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Date:         Wed, 11 Jul 2007 09:21:03 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Coolant level relay/light part 1 (LONGGGGG)
Comments: To: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2007071101311570@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Ben,

Great stuff!

That light drives me crazy sometimes. For a very long time now the light has functioned pretty much as it should on my 88 GL. BUT, there are times when it simply will not go off on startup. This mostly occurs when the engine is still hot, as when I stop, run into the post office, then right back out and start the engine again. Stupid red light will stay on until I shut the engine down and let it cool. Then the next start it will function normally. Drives me crazy. Anytime that light comes on when other than a cold start it worries me. Fortunately it does not come on while I am running down the road when the engine is warm. Only if I stop, restart, then it comes on and often stays on until cool again. I have learned a little trick to make it go out, but I wonder if I am faulting the circuit. By turning on the ignition switch and leaving it on, but without starting the engine, I let that stupid light blink away. Then after a time, I will turn the switch to start, and the light will go out. That shouldn't be necessary, however, to do it that way.

Funky little blinking light, that coolant light.

Regards,

John Rodgers 88 GL Driver

Benny boy wrote: > Since my Red van coolant level/high temp light (the one behind the temps > needle in the cluster) did blink for ever this morning, i had to find the > truth about it... No, coolant level was find and temp also. So i had (I > thought so)a coolant relay problem, everytime this happen, i was humid outside. > > Anyway, we did sone heavy testing this morning on my van and on an 87 to > find out everything about that scary light. > > Here it is: > > That light as a few function on all year and not only 86+. > > First, this light will blink when you put the key ON, even if the engine is > not working, it as nothing to do with the engine working or not, nothing! > > Now, mine was blinking for ever, temp needle was normal. > > So here is the short story for now, a web page will follow when i have time: > > -The light and the temp needle are in someway related > > -The light will blink for 2 reasons, first if you have no coolant and the > second, to show you that the temp needle is to hight, and that, on all years. > > -On 85 and below, if you miss coolant in the EXPENSION tank the light will > blink and the temp needle will rise like crazy, even if the engine is still > ok, on 86 +, only the light will blink but the needle will stay normal. > > -The relay! on all van we have a coolant level relay, yes, i said level, and > this one as nothing to do with anything else than coolant level! when the > level is low, the relay go on and rise the temp needle and blinking ligh go > ON, if you unplug the collant level sender wire, it will also rise (it take > about 3 second). Like i said, the neelde will only rise on 85- van. I you > remove the relay, or this one is defective, you will never know nothing, the > coolant light will blink at start up (this fonction is into the cluster!) > and the temp will operated normally. To be sure that the relay is good, > unplug the wire on the coolant level sender located on the expension tank. > Of course, the coolant level sender could also be defective!!! > > -Now, if you unplug the temp sender on the engine and ground this one to the > engine or any metal part, blinking light gos ON and temp goes up like crazy. > That is 2 different thing but they look the same! > > -Now, in my case, i did some testing, relay was replace or not even on the > van and i still had the problem??? when the ignition was ON, the light was > blinking slowly and that from 5 to 15 second it staid ON... this has NOTHING > to do with any sender, gauge, relay or wire... only the cluster was the > problem, imbeded in that one is a small circuit, the check circuit... this > one was BAD!!! i had another cluster and the problem went away!!! > > So, lets go deaper! if the light blink at start up and that for a long time > and/or forever, the cluster could be the problem because if you had a low > coolant level situation, the needle would rise crazy on 85 and less and on > 86 + you could also have a coolant level problem. > > If the light blink and the temp needle rise like crazy, you may have a short > on the temp sender or/and the coolant level sender on 85 and less!!!!! > frigging crazy but true! but you may or not know that the relay is working! > on 85 and less, you know! > > Shit, lets call that light the craSY light!!!! > > I'm lost myself now! > > How to be sure of anything now! well, if the light blink at start up you > know the light is good,,, yeaaaaaaaa! if the needle move, yeaaaaaaa again! > > If it goes off after 5 second or so, yeaaaa again! But if it goes ON wile on > the road! well, mostly you have a coolant /temp problem, well, it was design > for that matter... but! > > So, the relay is ONLY for telling you that the coolant level is low, but! if > it's dead, you will never know, bad! But the rest may still work fine! > > To somewhat prevent all that crap... you should replace the #42 or 43 relay, > replace the coolant level sender in the expension tank and why not, the > coolant temp sender. Make sure the wire to this one is ok. > > Ok, i'm lost myself, got to print that page, i won't remember shit tomorrow! > i'm so lost with that light that i could be wrong somewhere!!!! > > Part 2, well, there is no part 2, at least for now. I have to put that info > on a web page for now and reflect... i know i'm forgeting some stuff, but > i'm not sure what... crazy light! > > Ben > http://www.benplace.com/ > > >


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