Date:         Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:07:31 -0500
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: ECU & Coolant Temp Sensor
Comments: To: Anthony Egeln <regnsuzanne@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <985892.64328.qm@web39404.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Not trying to be harsh but if the tech cannot answer these questions you
don’t have the right tech for the task. The temps 2 sensor for the ECU and
the sensor for the gauge are completely different. On the later vans, the
low coolant only causes the light to flash. The gauge pegging indicates a
bad sensor, a short to chassis in the sensor wire or something is wired
wrong. It should not that hard to trace the wires out and determine what is
wrong. 

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Anthony Egeln
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 11:21 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: ECU & Coolant Temp Sensor

We've pretty much given up on attempts to repair the stock coolant temp
gauge & sensor system.  Have swapped out the instrument cluster, replaced
the sensor and walked the wire. Still pegging max high with a steady
flashing light, but the thermal laser gun reveals a normal temp system.
There was a posting recently on "slime" affecting the level sensor in the
pressure tank, and I plan to share that with the tech.  I suppose that would
only affect the blincking light anyway, not the temperature reading. 

The tech working on it has found a completely independent (of the stock
system) aftermarket coolant temp gauge and sensor and he plans to install
that over the next two days.
One thing is unanswered in my mind.  Does the stock sensor give temperature
readings to the ECU?  I'm wondering if this is one of the reasons why my
fuel economy has dropped from 18-19 to 16-17, i.e. running rich.
 Furthermore, if the ECU does get data from the stock system, how will the
aftermarket system get tied into the ECU?  
I haven't talked to the tech about this yet and wanted to get the ideas of
the list.
Thanks, Anthony'89 Syncro GL 2.1 (Hidalgo)