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garra
Samba Member
Joined: August 30, 2010
Posts: 21
Location: Nevada
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 Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:43 am Post subject: Tempature warning light flashes |
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We started our trip in the van on Monday, about halfway through the first day the warning light on the temp gauge starts flashing. Gauge says it running below midpoint, even colder. Next morning on cold motor warning flashes again, has been flashing continuously since. Did notice when shut off to park and look at sights gauge reading goes down quickly. What's bad, temp sensor or does light have it's own circuitry?
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1984 Vanagon Country Home Camper, 4 sp |
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Mellow Yellow 74
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Joined: October 14, 2014
Posts: 1615
Location: Sydney, Australia
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| Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 3:42 am Post subject: Re: Tempature warning light flashes |
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If it is working properly it flashes when the coolant level is low. If the coolant level is ok then the sensor might have failed or the wiring is coming loose or a bad earth.
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1962 Karmann Ghia
1974 Deluxe Microbus
1985 Caravelle (Vanagon) |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
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Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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DanHoug
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Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4772
Location: Bemidji, MN
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| Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:03 am Post subject: Re: Tempature warning light flashes |
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also, if the coolant level in the pressure tank, NOT the one behind the license plate, is okay, pull the sensor in the tank and clean the electrodes off. they measure conductivity/resistance and if gunked up with oil, stop leak, or corrosion, won't sense that coolant is touching them.
there's really nothing to fail in those sensors. even the plastic 'legs' of the sensor can crack but the stainless rod thru the middle of them will be fine if it is clean. the sensing is done with the lower exposed tips, cracks in the plastic above the tips doesn't matter.
-dan |
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garra
Samba Member
Joined: August 30, 2010
Posts: 21
Location: Nevada
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| Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:10 am Post subject: Re: Tempature warning light flashes |
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I filled the coolant tank the next morning, looked at it again yesterday and there is fluid to the correct level.
I was in the engine compartment before our trip messing with the altenator voltage regulator. Other issues have also come up since I was in there, must have knocked some items out of position.
Thanks for relieving my anxiety about the light 
gg
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dobryan
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Location: Brookeville, MD
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DLJ
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Joined: August 05, 2008
Posts: 554
Location: North California
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| Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 11:43 am Post subject: Re: Tempature warning light flashes |
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After you check out all the suggestion's listed above and still light flashes
you will find that the gauge itself is faulty. Not unusual ! If you can source another gauge, try it and you should be good to go. |
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PDXWesty
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Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 6243
Location: Portland OR
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| Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:24 pm Post subject: Re: Tempature warning light flashes |
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| DLJ wrote: |
After you check out all the suggestion's listed above and still light flashes
you will find that the gauge itself is faulty. Not unusual ! If you can source another gauge, try it and you should be good to go. |
It's actually the sender that goes bad most frequently. Clean the wire connections and the metal probes in the tank. If that doesn't work, change the sensor before you go opening up the dash pod. If temp is ok and fluid level is good, it's ok to drive but keep an eye on things. Mine does it on occasion too.
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weekenderraf
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Location: Olen Belgium
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