Yet Another Cooling Question Part IV, Son of...

[vtwestie]

I realize that there are so many questions about cooling, but after searching I couldn't find the answer to this one.

I have an 85 Camper with 1.9 WBX. The mechanic just replaced the water pump as it was shot. After doing so... I have become obsessed with starting at the temp gauge.

On the way home from the mechanic, I was on the interstate and ran into traffic. After a couple of minutes of moving slowly, the temp gauge shot up to 7/8 and the red light started blinking. Panicking that my engine was going to make a small crater in the asphalt, I pulled over and called the mechanic I just left. He said that the high reading was probably due to a "bubble" as they had done a through job testing after replacing the pump and flushing the coolant twice.

I drove another 45 minutes home and arrived without leaving said crater...

Getting home, I grab my infrared thermometer and try to understand the coolant system a little better.
https://gowesty.com/blogs/article-library/cooling-system-in-vanagons-explained

[crazyvwvanman]

The main coolant tank should be full at all times.
If the coolant level in it is low enough to trigger the warning then that may be what you are seeing.
The early version of the coolant warning "relay" sends the gauge needle to "hot" and makes the gauge led flash whenever it thinks coolant is low.
Your van may have this early version.
If so it should be replaced with the later "relay" version so the warning led can come on when coolant is low but the temp needle will still perform the temp reading function..

Mark

[vtwestie]

[Ahwahnee]

My 84 is like yours (needle pegs when pressure tank is low) and I like it that way... the intent is to get your attention and you have to agree it did that.

You can get more in the tank by revving the engine and holding it at high RPMs while you open the tank and add coolant.

DO NOT let the revs drop until you have the cap securely back on the tank (or it will puke coolant out big time).

As noted, you want that tank totally full at all times and under all cicumstances.

[Vanagon Nut]

@ forum members.

In a properly functioning WBX cooling system, wouldn't adding coolant to the overflow tank at license plate door eventually fill up the main coolant tank?

Neil.

[vtwestie]

[vtwestie]

[Ahwahnee]

Yes, repeatedly top it up when cold and it should eventually get all the air out of the system. I just prefer to do it once and be done with it.

[jlrftype7]

https://vancafe.com/coolant-level-relay-warning/
I believe this is the later Cooling System warning relay.
I differ from AhWahnee in that I hated the early slammed temp gauge with combined low coolant level LED as a normal operational mode for Low Coolant, so I installed the later version warning relay as Crazyvwvanman posted about.
Either relay version will be at your upper Fusebox relay socket row.
_________________
'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[vtwestie]

Holy Schnikey - this is a find!

http://www.cabby-info.com/gauges.htm

[Ahwahnee]

[vanis13]