Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2004 09:01:55 -0700
Reply-To: mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: [Syncro] Need Suggestions-Wierd Overheating
In-Reply-To: <53.ece6bb2.2e07c87e@aol.com>
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Chris, don't rule out an electrical problem or 2 as playing a part in this. The temp LED should only flash for a too hot engine only AFTER the temp needle has slowly risen to the far high end of the scale. If the needle quickly rises several needles widths in just a few seconds then it may be something else. The true engine temp does not drastically increase instantly.
If the LED starts flashing before the needle has pegged to the right then look closely at the wiring for the temp sender. It is in the alloy thermostat housing on the front of the driver's side head. I have seen a couple of cases where the wire was routed too close to the exhaust pipe near the head. After the insulation rubs or melts off, the bare wire can ground out on the pipe and this will trigger a flashing LED and a very rapidly rising temp gauge needle.
Another thing to try is to remove the "43" relay from relay socket #3 in the main fuse/relay panel. If the symptoms change drastically with this relay out then there is a fault in the coolant low warning circuit. This also makes the LED flash and can peg the needle depending on which version of the "43" relay is installed.
I won't have time for a few days but if you would like to bring it by sometime I will have a look.
Mark
jahsurf@aol.com wrote:
>Ok, So I bought Veronica Fraga's amazing, unbelievable Syncro -- check
>roadhaus.com and click on Veronica's makeover at the bottom of the page. It has an
>odd overheat problem that I was aware of when I bought it (2.1 L WBX). I think
>the problem is the thermostat but would welcome some insight/confirmation into
>this.
>When I test drove the van, last week -- the temp light came on and the needle
>went up to about 2/3 when it was idling after driving about ten minutes.
>Pulled away from light and it quickly went out.
>Drove the van three hours around Orange County in traffic on Friday. The
>needle stayed a third of the way up for two hours - no problems. Fan came on as it
>should. Highway/city driving. 75 deg or so outside.
>Drove it home tonight (STOKED!!!). Got about a mile away from her house, and
>the needle seemed to be where it should. Stopped to get gas, fired it back up
>and the needle rapidly climbed to the red and the light came on. It got 9/10
>up and obviously I pulled over and shut it down. Called Veronica, and she
>suggested to turn the heater controls up - front and rear, and to turn the AC
>controller just enuf that the front fan came on. Did this, and, of course, the
>needle fell and the van ran cool on the flat highway.
>Climbing a decent grade for two miles, needle again climbed just above half
>(heater controls on) and then going downgrade, got cool again. Rolling thru my
>town toward home, stop and go, it climbed to 2/3 to 3/4 and red light was on
>(controls still on). The rear heater I realized was partially covered by a
>piece of plywood. So it got air circulating on the hiway with the windows down,
>but not in town driving slow. (it was really hot in the back of the van)
>Seems to me, that I was getting all my cooling thru the heater cores - hence
>the rapid heating up when the car was sitting fairly still or climbing, but at
>speed on the highway in cool air, enuf cold air over the cores to cool the
>van. I figure I've got a sticky thermostat. Or some wierd, scary problem with
>the heads tranferring hot gasses to the coolant. I was planning on replacing the
>motor anyway, but would like to wait if I can. 'Cause the motor actually runs
>quite well -- aside from this damned cooling gremlin.
>Suggestions?
>DIXON
>
>
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