Date:         Fri, 14 Nov 2003 16:59:33 -0500
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Coolant light won't stop blinking!
Comments: To: Phil Zimmerman <phil.zimmerman@MAIL.CRCN.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <002c01c3aaf3$c371dd20$1b00a8c0@crcn.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 04:10 PM 11/14/2003, Phil Zimmerman wrote:
>blinking with the engine running. If the light keeps blinking under this
>check..... well, my best guess is a problem in the indicator section

i.e. the gauge itself.  It should blink for a few seconds any time it sees
an input corresponding to full-scale reading, even if it's a short pulse
that doesn't noticeably change the gauge reading.  But the timing capacitor
that shuts off the blinking gets leaky so it has trouble shutting off --
usually worse in humid weather or condensing conditions because of leakage
across the circuit board itself.  This tends to improve as the gauge warms
up and drives off the moisture, but the capacitor is the real problem.  And
it's like a clutch throwout bearing -- easy to replace, once you get
there.  You have to take off the gauge faceplate and remove the circuit board.

If your level controller is accessible (on the new fuse panel it's in the
relay section; on the old one it's mounted on the wall forward and outboard
of the panel, very hard to get to) you can remove it -- if you still have
flashing problems then it's certainly the gauge.

david


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