Date:         Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:03:12 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Overheat lamp
Comments: To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <4CB79336.9030603@charter.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 06:33 PM 10/14/2010  -0500, John Rodgers wrote:
>I can't answer your question, but I'm having the same problem with the
>coolant level light in the instrument panel not going off after start -
>for the most part. On a very cold start - like it sat all night - the
>coolant level light will go out, but if the engine has been started

C'mon, folks -- I've been telling people what causes this for over
ten years now.  I'd have thought it would have sunk in to the
community consciousness by now.

Remove the coolant level controller (#42 or 43 -- on the 1.9l it's up
over the star grounds forward of the fuse panel.  Remove the
instrument panel cover.  Verify that the voltage between + and gnd at
the back of the gauge is 10.0 +/- 0.4 volts.  If the light still
blinks under these conditions, the problem is an internal capacitor
in the gauge.

If you're adept it can be fixed without taking the gauge apart.  If
you're differently adept you can take the face off the gauge, remove
the circuit board and then easily replace the cap.

If you don't want to do it yourself, I will do them for $60 plus
postage.  That includes checking gauge calibration before and
after.  For more money I'll change the existing LED for a brighter one.

Yours,
David