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tprosser100
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Joined: October 17, 2020
Posts: 17
Location: UT
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 Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 10:29 pm Post subject: Red light and temperature gauge going up [solved] |
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Today while driving down the freeway my red light came on and my temperature gauge shot up to 3/4. I quickly slowed down and babied it to my destination. Is it possible that my Vanagon can be overheating in temperatures of 20 degrees? I don’t think so but wanted to confirm. Would you think it was my coolant level? Or something else?
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AndyBees
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Joined: January 31, 2008
Posts: 2631
Location: Southeast Kentucky
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| Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:19 pm Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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Not sure how far you drove once you saw the warnings, but you should have stopped immediately (safely of course).
Mostly likely it was overheating with the light and gauge both warning.
So, did you check the coolant level?
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
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danfromsyr
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Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15358
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:51 am Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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How the heck are we supposed to know if it's the coolant level or something else. you are the 1st one on the scene..
open the engine compartment and take a look..
and if you don't know anything about (antique) automobiles.
READ THE DANGED MANUAL
| tprosser100 wrote: |
| Today while driving down the freeway my red light came on and my temperature gauge shot up to 3/4. I quickly slowed down and babied it to my destination. Is it possible that my Vanagon can be overheating in temperatures of 20 degrees? I don’t think so but wanted to confirm. Would you think it was my coolant level? Or something else? |
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tprosser100
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Joined: October 17, 2020
Posts: 17
Location: UT
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 6:40 am Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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Yes, I checked the coolant and it was at the minimum level. So I added coolant and I am still getting the red warning light and temperature gauge going to 3/4. I had the coolant replaced 2 months ago by a VW mechanic so I know he got all the air pockets out. I also know he lifted the front end over 18 inches. I did have the ignition coil replaced yesterday. Now, I have it at the mechanic in Buena Vista, CO. today. I was just surprised that it could really overheat in 20 degree weather.
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djkeev
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tprosser100
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Joined: October 17, 2020
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Location: UT
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 7:08 am Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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Refill/overflow on the right, behind the license plate, just filled it to the Max line.
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4Gears4Tires
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Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 4214
Location: MD
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 7:13 am Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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That's not the coolant reservoir. The tank behind the license plate is the coolant expansion tank.
You need to take the engine cover off and look at the coolant reservoir. It will be to the left of the expansion tank. The reservoir has the level sensor and if the red light comes on, it most likely means your tank is empty. You will need to take the hose clamp and hose off the cap, and unscrew the cap to add more coolant.
Edit: You will also need to do a coolant pressure test to find out where you are losing coolant from.
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Last edited by 4Gears4Tires on Fri Feb 05, 2021 7:14 am; edited 2 times in total |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
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Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 7:13 am Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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| tprosser100 wrote: |
| Refill/overflow on the right, behind the license plate, just filled it to the Max line. |
No,, that one is for coolant recovery, yes it should be at the line but if it is low, you have an issue.
Open the engine cover, there is another tank, on the left rear, most often plastic but aluminum upgrades are available.
If warm, CAREFULLY open that top, I bet it is low or empty.
This is the tank you need to check.
Let us know.
Dave
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Last edited by djkeev on Fri Feb 05, 2021 7:32 am; edited 1 time in total |
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tprosser100
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Joined: October 17, 2020
Posts: 17
Location: UT
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 7:21 am Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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Ok, I did check the expansion tank and it is at the correct level. The tank on the left when looking at the engine 😀
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Abscate 
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 7:27 am Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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The engine burns at 2000F , and all that heat is localized in very small spots. That heat has to be carried away quickly and efficiently by the coolant system: pump, hoses, coolant,and radiator to dump it into the air.
I would venture that 999/1000 of overheats are not due to ambient temperatures , but to some failure in the coolant system components.
The impact of ambient temperature swings is often over estimated
Coolant runs at about 200F , it is simple to design the coolant system to exchange enough heat at 100F ambient, then use a thermostat to control the system at lower temperatures. A 100 F temperature differential is still large and easy to design heat transfer typical of an auto engine
You can even swag the heat generated as approximately equal to the hp in use, as engines are about 40-50%nefficient.
I’m swagging it because I don’t have access to ray Greenwood’s nanodots
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djkeev
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djkeev
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4Gears4Tires
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 8:05 am Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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This tank needs to be completely full.
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Howesight
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Location: Vancouver, B.C.
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 3:34 pm Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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| tprosser100 wrote: |
| Yes, I checked the coolant and it was at the minimum level. So I added coolant and I am still getting the red warning light and temperature gauge going to 3/4. I had the coolant replaced 2 months ago by a VW mechanic so I know he got all the air pockets out. I also know he lifted the front end over 18 inches. I did have the ignition coil replaced yesterday. Now, I have it at the mechanic in Buena Vista, CO. today. I was just surprised that it could really overheat in 20 degree weather. |
It's getting so hard to find Vanagon repair technicians who understand how to bleed the Vanagon cooling system. The REAR end of the vehicle needs to be higher than the front end. The Vanagon Rad has an inlet and outlet far lower than the top of the rad. For this reason, to bleed the air that always accumulates in the top half of the rad, you need to open the air bleed at the top of the rad and also ensure that the air bleed valve is LOWER than the Vanagon expansion tank - - unless you are doing this in a location where there is no gravity. (In that case, ignore the above - - you are in space and all bets are off and you need a rocket scientist, not a mechanic)
The mass of the coolant flows, by gravity, from the rest of the cooling system, to occupy the space in the rad and pushes the air out. If no coolant is flowing to the rad, then the air will not be pushed out.
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hdenter
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:15 pm Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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I prefer the Libby bong method. No jacking required.
Hans
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tprosser100
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Location: UT
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 9:58 pm Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up |
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Turns out the vanagon was not overheating after all  It was a wire that was hanging on by a thread at the temperature sensor. It was throwing a false signal that the vanagon was overheating. I am happy that it was a minor issue. Had me scared for a moment but relief in the end.
Probably a good lesson for myself to just simply check the temperature of the 2 coolant pipes or hoses underneath with a infrared thermometer or just barely touch them with my hand. I felt them with my hand and they were just luke warm. That was my sign that the van was not actually overheating.
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Abscate
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| Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 3:02 am Post subject: Re: Red light and temperature gauge going up [solved] |
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If you use that device and a camera phone after a hot run when your Bus is running well, you will have a map of known good temperatures !
Usually, in an overheat, your nose tells the tale. Stinky hot metal followed by coolant
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djkeev
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