
and a very painfull repair bill.
I had found all this by myself: the garage idiots
didn't know this, and had also cited their "test
procedure" of seeing that the coolant LED blinked
after switching on the ignition as adequate. Of course
this test is useless and just checks the LED and maybe
the electronic circuit that drives it (that "relay" in
in the fusebox).
Anyway, they wouldn't take any responsibility.
I had planned to sue them for negligence and demanded
to see their original VW test procedures to show their
negligence, but they wouldn't show me. At that time I
didn't have a shop manual so couldn't prove my point.
Now I wonder: any of the good mechanists on this list
agree that indeed they were at fault (I still have to
lookup the test procedure in the Bentley)? I can still
sue them if I think I have a chance in court.
Anyway, here's the moral: fix any problematic part in
the warning system you are aware of for cheap, before
you're in for a BIG repair...
I have sinced added numerous temp sensors (and warning
buzzers, not just lamps) to my motor, right on the
motor head...
just my 2 cents...
cheers
T-man
--- Bill Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET> wrote:
> > Aha! Mine has the little puddle around the
> sensor, but I thought it was a
> > worn out O-ring.
Nope, probably a cracked sensor or expansion tank.
> NO. Blinking at start up is just a self test
> proceedure. I believe the
> sensor could still be bad. How? .... pull the plug
> on the top of the sensor.
> Then look inside the top of the sensor where the
> contacts are.... is there
> coolant in there? If there is then the expansion
> tank could possibly go dry
> but the coolant inside the plug connection could
> fool the system by allowing
> current to pass through this small amount of coolant
> from one of the
> contacts to the other....
Right on the point!
> If it's wet in there replace the coolant level
> sensor or risk having a
> sensor that will not register low coolant.
That's the smallest damage that can result...
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