So those VW engineers "intended" the blinking coolant light to first induce
a skeptical doubt, and after the driver checks the truth of the light, a
sense of awe that it actually did indicate low coolant ?  Or, did they
intend to waste our time trying to keep that blinking light behaving?  They
did accomplish both, I think.  I know I wasted a bit of time on it, too.
On Dec 12, 2014 11:33 AM, "Neil N" <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

> > ....   Not elegant, but I have better things to do than
> > fiddle ...  repeatedly, with something the VW engineering didn't get
> > quite right.
>
> On my I4 swap, with a brand new coolant level warning module
> installed, the first coolant gauge I installed had an intermittent
> lingering blinking coolant light; if I left the bus sitting for a few
> days, after starting the bus the light would stay on for a period of
> time then go out. If bus driven daily, this didn't happen. This gauge
> was 25+ years old from a higher mileage 1985 1.9; a failing coolant
> level warning light capacitor is to be expected? I replaced this gauge
> with one from what was likely a lower mileage diesel. This gauge has
> been reliable.
>
> On a recent trip in my I4 swap bus, while coasting down a long steep
> mountain pass in Oregon, the coolant level warning light did exactly
> what it was intended to do. It warned me of a low coolant situation.
> Due to a certain level of engine swap arrogance on my part, and past
> gauge history, I assumed the gauge was at fault, so keyed the ignition
> on/off while driving. The light went out, but then came back on.
> Indeed there was a coolant loss happening.
>
> Image showing cause of the coolant loss (albeit a VERY slow leak) on
> the Jetta coolant expansion tank installed in my swap:
> http://tinyurl.com/p5pg5ex   I imagine this type of failure can happen
> on the WBX expansion tank? I digress.
>
> IMO, age of the part not withstanding, the coolant level warning light
> in the Vanagon coolant gauge works as the VW engineers intended.
>
> ;)
>
> Neil.
>
> On 12/12/14, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Black tape will do the job.  Then you can figure a way to work around the
> > coolant light.  I installed an oil temp gauge, used in tandem with my
> > coolant temp gauge and my alternator light I can deduce what is actually
> > happening inside my motor rather than having to wonder if that blinking
> > light means anything THIS time, or if it is simply sending another false
> > warning.
> >   After wasting time beating that particular "Dead Horse"... The sketchy
> > blinking light that gets so much bandwidth amongst Vanagon owners... I
> > found a better way.  My Blinky-Light has been taped over now for 4yrs and
> > about 70k miles.   Not elegant, but I have better things to do than
> > fiddle-d-f**k, repeatedly, with something the VW engineering didn't get
> > quite right.
>
> --
> Neil n
>
> Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
>
> 1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
>
> 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
>
> Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
>