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Subject:Re: Weird little electrical problem
From:Neil
Date:Sun, 25 Apr 2021 20:22:51 -0700

Cool. And yes, good point on water in fuel.

I know you're a very experienced Vanagon owner so assumed coolant
level was fine but I've had the coolant low light come on while
coasting down a long long steep hill. But in my case, as a less
experienced owner-operator, in fact, the coolant was low.

;^)

Just a WAG though but do you think power fed back through the cluster?

Has your van been upgraded to the later style coolant low module?

Neil.

On 4/25/21, Jim. Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
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>  Neil, you may be on to a something. But a few comments:
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>> On Apr 25, 2021 at 2:39 PM,  <Neil (mailto:musomuso@gmail.com)>  wrote:
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>>  Assuming water in fuel or slightly low coolant level weren't at
>> fault.....
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>>  I can’t say about the water in the fuel—though it would still be in
>> there, and the symptom hasn’t occurred since that night—but the coolant
>> level was and is tip top.
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>> Fault in 15 circuit (e.g. ignition switch) caused fuel cut off
>> solenoid to close which in turn caused a subtle electrical design
>> difference in the Vanagon.org foil to make the coolant light flicker?
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>>  I suspect this is likely the issue.
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>> Here is where I think you have tied things together.
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>>  Jim
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>> After 4 hours driving, excess water in engine bay would likely have
>> evaporated off but.....
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>> Water fouled connections at sensor that connects to glow plug relay
>> which in turn caused issue in 15 circuit to fuel cut off solenoid? (15
>> connects to solenoid via pin at glow plug relay)
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>> Arm chair theorist,
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>> Neil.
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>> On 4/24/21, Jim. Felder  <jim.felder@gmail.com>  wrote:
>> >  I went on a week long birding/photography trip about a thousand miles
>> > long.
>> >  Except for the first two days it rained pretty much all the time on the
>> > gulf
>> >  coast. I got flooded out of a campsite and drove down dozens of flooded
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>> >  streets. Nothing happened then but on the way home, after about four
>> > hours
>> >  of driving, the temp light flickered on and off at times, usually 5 or
>> > ten
>> >  minutes apart. The gauge showed normal the whole time. I stopped to
>> > make
>> >  sure everything was normal under the hatch. Twice the engine stumbled
>> > while
>> >  the red light was on but quickly recovered.
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>> >  I figured it was wet wiring. Since I got home and things have dried out
>> > I
>> >  have not been able to reproduce any of these problems.
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>> >  I drive a 1983 turbo diesel 5-speed with Vanagon.org dash foil
>> > replacement.
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>> >  Jim
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>> --
>> Neil n
>>
>> VE7TBN
>>
>> 1988 Westy 50º ABA swap: https://tinyurl.com/yap5hpwt
>>
>> 1981 Westy 15º ABA swap: https://tinyurl.com/y9n4xob8
>>
>> VAG Gas Engine Swap Group  <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
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-- 
Neil n

VE7TBN

1988 Westy 50º ABA swap: https://tinyurl.com/yap5hpwt

1981 Westy 15º ABA swap: https://tinyurl.com/y9n4xob8

VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>