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DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4800
Location: Bemidji, MN
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 Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2020 4:30 pm Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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| djkeev wrote: |
I put RMW's tank on and it has a one terminal probe. No mention was made of adjustments.
I also had no leaks and have absolutely no idea if their level probe even works!
Dave |
right. but their probe is bare the entire length. just saying some trimming of the nylon MIGHT be needed. the RMW probe turns the dash light off, so obviously it conductive enough. don't know how far down the stem it has to go into coolant before the light comes on tho. if just the tip is needed to conduct enough to turn the light off, mebbe trim the rod to the upper part of the chamber for a few milliseconds early warning!
what's under the screw head of that sender? is it just a place to wedge a fine wire into the threads or is it some other captive mechanism? i like the looks of it.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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wcdennis
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2004
Posts: 955
Location: Winston-Salem NC
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| Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:47 pm Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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| I read somewhere that the electronic low level warning relay “latched “ at whatever current it detected at startup and set the alarm if this initial value dropped. This makes sense seeing that different coolant mixes will conduct differently. If true, there’s probably plenty of leeway in how conductors are set up, as long as they are submerged. |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16505
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 9:37 pm Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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| wcdennis wrote: |
| I read somewhere that the electronic low level warning relay “latched “ at whatever current it detected at startup and set the alarm if this initial value dropped. This makes sense seeing that different coolant mixes will conduct differently. If true, there’s probably plenty of leeway in how conductors are set up, as long as they are submerged. |
Not in my experience. My ‘87 has an old coolant level sensor that when it is 40f or below will continue to blink low coolant until the coolant warms up. I do have to recycle the ignition to get it to reset. If it was indexing on the original reading this should not happen. Full of new coolant.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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wcdennis
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2004
Posts: 955
Location: Winston-Salem NC
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| Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:55 am Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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| I was only reporting something I read. However, if cold coolant is out of range for the sensor, it seems like that would cause false readings for everyone in the winter. |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32632
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
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Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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hdenter
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2008
Posts: 2754
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 3:19 pm Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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They kept rising as you inserted it deeper, or with just the tip dipped in?
Hans
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'84 sunroof vanagon
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32632
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4800
Location: Bemidji, MN
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| Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:01 pm Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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| djkeev wrote: |
So, what am I looking for in testing this level sensor?
I set my meter to ohms, with the sensor dry I've got squat, an open circuit.
I submerge the end in antifreeze and the ohm value starts rising, I don't know how high it will go, it was an awkward meter probe hold. But the numbers just kept rising.....
I dunno?
Dave |
uh, ya mean the value starts lowering. starts off infinite resistance and then gets less as more of the probe is submerged.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32632
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:05 pm Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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| DanHoug wrote: |
| djkeev wrote: |
So, what am I looking for in testing this level sensor?
I set my meter to ohms, with the sensor dry I've got squat, an open circuit.
I submerge the end in antifreeze and the ohm value starts rising, I don't know how high it will go, it was an awkward meter probe hold. But the numbers just kept rising.....
I dunno?
Dave |
uh, ya mean the value starts lowering. starts off infinite resistance and then gets less as more of the probe is submerged. |
You know how we all have our Achilles Heel?
Ohms, watts, Voltage...... who are these guys anyway?
Electric is mine.
As I hold the probes on with the tip submerged the digital reading goes from being open to higher and higher numbers.
I don't know, thats why I ask.
I guess the higher numbers indicate resistance?
Is there a better way to test this sender?
I wish I had my analog tester here, the needle swings far right...... good connection!
Dave
Dave
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DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4800
Location: Bemidji, MN
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| Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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with digital meters, you can largely ignore the numbers. meaning they autorange and give some indicator of the multiplier... 4.56meg ohms, 456k ohms, 45600 ohms are all decreasing in resistance but the 'numbers' are going up. different meters represent these values in different ways, sometimes indicating the multiplier with just a tick mark on a symbol on the screen.
but. 32 ohms with the probe submerged is just fine and will more than likely be 'low' enough to inhibit the circuit and keep the LED from flashing.
do this... start with probe in coolant. then key on, MAYBE engine needs to be running but try it with just key on, no start, first. raise probe out of coolant and look over seat back to see if LED starts flashing. if not, try it with engine running. to avoid the mess, you could even just pull the sensor wire off the sensor when the engine is running as that will simulate a loss of coolant.
sometime when the weather is nice i'll put a variable resistor in line and see what the resistance threshold is to trip the LED. crazyvwvanman probably knows that value. my guess it is quite high, like several thousands of ohms or higher.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32632
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4800
Location: Bemidji, MN
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| Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:30 pm Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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i suspect everything will be juuuuust fine with that sensor. onward to bigger problems! Lions and Tigers and Valves, Oh My!
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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wcdennis
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2004
Posts: 955
Location: Winston-Salem NC
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| Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2021 10:00 am Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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Dave,
I did a very a similar experiment and the big aha for me was that as soon as the probes touch the coolant, they conduct almost as much current as when they are submerged. This means that the low-level alarm is not activated until coolant level drops below the ends of them. That means the length of the probes is what sets the alarm point. In other words, if your probes measure half your tank's height, the warning light won't come on until it is half empty.
Cameron |
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84WestyHobbes
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2019
Posts: 54
Location: Savannah, GA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 7:58 pm Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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Hi all, question that’s associated with these tanks. I just installed the RMW aluminum tank and will be bleeding the system. With the plastic one I was using the bike pump method and it was working well - would I be able to use the same pump with the new tank? Otherwise I’m familiar with the other methods if the nipple doesn’t work exactly the same way as the plastic cap. I would guess it would, but don’t want to mess anything up without asking first. I looked for this specific question all over but usually the conversation went on to discuss the tanks but never mentioned the pump method.
Thanks in advance and cheers!
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vanis13
Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2010
Posts: 3100
Location: ABQ NM USA.... Except when not
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dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7757
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:22 am Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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Bad links... 
PS: Looks great, but curious why you spec'd metal for the overflow tank?
- Dave
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"The WonderVan"
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vanis13
Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2010
Posts: 3100
Location: ABQ NM USA.... Except when not
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vanis13
Samba Member
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Location: ABQ NM USA.... Except when not
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skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16883
Location: sticksville, ct.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 8:31 pm Post subject: Re: Alternative Aluminum coolant Expansion tank |
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sorry i haven't chimed back in.
my tank is similar to the one Vanis posted.
earlier in the thread i mentioned i found a machinist to make the goofy size bungs for the OE sender.
they weren't cheap but i got a bit of a volume discount so i got 3
fits the OE sender just fine
now that i have them, i have to wonder if it's worth it to use the OE sender.
I see the vanagon guys kinda bellyache about these going bad (leaking) but honestly, it's the same p/n as the early watercooled rabbits etc and pretty much fits everything of the era.
having said that, i have never had one go bad in any of my rabbits/jettas etc but i have to wonder, is DJKEEV on to something with the other style sender?
never gave that one much thought. I have some equipment with that style, so no big deal and they seem to work just fine.
i guess the million dollar question is: is the OE sender just a pile of shit and i have been lucky? i really don't want to weld in the bung if it just going to cause heartache but for sure want a warning light
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