Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: followup - coolant gauge problem...
From:John Bange
Date:Wed, 21 Sep 2005 11:17:56 -0700

> What if there's a big bubble in my radiator and the coolant doesn't
> even reach the sensor there? I haven't bled the system yet. That's
> next.

Still like to know what the VW 1301 output is so I can test the gauge
> and use the Bentley troubleshooting flowchart.

VW1301 is apparently a variable resistor device on a 12V input. There are a
few mentions of it in the archives. Ken Lewis did a test with a decade
resistance box and came up with some numbers, but I think he had the "fuel
full" and "fuel empty" numbers reversed. The markings on the VW tool are a
German engineering mystery. The proportion seems to be 5:3 in terms of
"VW1301 number" : "resistance in ohms". Ken himself even mentioned the
3/5ths thing at the time.

What it comes down to is: ("tool" means VW1301 tester dial setting)

tool = 50 ----- 35ohms (tank reads full, temp reads hot)
tool = 320 ---- 210ohms (tank reads empty)
tool = 510 ---- 340ohms (temp gauge reads cold)

--
>
> bcnu - Grungy (Baytown, TX) opinions are just that.obviously.
> 60 dddPanel 69 Bug 90 Vanagon 00 Audi A6 Avant 05 Jetta Wagon TDI
> g r u n g y AT g r u n g y DOT c o m
>

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon
"Keine Bange, wir holen die Zange!"