With all due respect, Mike...I just completed my Subie Conversion and was
running just water in the cooling system.  I wanted to make sure it was nice
and tight.  The coolant light would come on just after start up.  I filled
the system with the proper mix of coolant and the blinking stopped...who
knows with these beasts sometimes, they have a mind of there own...

Jim
Wilmington, NC

On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 6:11 AM, Mike Collum <collum@myfairpoint.net> wrote:

> I find it hard to believe that the Vanagon Myth, about an improper
> coolant mixture will cause the blinking light to go on, persists.
>
> In 18 years I've owned 5 running Vanagons (currently have 3 1/2) and
> numerous times, whether due to emergency or to flushing the coolant
> systems, I've run the engines with straight water (NO antifreeze) and
> have gotten no blinking lights.
>
> I'd say the probes are about as sensitive as the ones in a Westy fresh
> water tank ... the ones that light the water level lights.
>
> Mike
>