Date:         Thu, 16 May 2019 22:41:00 -0600
Reply-To:     OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Coolant Level Sensor observation
Comments: To: Ed McLean <email99@NC.RR.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2019051622575114@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252

        I have dealt with Vanagon Coolant Level Sensors since 1983 when the very 1st H2O Boxer

arrived in New Mexico, It Was Mine & I have never had to clean or replace 1 on either My '83.5

or the '90 that has been My DailyDriver since '06 ~ I have had to clean the Snsrs on several other

H2O Boxers that have passed through world & have had to replace a few due to cracks or contacts

that have gone bad but have never run across 1 that needed replacing due to Uncleanable Probes ~

                                                        ORR ~ DeanB

   
On 16 May , 2019, at 8:57 PM, Ed McLean wrote:

> Answer to first question:  $1.80 .  I've tried cleaning the pins in the
> past with limited success.
> 
> Answer to second question:  Distilled water with Peak Global Lifetime
> antifreeze, flushed and replaced every 4 years.
> 
> Additional note to first post:  The level indicator system works
> perfectly after replacement of sensor.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Thu, 16 May 2019 22:04:09 -0400, Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
> wrote:
> 
>> I don't understand why anyone would replace a coolant level sensor,
> unless
>> it was broken and leaking.  The prongs can simply be cleaned, shined
> with
>> sandpaper if you like.
>> Are you using a particularly corrosive coolant mixture?  Distilled
> water
>> or water from a dehumidifier is a good thing.
>> 
>> Larry A.
>> 
>> 
>> On Thu, May 16, 2019 at 3:28 PM email99@nc.rr.com <email99@nc.rr.com>
> wrote:
>> 
>>> I have, once again, replaced the 251 919 372 Coolant Level Sensor to
> fix
>>> the blinking red light in the Coolant Temperature Gauge in my '86
>>> Westy.  It is most annoying that this excessively high priced
> sensor has
>>> to be replaced on a regular basis.  Certainly VW could have figured
> a
>>> way to measure coolant level rather than with this sensor.  I have
> had
>>> to replace this sensor regularly about every 10 years and the cost
> has
>>> now reached the exorbitant level of $1.80.  The list price from one
>>> vendor is actually $42.44.
>>> 
>>> When replacing the sensor this time I made an observation that might
>>> help us all avoid this expensive repair.  When the old sensor was
>>> removed I noticed one of the sensing pins was bright and clean while
> the
>>> other was black and rough.  Since the level gauge measures
> resistance
>>> between the submerged pins there must be a constant small current
>>> passing through the coolant between the pins.  This constant
> current may
>>> be removing ions from one pin and depositing them on the other, thus
>>> changing the electrical activity of the surface of both.  After 10
> years
>>> the difference might be enough to fool the electronic circuitry and
>>> cause a false positive blinking light.
>>> 
>>> Has anyone else noticed this difference in appearance of the used
> sensor
>>> pins?
>>> 
>>> I suggest that the electrical connections to the sensor be reversed
> on a
>>> regular basis to keep the pins in equal, clean condition.  The
>>> electrical plug is not keyed to fit in the sensor so this is an easy
>>> thing to do by rotating it 180 degrees.  Doing this often will not
> be
>>> detrimental so maybe at each oil change would be easy to remember.Â

> Or
>>> maybe just do it once now and forget about it.
>>> 
>>> Just my Vanagon experience today.
>>> 
>>> Ed
>>>