Date:         Mon, 29 Jul 2013 12:05:53 -0600
Reply-To:     Goetz Aust <gkaust@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Goetz Aust <gkaust@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Blinking temperature light
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
In-Reply-To:  <51f6acd1.6455310a.6ef8.646e@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Turned pressure tank cap and it started leaking from the top so I think I'm
good. I think I'll limp home and stop if the temp goes any where close to
3/4

On Monday, July 29, 2013, David Beierl wrote:

> At 01:45 PM 7/29/2013, Goetz Aust wrote:
>
>> Pressure tank appears full based on color and temperature at top . No
>> visible leaks on ground - its raining now. Also the temp gauge flashes 6
>> or
>> 10 times before starting and I thought it should only flash 3times.
>>
>
> The gauge is spec'ed to flash for two seconds every time power is applied,
> and any time the blinker is triggered.  However as it ages the timing
> capacitor gets leaky and causes it to continue longer than it should.  You
> can make no inferences about engine situation from this.
>
> Your symptoms don't sound like the typical gauge problem though it's not
> impossible.  It's also conceivable it's a controller problem though again
> not likely.
>
> As far as the blinking light is concerned, it blinks when it thinks the
> engine is overheating, period.  The coolant level controller tricks the
> gauge by briefly applying about 35 ohms to ground on the sender line which
> will start the light blinking.  The controller does this more often than
> every two seconds, so the light keeps on blinking, but the pulses are very
> brief so the needle doesn't change much.
>
> If the pressure bottle is actually running normally, it will be totally
> full and if you loosen the cap a bit on the hot system you'll instantly get
> hot coolant coming around the threads.  I've never been able to tell the
> level without taking the cap off or shining a flashlight into the side of
> the tank so that it glows internally, especially as the tank ages.
>
> Yours,
> David
>