Date:         Mon, 30 Sep 2002 23:04:46 -0400
Reply-To:     George Averill <averill@LDL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         George Averill <averill@LDL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Red light flashing
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Do you know a good source of a reliable replacement temp. gage?  Seems like
all of the ones on the shelf since 84 are the same age and all will have old
components in them.

Mine doesn't blink at all any more.

George
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Beierl" <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
To: "George Averill" <averill@LDL.NET>
Cc: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2002 6:47 PM
Subject: Re: Red light flashing


> At 02:56 PM 9/29/2002, George Averill wrote:
> >There is one more part of the circuit you haven't replaced.  Packed into
> >the back of the temperature gage is another integrated circuit (chip and
> >other components).  It can go out too.  The temp. gage can be
> >replaced.  That will probably cure the problem.  The last one I installed
> >worked fine for about 6 months.  Then it quit again.  I haven't had the
> >time to order and install another, but will do that one day.
> >
> >There may be another problem that is causing the temp. chip to go
> >out.  Voltage surges may be occuring in the 10v regulator circuit.  VW
put
> >out an upgrade requireing that a diode be installed in the 10v regulator
> >circuit to stop the regulator from blowing out.  I have a copy some
> >place.   Anyone have any ideas on this?
>
> The usual failure of this circuit involves the large capacitor which is
> supposed to terminate the initial blink-test on turn-on.  It's a
> high-impedance circuit -- if the cap becomes leaky and/or if leakage paths
> develop on the board, it will never charge to a high enough voltage to
make
> the light stop blinking.  Replacing the cap will fix it in this case, but
> it's a nuisance to get to.
>
> david
>
> --
> David Beierl - Providence, RI
>   http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
> '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
> '85 GL "Poor Relation"
>