Date:         Thu, 8 Aug 2002 15:42:10 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: 85 blinking temp light, but not overheating
Comments: To: Brian Cirulnick <techrat@OBSOLYTE.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <001e01c23f13$01262200$060110ac@obsolyte.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 03:37 PM 8/8/2002, Brian Cirulnick wrote:
>Normal situation: -- Van starts, the red LED on the temp gauge blinks for
>about 30 seconds, and then goes out.

That's a sign right there, it should be three or four seconds.


>My Situation since last Friday: -- Van starts, the red LED on the temp gauge
>blinks forever. Cold, hot, humid, dry, it's just on until I turn the engine
>off.
>
>
>I should tell you that the Van runs very well, there's no signs of
>overheating, and the temp gauge needle is where it should be (dead center of
>the LED, blinking or not).

Ok, you're halfway to a diagnosis (pssst -- it's the gauge).  Lift up the
panel cover and look down to the leftside wall until you can see two
"relays" there on the wall.  Look at the one with 43 stamped on the top --
if it's taller than it is wide, then your problem is in the gauge.  If it's
a little cube then you have to take another step -- worm that relay out of
there, and try again.  If the gauge still keeps flashing then problem is in
gauge -- or could be that the panel voltage regulator isn't -- the gauge
needs 9.5-10.5 volts at the input, and if it's low it will probably keep
flashing when it shouldn't.

If it *is* the gauge (it is) you can swap it or you can drill the rivets
out of the face, unsolder little wires until you can remove the circuit
board, then replace the electrolytic cap on that board, preferably with a
tantalum.  That will almost surely fix it and all you have to do is put the
gauge back together again <g>.

david

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