Date:         Fri, 1 Oct 2004 23:35:28 -0500
Reply-To:     Al and Sue Brase <albeeee@MCHSI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Al and Sue Brase <albeeee@MCHSI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon gas tank capacity?
Comments: To: Jim Felder <felder@knology.net>
In-Reply-To:  <B7D71B49-13F9-11D9-AE55-000A959B3796@knology.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I don't know that much about electronics. it's the part of the foil that
bolts to the back of the right side instrument
(tach or clock) of the dash binnacle. It's got a transistor (I think)
with a heat sink that  a bolt goes thru. The one on my 82 diesel was
loose causing all manner of strange behavior: repeatedly going thru the
boot up cycle ( led flashing, glow plug lite gloing , fasten seat belts
lite on. also, the fuel guage was reading low. Frustrated as it got
worse, I removed the back while driving down the highway. when my finger
touched said transistor with heat sink it BURNED my finger. My
conclusion was that the plastic boss was deterioriated  thus allowing
the screw to become loose and the connection to arc. (and voltage at
some parts to get really low- low enough to make some circuit to behave
as if the ignition switch had been turned off!
I'm sure that someone who understands these things could just look at it
and figure out how it works. My own problem was solved by fixing up the
mounting boss with epoxy, then tightening the screw.
Al Brase
69 doublecab, Vanagons

Jim Felder wrote:

> So is there an adjustment for the voltage stabilizer?
>
> Jim
>
> On Oct 1, 2004, at 5:07 PM, Al and Sue Brase wrote:
>
>> The voltage stabilizer being off would also make your  gauge read wrong.
>> I.e., the voltage stabilizer is next to the gauge, if it's making the
>> voltage too low the gauge will show low also.
>> Another thing, when it's really cold, below zero, the gauge will read
>> low till its ambient stabilizes at normal room temperature. That could
>> take an hour.
>> Al Brase
>> Vanagons
>>
>> Wes Ullrich wrote:
>>
>>> My gauge is way off, I have 2-3 gallons left when I am at dead zero,
>>> so I
>>> use the trip odometer as my gas gauge. For example, my tank hold 16
>>> gallons
>>> (its not dented) but after 50 miles of driving, my gauge reads half
>>> empty,
>>> but I can go at least 220 miles (prob more, but thats all I dare!)
>>>
>>> Wes
>>>
>>>
>>> &gt;From: BenT &lt;syncro@GMAIL.COM&gt;
>>> &gt;Reply-To: BenT &lt;syncro@GMAIL.COM&gt;
>>> &gt;To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> &gt;Subject: Re: Vanagon gas tank capacity?
>>> &gt;Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2004 11:42:29 -0700
>>> &gt;
>>> &gt;Check and see if the tank is dented. Your gauge may also be
>>> &gt;inaccurate. Since you didn't run out of gas at 13 gallons your
>>> gauge
>>> &gt;sounds like it is off. Reserve is just the point in the gauge where
>>> &gt;the last gallon is normally. It the gauge is out of whack, you
>>> may be
>>> &gt;reading reserve with about last 3 gallons left.
>>> &gt;
>>> &gt;BenT
>>> &gt;http://members.aol.com/bentbtstr8/myhomepage/index.html
>>>
>>> _________________________________________________________________
>>> Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's
>>> FREE!
>>> hthttp://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
>>>
>>
>
>