Date:         Sun, 7 Jan 2001 23:53:52 -0500
Reply-To:     Marc Perdue <marcperdue@ADELPHIA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Marc Perdue <marcperdue@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject:      Red Blinky Light Issue
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi all,

I've also been battling the low-coolant sensor issue.  I was going to
get the nearest dedicated VW mechanics to bleed the cooling system, but
ran into a problem.  These guys, C.J. Buggs in Fishersville, VA, had
somewhat jerked me around about my transmission when I got it, but they
finally got it in and it's been working fine, so I thought I would give
them a second chance.  Good VW mechanics are not easy to find after
all.  I set up an appointment to get the cooling system checked over,
took the van to them and left it first thing in the morning.  Being as
they're located a good 45 miles from where I work, I was not able to go
to work while the van was being worked on (no transport back over the
mountain), but hung out with a friend instead.  After not getting a call
from them most of the day, I went back at 2:30 only to find that they
had gotten tied up on a major engine problem and asked if it was a major
inconvenience for me to leave the van overnight.  I told them it was a
major inconvenience for me to come there to begin with and that I
couldn't leave the van, so I left.

Having made that short story long, I found that if I left the van to
cool overnight after the low-coolant sensor came on, the expansion tank
would depressurize and I could top it off with coolant/water.  I did
this several times and the problem seemed to have gone away.  It's come
back, but differently.  Now when the sensor comes on, the level in the
expansion tank is not actually below the bottom of the sensor.  Simple,
right?  Just replace the coolant-level sensor.  I'm going to.  The funny
thing is that the light comes on after I go over a decent sized mountain
with a long grade up.  Weird, hunh?  Another thing that's different is
that when I had the problem before, even though the coolant was getting
low in the expansion tank, I would see changes in the level of the
coolant in the reservoir.  Not anymore.  I'm thinking that I also need
to replace the expansion tank pressure cap and probably the hose that
connects the expansion tank and reservoir in addition to the
coolant-level sensor.  I haven't seen any signs of a coolant leak except
for right after my new tires were put on.  That's been a few months
ago.  At that point there was a small leak in one of the hoses right
over the spare tire.  Apparently the larger spare caused one of the hose
connections to work loose a little.  I tightened that up and haven't had
a leak since (that I could find anyway).

My question is if you all think I'm on the right track replacing the
coolant-level sensor, the pressure cap and the connecting hose . . .
After the recent windshield washer pump purchase that was totally
unnecessary, I just wanted to try to avoid more such purchases . . .

Thanks in advance,
Marc Perdue