I have been thinking about installing a coolant pressure gauge or warning
system because of this.  When my coolant hose going from the left head to
the coolant manifold split, the first indication of a problem was the steam
coming out of the vents by the rear window.  My coolant temp gauge never
went above 3/4, no flashing light or buzzer.  But the expansion and overflow
tanks were dry...

If you have a slow leak, the expansion tank level sensor works to indicate a
problem, but in a catastrophic coolant loss, it's too slow to respond.  I
just happened to luck out, as the coolant hose on my '88 split just as I was
pulling into my driveway - low speed make a high steam effect!  Could be
worse, my first thought when I saw the smoke (steam) was a fire!  I was
strangely happy when I smelled the coolant, I'll tell you!

Don in Reidsville, NC
1986 Kawasaki Concours
1988 Vanagon GL (Sylvia)
"I reject your reality and substitute my own." - Adam Savage
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joy Hecht" <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Mon 23 May 2005 16:39
Subject: Re: Joy Hecht's problem's solved?

> Moving it lower would not help matters.  What seems needed is a sensor
> that detects when it hits air instead of coolant, and buzzes as soon as
> that happens.  Buzzes, not flashes.  When you have no particular reason to
> expect coolant loss, you can't do all your driving watching the light just
> in case it flashes.  Mine may have flashed before it buzzed, but if it did
> I certainly didn't notice it.  I stopped as soon as I heard the buzzer,
> but by then it was too late.
>
>
> Joy
>
> ****************************************************************
> Joy Hecht
> and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
>
> For musings about life and the vanadventures:
> http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy
>
> ****************************************************************:::-----Original
> Message-----
> :::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
> :::Of Tim Demarest
> :::Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 4:25 PM
> :::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> :::Subject: Re: Joy Hecht's problem's solved?
> :::
> :::Hmm... sounds like a side-effect of the temp sensor being located near
> :::the
> :::top of the coolant system (where there will be nothing but air if you
> :::dump
> :::the coolant). Is there any benefit to moving the sensor to a lower
> point
> :::in
> :::the system?
> :::
> :::The light should flash as soon as the coolant level sensor hits nothing
> :::but
> :::air... so if that starts flashing, I'm pulling over!
> :::
> :::At 12:30 PM 5/23/2005 -0400, Don in North Carolina wrote:
> :::>The coolant tank level sensor is supposed to warn you of this issue,
> but
> :::in
> :::>my experience it doesn't work very well at this - be warned!
>