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Date:         Sat, 26 Nov 2005 20:35:49 -0600
Reply-To:     Larry Alofs <lalofs@RCN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Larry Alofs <lalofs@RCN.COM>
Subject:      Re: Das Blinkenlights, continued
Comments: To: Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@COMCAST.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Keith Ovregaard wrote:

> Here's another blinking light story. My 84 Westy's coolant light has > been staying on for about 2 minutes after I start her up. Once the > engine is warm and I restart, the light will react in the normal way > (blinks for a few seconds and goes out). > > I checked the coolant level (no air in expansion tank), checked the > sensor prongs (clean), checked the sensor plug (fine), and the grounds > are fine. The coolant was changed last spring by a competent VW > mechanic using the blue VW coolant. If the sensor can detect a weak > coolant to water mix, would this be a possible cause? Is the resistance > different when coolant gets heated up a bit? > The idea that the light flashes because the coolant mixture is not 50/50 is the vanagon list version of an urban legend. I tried to lay this to rest back on 27 July 2001. The subject of the post was: "Coolant resistance thru coolant level probe", if you want to find it in the archives. The bottom line is that after careful testing, I concluded that if the probes are reasonably clean and connected properly, most any water solution has a resistance low enough to satisfy the level sensing circuitry, if the electronic parts in the dash are working as intended. Other listees have addressed the issue of problems with a capacitor, I believe, at the dashboard end.

Larry A.


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