Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 12:41:46 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Blinking stops, relay out ...
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I have read someone claiming that an improper anti-frz/water mix will make
the coolant level light flash.
tell you what I do .......
since that function and light seem to have a mind of their own sometimes
...........
if I need to, I trick the circuit into thinking all is OK level-wise, by
jumpering the two wires at the level sensor with a resistor.
Value of the resister isn't too important........2k ohms/whatever.
And..........temp guage still works fine. The LED still flashes and goes out
on start-up as normal,
and the LED will still flash if the temp gets too high.
I have seen one case where that wouldn't work..........figured it was a dash
or guage problem, or contol unit problem.
One simple test for normal function is to just unplug the wires to the level
sensor while it's idling . That should make the LED flash.
Just plugging it back in won't make the light go off either. Need to plug it
back in, and shut off and restart the van to reset that cirucit.
But, for a working system that is goofy ...........*sometimes* .jumpering
the level sensor wires with a resistor can take that level function out of
the picture so things look and act more sensibly.
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Rodgers" <inua@CHARTER.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: Blinking stops, relay out ...
> There are a couple of ways to trick the little booger into behaving when
> it want's to act up as mine is wont to do periodically.
>
> Turn the ingnition key to the on position - turning on all the dash
> circuits - but do not turn to engage the starter. The coolant light will
> begin blinking. Count to 60 - like one thousand one, one thousand two,
> one thousand three, etc. When you reach "
> 0", engage the starter. Light should go out.
>
> Apparently there is a resistance test circuit built into the thing and
> it takes a few moments for it to do it's job of testing the resistance
> between the probes in the coolant tank. If the coolant bis below the
> level of the probes - there will be an open circuit and resistance will
> be infinity. The light will blink like crazy. If there is proper coolant
> present - the circuit tests and recognizes the resistance, and the light
> goes out. I have never read this anywhere, nor has anyone told me - but
> I suspect that if you do not have the ratio of water to coolant within
> the proper range, that silly light may blink - maybe. IE, to much
> coolant for the water so the resistance is wrong - blinking light; to
> much water, not enough coolant, so resistance is wrong - blinking light.
> This is just my suspicion.
>
> Regards the coolant - if your van is a 86 miodel or later with a 2.1L
> WBX - and if you fill the cooling system, bleed it the best you can,
> then leave the plug on the radiator slightly loose and drive down the
> road, you will eventually lose enough coolant that the low level warning
> light will come on. Don't ask me how I know this - just believe me. So,
> armed with this new knowledge, deliberately drive it down the road until
> the light comes on. Stop, tighten the filler plug, fill the overflow
> tank and then let the engine cool. Start the engine and there should be
> no coolant light to distract you. If there is any air left in the system
> at this point, just normal driving should eliminate it through self
> venting. The cooling system was designed to do that once nearly all but
> not quite all air was removed.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> Chelsea, AL
>
> The Westy man wrote:
>> Hi to all,
>> After not using the car for a month, now the coolant light is blinking.
>> But after I pulled the 42 relay out, it stopped. I somehow have the
>> feeling, it is not the solution.
>> Anyone?
>> Zoltan
>>
>>
>>
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