Date: Sat, 7 Aug 1999 17:35:05 -0700
Reply-To: "Thomas D. Hanlon" <hanran.inc@CWIXMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Thomas D. Hanlon" <hanran.inc@CWIXMAIL.COM>
Organization: The Hanran Enterprises, Inc.
Subject: Re: troubleshooting coolant level warning light
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Mark,
Check the "voltage stabilizer," referenced in Bentley page 90.4 on my 84, and
page 90.5 on other years. It has a range of volts 9.5 to 10.5. Anything above
or below that value, the stabilizer is faulty. It controls the gauges of
coolant level and temperature, as well, I think, the clock, and the fuel gauge,
for sure. My gauges were erratic, the clock was losing time and the fuel gauge
was undependable. The temp gauge came on, indicating overheating, and the
coolant level lamp (incorporated in the same red light on the center of the
dash) indicated low coolant. I fooled for a week with the "false positives" and
drained and flushed the system, checked the thermostat, and replaced the
coolant( which was due for a change, anyway) to no avail.. I posted a request
for help.
George Noto-Gaudette had a similar problem, and Rico Dagbear posted the solution
which solved my problem, similar to George's. Access is difficult, at least to
me. The instrument panel loosens with four screws, and the test is simple with a
multimeter. Follow the cautions about the battery negative terminal while you
are working on loosening the panel. Then you must reconnect to test the
stabilizer, in-line.
The part is common, I'm told, to most VWs, and it costs about $12.00 from the
dealer. It is mounted next to the clock on the back side (toward the windshield)
of the instrument panel printed circuit foil. You can view it from outside the
vehicle when you have removed the cover of the instrument panel
Tom Hanlon
Palm Springs, CA
84 Westfalia
Mark McCulley wrote:
> Anyone have any experience troubleshooting the coolant level warning light
> circuit? My warning light won't go out, it blinks all the time now. The
> coolant reservoir is full to the brim so that's not the problem.
>
> When I measure the resistance of the coolant level sensor with an ohmmeter,
> it initially reads around 200 KOhms but the reading rises until it's off the
> scale of the meter (> 2 MOhm). This seems very weird to me but when I
> measure a brand new sensor in a fresh 50/50 mix of Autobahn coolant it
> behaves the same way.
>
> The circuit diagram in Bentley is very strange as well. It shows a single
> connection to the dash pod that services both the coolant level warning
> light and the temp gauge. How can one signal control both functions? The
> temp gauge is working just fine.
>
> I suspect I might have a bad coolant level control circuit (the relay like
> thing that plugs into the fuse block) but I'd like to verify that it's not a
> bad connection before I get a new one.
>
> Another weird thing is that the warning light flashes even when I remove the
> control circuit.
>
> Any insight into this problem would be appreciated.
>
> -------------
> Mark McCulley
> 87 syncro Westfalia (almost ready to hit the road)
>
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