Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (January 2001, week 2)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Wed, 10 Jan 2001 22:19:30 -0800
Reply-To:     "MOST,DAVID" <most@UCLA.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "MOST,DAVID" <most@UCLA.EDU>
Subject:      Re: two red lights aren't on at start
Comments: To: Mark Drillock <drillock@earthlink.net>
In-Reply-To:  <3A5D2FD0.31047F57@earthlink.net>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Thanks for the additional explanation Mark. I did tighten the belts a couple of weeks ago. They had been a bit too loose, making squeals at startup, and the battery wasn't being charged properly. I haven't driven much since then (meaning I haven't paid attention to the led's for some reason). But, I have had no charging problems sinc tightening the blets nor has the squealing returned. I have driven enough such that if I had had a charging problem starting at that time, I would have noticed by now. I'm aware of problems stemming from over tightening the belts, and I'm wondering if this may have caused anything. I don't that that I over tightened though. If the rain stops for a little while tomorrow, I'll go have a look under the hood. (to make one correction, I replaced the belts rather than tightening the old ones)

Thanks, David

On Wed, 10 Jan 2001, Mark Drillock wrote:

> The 2 leds in question, OX and ALT, have multiple functions. The most > critical is as a warning of drive belt failure for the water pump. The > OX led also comes on separately as a service reminder for the OX sensor. > It does this every so many miles as counted by a separate odometer in > the speedo cable under the drivers floor. It has no direct connection to > the oxygen sensor and means nothing with respect to the oxygen sensor > functioning or malfunctioning. The ALT led also warns of some charging > failures in the alternator but it is possible for the alternator to fail > and this led not come on. > > It is never safe to drive with the ALT/BAT warning led inoperative or > always on. This is because this is the only warning you will likely get > if the water pump seizes or the water pump belt fails. (Other than the > flashing coolant temp led and clouds of steam from the blown heads but > that will be too late). > > I have often thought that instead of the lame little icon of a battery > for the ALT led car companies should show a stack of hundred dollar > bills going up in flames. This would give a more urgent sense of the > true situation if this led should come on while you are driving. I have > seen more than one Vanagon get junked because the driver decided it was > ok to drive on for a short distance after this warning came on. A > similar flaming stack of currency could be used for the oil led but the > buzzer on the 2.1 models at least gets your attention. > > Mark > > "MOST,DAVID" wrote: > > > > What does it mean if the two red dash lights that normally stay on when > > starting (until the engine is revved) aren't coming on at all? I'm > > assuming that the bulbs and associated fuses are good, but I'll admit to > > having done no checking yet. > > > > Thanks, > > David >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.