Date:         Thu, 11 Jan 2001 14:35:27 -0500
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Help! Appeal for data
In-Reply-To:  <B683584F.A1FE%vinniethe85vanagon@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Volks, I've got some conflicting data concerning the low-coolant warning
and could use help sorting it out.  Briefly (briefly? me?) the Bentley
wiring diagram for all years indicates that there are only three terminals
on the temp gauge/blinker assy -- +10v, ground, and sender; and that the
low-coolant circuit operates by grounding the sender lead, thus simulating
an overtemp condition (so the gauge goes offscale and the light
blinks).  This is how my '85 and '85 behave.

HOWEVER, I've gotten reports in the past that some V'gons only blink the
light under these conditions and the gauge does not rise.

I'd very much appreciate it if a whole bunch of you would go out, turn on
your ignition and wait until the light stops blinking, then unplug the
low-coolant sensor and tell me what happens.  What I expect to happen is
that the light instantly starts blinking, then the needle rises and goes
offscale over say ten seconds or so.  When you plug the sender back in the
gauge soon starts to fall; the light blinks for another ten seconds or so
and shuts off.

Please let me know the year of your V'gon and how your results compare with
what I've just described.

thanks
david


David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"