At 01:08 PM 6/23/2010 Wednesday, John Meeks wrote:
>I found that cleaning the big instrument pod connector and the blue flexy
>circuit it connects to can make the difference.

Won't affect the blinking-light issue though.

>You can run some test leads from the two posts on the back of the gauge and
>check that the voltage is ~ 10v with the ignition key on.

Absolute limits are 10.500 -- 9.500.  9.499 and it will blink
forever.  What you want to see is 10.0 +/- .25 volts.

>If you do need to fix the gauge, I have some pix and stuff that may help at
>http://www.vanagonauts.com/Warning-Light-Fix241.htm

Excellent stuff.  I'm a proponent of taking the gauge apart myself,
especially because I'm also a proponent of brighter warning LED*; but
either way it's a fiddly little business.  Shaky hands are not your
friend here.  John makes it look easy... ;-)

*The existing LED is a 5-volt self-flashing device in series with a
5.1v zener diode.  To change it you have to replace the zener with
the appropriate resistor.  Radio Shack sell a nice bright but very
slow-flashing LED, four excellent bright diffused red non-flashing
ones in each of their LED assortment packs, and some water-clear
non-flashing focused ones that will put your eye out, which is my
particular choice.  I want to *know* when the thing goes off.  But if
you don't want to go the icepick route, the assortment has enough
lovely bright diffused ones to do the gauge and the alternator and
oil lights as well.  The flashing oil light on 2.1l vans is handled
by the DOPS circuit; it's a regular LED, plug-in replacement.

Yours,
David