93 Eurovan Blinking Temperature Light

[Jared Boyd]

I'm the new owner of a '93 Eurovan, 2.5L, Manual Trans. It has 95,000 original miles.

After 20 Minutes of driving, the temperature light comes on, blinking. So far, it only quits when I turn the ignition off. The actual temperature gauge reads cool, needle is in the lower half of the gauge. It has enough coolant.

Has anyone experienced this? I've read a few posts but none with the exact same symptoms.

Please advise.

Jared

[Joshwa]

That blinking light is related to the sensor in the coolant bottle. If you've got enough coolant in the bottle, your sensor needs replacing.
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93 Weekender TDI conversion (AHU)
93 MV TDI conversion (1Z)
Weekender rear cot
Late model cabin air filter on 93
Euro spec bumper install on 93

[Jared Boyd]

Thank you for that. Do you think it would be safe to drive 125 miles to pick up a sensor?

[BatesEV]

Unplug the sensor and stick a paper clip in the harness. If the light doesn’t go out then it’s somewhere else. Mine ended up being the solder convection on the cluster.

[Abscate]

[Jared Boyd]

Thank you. I'll take the truck and sort things out when I return. Per the other fellas suggestion, I did disconnect the sensor and used a paper clip to see if I couldn't get the light to turn off. I placed each end of the clip on the contacts while watching the light, still blinking.

I'll look into the connections further down the line next.

Thanks for the responses, people!

[rcowan]

I emailed this to you Jared but to benefit others down the road, I've found this link helpful when it isn't the sensor in the coolant bottle.

http://www.1946vw.co.uk/vwbooks/vw_info/t4_gauges.htm

[Jared Boyd]

So, if the temperature gauge is holding steady after an hour of driving around town (under 35mph) and idling, am I still at risk to try and drive a few hundred miles? I have no interest in cooking my engine and have another vehicle, but naturally, I want to take her out of town. It is what I purchased it for after all.

And If I sound like I want someone to tell me to "go for it," I'm not. I'm just trying to un-rationalize my thinking if I should.

Soon I'll check the solder joints.

?

[Abscate]

Jared

Get an OBD tool and see if you can monitor the coolant temperature on a smart phone. If the sensor is good and the display is acting up, the ECU may have the right temperature you can monitor.
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.ssS!

[subdewd]

1993 no OBD2
Most likely safe. But if you have another vehicle why
take a slight risk

[Jared Boyd]

Ok. I've got the instrument board out and on my work bench. I can't see cracks in the solder with the magnifying tools I have but Im going to assume they are there and re-solder anyway. BUT! I was instructed to remove the little voltage regulator below these six solder points and it isn't moving! I can see it will break off completely if it wasn't intended to be removed. Does this infact get removed? Can I just solder with it in place or will the heat do damage?

[rcowan]

In my experience, the voltage regulator has always been in a socket. That looks like someone has been there already and modified it.

Possibly they thought the socket was the problem and soldered it directly? I would be concerned that the heat of the solder would kill the regulator. A new socket and regulator may be in order here. Obviously, I don't know from here but that is my guess.

[Jared Boyd]

Yea, I noticed a difference when looking at other pictures too. Hummm.

You feeling better?

Jared

[subdewd]

With the low wattage iron you have I would just solder it. After it flows hit it with the top of a small screwdriver to sink the heat away quickly

[Jared Boyd]

Here is another view of the Regulator:

Also, I just talked to a VW Mechanic at VW and he said something about a sensor in the head that may be bad???? Thoughts?

[Abscate]

[Broseph Stalin]

I had an OBD-1 adaptor cable for the '95 that plugged into the OBD-2 code reader.
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'68 Bus in West Germany, 1977-1979
'67 Riviera poptop conversion in the US, 1984-1990
'95 EVC Winnie, 2018, Sold
'03 EVC Winnie, 2018, Sold

[Jared Boyd]

Ok.


Off the voltage regulator I get:

5v on leads 1 and 3

No response on leads 1 and 2

And 2 or 3v between 2 and 3

Please advise.

Jared

[Abscate]

I think it’s supposed to a 10V regulator.

One pin should have B+

Middle pin is ground

Other pin is 10 V regulated

Google the itt tca700y part to get the data sheet
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.ssS!

[Jared Boyd]

Ok...again

I put it all back together and went for the longest drive yet, to a 11,000ft pass 7 miles from town. The light never came back on until I returned home or, close to..When the light came back on, the temperature gauge went to zero suddenly. I was 1 mile from parking at that point. I wondered if it were a loose connection and tapped on the dash, instrument pane. The temperature gauge came back to life but the light kept flashing. HUmmm.

Once I returned home and almost turned it off, I let it idle for a minute and it pulsed as if it were getting intermittent gas or passage thought the fuel filter. It kind of pulsed between 500 and 1500 RPM. I turned it off and went inside for e drink.

Coolant level is still Normal.