Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (May 2011, week 1)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Tue, 3 May 2011 18:12:51 -0700
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: Temp Gauge High on Startup + Blinking Light
Comments: To: cunegonde.van.westfalia@GMAIL.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

hey ! ..that's an ECU self-check feature ? really ? I thought it was just to check that that red LED works. ( There is no ECU light ..or 'check engine' light ..or any visual indication in the instruments that's associated with the ecu, by the way. No direct connection from ecu to dash in anyway. As far as the dash knows, it could be a carbed model from the UK )

in any case...your year van has a glitch sort of about that light and temp needle. if the low coolant level function goes off .. it also pegs the temp needle. I have had my own 84 stone cold, one minute after starting up, do that ...turn on the LED to steady flashing and peg the needle.

This red LED in the temp guage is not associaed with the ecu in anyway. it doesn't even know if there is an ecu in the van. it's purely about the temp guage, the level sensor function ..and a control unit for the level funcion. You can see the control unit on page 97.43 in the Bentley manual , current track 33.

and when you turn on the key ....that LED always flashes steadily for about the first 8 seconds or whatever it is....so you know the light is working.

suggestions .. check coolant level first of all, in the pressure bottle. ( also check the wire is plugged onto the level sensor connection point on the pressure bottle ..if it's off, that makes the LED flash continuously, and on an 83 or 84 ..peg the needle too ) iI's normal that these vans use coolant very slowly ....well not 'normal' but common. The often suck coolant out of the license plate bottle slwoly .. like the level might go down an inch in a month ...and that is fairly common on poorly serviced and maintained older watercooled vanagons. It shouldn't use a drop of coolant at all ever of course....but many of them do.

and I have seen dozens, scores, hundreds even, of 1.9 waterboxer vanagons with a very empty license plate bottle and a low coolant level in the pressure bottle. I've got an 83 Westy here right now with that syndrome.. owner never check the coolant level in years. Generally ..that's not good for them. lol.

if the coolant is not low ... the level sensor probe thing ...those don't usually fail, to me, but consider that part. I have even read where people said that the coolant mixture being too weak (not enough a-frz ) made that sensor go off, don't know if that's true though. ( oh btw.......that level sensor ..the cheaper ones break easily ...just bust right in half. If you do need to replace that part, get the highest quality one you can find. Like OE grade. )

if I want to trick the circuit so the level feature is out of the picture .. like just to confrim that I have a working cooling system and temp gauge ...I jumper the two wires going to that level sensor with a resistor . Either disconnected or jumpered with a wire .. the LED will flash ..and on your year model, peg the temp needle. but with a resistor plugged in ..value doesn't matter too much ...you can trick that part into being happy.

I have not done this myself, but I think if you get a level sensing control unit for an 85 or later ..if the level function goes off ....the temp needle keeps reading the real temp, and doesn't 'peg out.' the control unit looks like a relay, pretty sure, plugged into the fuse box. I've never have had to replace one though. The van's owner's manual will tell you about that light function and what to look for and expect with the warning lights when you turn on the key.

there is an 'ecu check' sort of ...that I like to do .. that is 'turn on the key' ( but don't turn it to start ) and listen for the fuel pump to run then shut off. It sure should do that every time you turn on the key - fuel pump runs about 8 seconds or so, then shuts off. That's a good sign, and pre-pressurizes the fuel rail.

and it's also when you check that your warning lights are working .. you're not really supposed to just jump in and turn the key right to 'start' ......but everyone does, until they have a problem. I have seen MANY vans running around without working Batt. or Oil warning lights working ..and the people never know, because they never check the warning lights by turning the key on first, and checking that they work. Then one day ..........you know.

Scott www.turbovans.com

----- Original Message ----- From: "Camins Bretts" <cunegonde.van.westfalia@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 5:07 PM Subject: Temp Gauge High on Startup + Blinking Light

So, my 1983.5 1.9l WBX now has a wonky temp gauge AND the ECU indicator LED won't stop blinking no matter how long I wait for the ECU to self-check, or run the engine. Even if I: > Start the engine cold, or > Cycle the ECU by turning off the ignition and waiting, then wait with > ignition on but not starting, or > Disconnect either water temp sensor, or both (cycling the ECU each > variation), or > Disconnect, clean, and re-connect the ECU cable bundle. > > The 1.9l cold starts normally at ~ 1200-1400 rpm, and then drops the idle > to ~ 800-1k rpm when warm, as usual. Engine seeks at hot idle a bit > wider/faster than normally. Haven't been able to evaluate mpg. > > Suggestions, please? Thanks! > . > >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.