Date: Sat, 18 May 2019 13:29:37 +0000
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Coolant Level Sensor observation
In-Reply-To: <vanagon%2019051622575114@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Possibly the act of disconnecting and then reconnecting the plug provided the temporary fix. The connectors in that socket just don't have enough tension to make the connection needed for this low voltage-current signal to be reliable. I have also seen the wires fail at the crimp or inside the insulation where the break is not visible. In addition the control sensor relay can also be bad, especially the replacements. I had one van drive me crazy. Turned out of 6 replacement controllers the solder connections to the contact blades were not right. Re did the solder, problem solved. I love fixing brand new parts!
As a note, of the 2 wires for the sensor one goes to ground. Bad ground, Blinky light.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Ed McLean
Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2019 10:58 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Coolant Level Sensor observation
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.Ã, It is most annoying that this excessively high priced
sensor has
>> to be replaced on a regular basis.Ã, Certainly VW could have figured
a
>> way to measure coolant level rather than with this sensor.Ã, I have
had
>> to replace this sensor regularly about every 10 years and the cost
has
>> now reached the exorbitant level of $1.80.Ã, 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.Ã, When the old sensor was
>> removed I noticed one of the sensing pins was bright and clean while
the
>> other was black and rough.Ã, Since the level gauge measures
resistance
>> between the submerged pins there must be a constant small current
>> passing through the coolant between the pins.Ã, 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.Ã, 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.Ã, The
>> electrical plug is not keyed to fit in the sensor so this is an easy
>> thing to do by rotating it 180 degrees.Ã, Doing this often will not
be
>> detrimental so maybe at each oil change would be easy to remember.Ã,
Or
>> maybe just do it once now and forget about it.
>>
>> Just my Vanagon experience today.
>>
>> Ed
>>
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