There are two, maybe three coolant temp sensors on the Vanagon.

There is a sensor-activated switch on the radiator that controls the cooling
fan. This is often called the radiator fan switch and is made from brass.
This is not normally called a temp coolant sensor.

There are two sensors in the engine compartment. These are the ones normally
referred to as coolant temp sensors. One of these sensors is called the
coolant temp sensor II and it resides in the thermostat housing and connects
to the ECU (the brain). The other sensor (I've never seen it called temp
sensor I, that's kind of weird) is connected to the coolant temp gauge and
lives somewhere else in the engine compartment, I'm not sure where.

Generally when someone refers to the coolant temp sensor they are talking
about the coolant temp sensor II described above.

At 06:25 PM 2/26/97 -0600, dsidote@mindpulse.com wrote:
>Can someone please shed some light on a problem I am having concerning
>the coolant temperature sensor. Is the temperature coolant sensor the
>little brass switch and the one with the plug the thermo-fan switch. The
>guy at the local flaps said that the temp sensor is the brass one. In
>the bentley it appears as if the temp sensor is the one with the plug on
>the end. Thanks in advance.
>dave
>83.5 westy
>
>
>
>