Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2022 10:35:38 -0600
Reply-To: OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Coolant light mystery
In-Reply-To: <vanagon%2022091611335095@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Pretty darn sure that that Coolant Level Probe in the Expansion Tank
is nothing more sophisticated than a simple Switch > When the Probes are
Submerged > Circuit Closed,, When Coolant Level drops below Probes the
Circuit Opens ~ Any Break in the Circuit will cause the Light to come on ~
There are some Electronic Components within the Circuit that can cause the
light to have some odd behaviors @ times ~ I have seen, in several different
Vanagons, a condition where if the Igni’Key was turned to Start in a normal
way (1 continuous move from Off to On to Start) the Light would Stay Lit
but if the Igni’Key was turned to On & left in that position for 10-15 Sec’s
before turning to Start then the Light would go Off & act normally ~
I suspect that D Beierl or Dennis H or others may have an explanation for
that condition ~
> On 16 Sep , 2022, at 9:33 AM, Ed <email99@NC.RR.COM> wrote:
>
> I believe the coolant light circuit measures resistance between the two pins
> of the sensor in the plastic tank. If the resistance is out of range then
> the light will come on. If the coolant is low or sloshes away from the
> sensor pins then the light will come on. If the coolant has too much
> antifreeze then the resistance between the pins will be out of spec and the
> light will come on. If the pins are dirty or corroded then they might read
> incorrect resistance. There could also be a fault in the wiring for the
> light that could cause the light to come on. I don't know how to test the
> sensor.
>
> That all I have.
>
>
>
> On Fri, 16 Sep 2022 05:57:37 -0700, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
> wrote:
>
>> Doesn't the coolant light indicate the level of coolant, not the
>> temperature? I have actually had it come on when I hit a rough spot in the
>> road, back some years ago. Bouncy, bouncy, and the light blinked on and
>> off.
>>
>> On Fri, Sep 16, 2022 at 5:16 AM Ed McLean <email99@nc.rr.com> wrote:
>>
>>> The original note was a short question asking why the coolant light would
>>> turn
>>> on and off at random times for no apparent reason while the temperature
>>> gauge
>>> remained in the normal range.
>>>